How to Become a Plumber in Minnesota
Minnesota plumbing work follows a registered-unlicensed or apprenticeship entry route, journeyworker and master plumber credentials, and a separate plumbing contractor or restricted plumbing contractor license. Direct supervision, employer status, community population, permits, inspections, insurance, and bonding must be checked separately. The rules can differ by state, city, and type of work.
Regulator: Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry and local permit authorities
Employment outlook: Minnesota vs United States
These state and national projections describe the occupation. They do not promise a job, wage, or opening.
Minnesota state record
2024–2034
- Employment (2024)
- 9,302
- Projected (2034)
- 9,988
- Projected change
- 7.4% (2024–2034)
- 2024–2034 total openings
- 8,488
Source note: The Minnesota DEED long-term occupation projection query is the source of record for the 2024–2034 state employment and modeled total openings fields for SOC 47-2152. DEED labels 8,488 as 2024–2034 Total Openings, not annual openings; the total includes growth, labor-force exits, and occupational transfers. The direct BLS May 2025 statewide OEWS row is the source of record for the annual wage ladder; DEED First Quarter 2026 hourly values are retained as a separate current state labor-market reference. Projected openings are modeled demand, not current vacancies.
United States benchmark
2025–2035; national benchmark, not a state estimate for Minnesota
- Employment (2025)
- 510,600
- Projected (2035)
- 545,200
- Projected change
- 7% (2025–2035)
- Annual openings
- 42,000
National median wage benchmark: $63,800
The state source reports 2024–2034 total openings, including growth and replacement demand. The national benchmark uses annual openings. Neither figure counts jobs available to you now.
The BLS May 2025 state OEWS dataset is the source of record for this wage ladder. The exact statewide row was retrieved from the BLS OEWS query system. The linked O*NET local-wage page is retained as a readable cross-check and is not a separate wage vintage. BLS OEWS state figures are survey estimates for wage-and-salary workers in nonfarm establishments, not job offers, guaranteed starting pay, benefits, overtime, self-employment income, or business revenue. The occupation scope follows the exact SOC row, so a job title or employer may include duties outside this occupation.
O*NET readable cross-check for BLS May 2025 state OEWS May 2025 State employment source: official record 2024–2034 National benchmark source: BLS OOH 2025–2035Official sources used for this record (13)
These links show the source trail for the record. A listing is a citation, not an endorsement; confirm volatile rules and local requirements before acting.
- Minnesota DEED long-term occupation projections, 2024–2034Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development · accessed 2026-09-15
- Minnesota DEED OES — plumber, pipefitter, or steamfitter, First Quarter 2026Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development · accessed 2026-09-15
- BLS May 2025 State OEWS data fileU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · accessed 2026-09-15
- BLS May 2025 Minnesota state wage table — PlumberU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · accessed 2026-09-15
- Minnesota plumber, pipefitter, or steamfitter wages, readable cross-checkU.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, O*NET OnLine · accessed 2026-09-15
- U.S. plumber, pipefitter, or steamfitter employment projections, 2025–2035U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · accessed 2026-09-15
- Minnesota DLI registered apprenticeship application directoryMinnesota Department of Labor and Industry · accessed 2026-09-15
- Minnesota DLI Plumbing License BasicsMinnesota Department of Labor and Industry · accessed 2026-09-15
- Minnesota DLI Plumbing License Experience RequirementsMinnesota Department of Labor and Industry · accessed 2026-09-15
- Minnesota DLI Plumbing License Types and CredentialsMinnesota Department of Labor and Industry · accessed 2026-09-15
- Minnesota DLI Plumbing Contractor Licensing BasicsMinnesota Department of Labor and Industry · accessed 2026-09-15
- Minnesota DLI Plumbing InspectionsMinnesota Department of Labor and Industry · accessed 2026-09-15
- Minnesota DLI Plumber ApprenticeshipsMinnesota Department of Labor and Industry · accessed 2026-09-15
Do I need to pay for school first?
Do not treat a listed course as a required first step. We have not established a school requirement for every route. Ask the regulator and the employer or apprenticeship sponsor these questions before paying:
- Can I apply for supervised paid work before enrolling? Which registration or license must I hold first?
- Is classroom training required for this exact route, or is it one of several options?
- Does this specific approved course count toward the qualification I want? Who confirms that credit?
- What can I legally do after completion, and what experience or examination remains?
- What are the full costs and refund terms before I pay a deposit?
These are verification questions, not findings about this pathway. A source-checked training listing does not establish school necessity, legal authority, a paid position, or an open application.
Minnesota plumbing scope changes at the 5,000-person community threshold: full plumbing contractor licensing applies over 5,000, while communities under 5,000 may fall within restricted contractor scope; restricted journeyworker or master credentials can also affect worker and supervision scope. Check the job address, population, worker credential, employer authorization, contractor license, permit issuer, inspection process, and plumbing system scope separately.
Source record checked
We checked the official sources for this state and trade on the review date shown.
Checked recently: 2026-09-15 · source period May 2025. This date is a reminder to check the information. It does not mean it was checked again.
What this does not prove: This is not a job offer or a promise of a training place, a job, a license, or a certificate. It does not show that an employer is involved.
Your next best steps
Start with a conversation, not a resignation. Use these steps to check your options. They do not guarantee a job, a training place, or a license or certificate.
Check which work you may do
Check the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry and local permit authorities page. Ask which Plumber work you may do, who must supervise it, and which exams and fees apply. Make sure the rules are for workers, not just contractors or businesses. This is not a job offer or a promise of a training place, a job, a license, or a certificate. It does not show that an employer is involved.
Ask what the training qualifies you to do
Ask the school what you will learn, how much hands-on practice you will get, and what you can do after finishing. A course completion certificate is not a license or a job offer. This is not a job offer or a promise of a training place, a job, a license, or a certificate. It does not show that an employer is involved.
Ask about current jobs and training places
Ask whether there is a paid job now, a training program to apply to, or only a list for future applicants. Check starting pay, work hours, tools, travel, benefits, how they choose applicants, and what happens if the job or training ends early, or if you leave early. This is not a job offer or a promise of a training place, a job, a license, or a certificate. It does not show that an employer is involved.
Questions to take with you
Use these with a regulator, employer, sponsor, or training provider. Save the answers in writing when possible.
- 1Are these Plumber rules for individual workers, contractors or businesses, or both? Check the linked licensing authority for current rules, the work you may do, and how to apply.
- 2Which work or class hours count toward the license, certificate, or required experience? Who keeps the records? Check the linked licensing authority for current rules, the work you may do, and how to apply.
- 3Can I start paid work under supervision before I earn the license or certificate? Who must supervise me? Check the linked licensing authority for current rules, the work you may do, and how to apply.
- 4Is there a paid job or training place open now? Is this only a list for future applicants, or an old listing? Check the linked licensing authority for current rules, the work you may do, and how to apply.
- 5What is the starting pay, and how could it rise? Can I get those terms in writing? Check the linked licensing authority for current rules, the work you may do, and how to apply.
- 6Which fees, tools, travel, exams, insurance, or equipment will I need to pay for? Check the linked licensing authority for current rules, the work you may do, and how to apply.
- 7Does finishing this program count toward Minnesota requirements? Does the licensing authority need to approve it separately? Check the linked licensing authority for current rules, the work you may do, and how to apply.
Steps to qualify in Minnesota
Click on each stage to inspect the legal requirements, hours, fees, and exam specifications.
Minnesota DLI registered unlicensed plumber or registered apprenticeship
Start as a paid worker under direct supervision
DLI says a person may perform plumbing work as a registered unlicensed plumber or registered apprentice when the work is within the employer’s authorized scope and directly supervised by a licensed journeyworker or master plumber. The worker must be employed by a licensed plumbing contractor or registered plumbing employer. The contractor’s population-based scope also matters: full plumbing contractor licensing applies to contracting work in communities over 5,000, while communities under 5,000 may fall within restricted contractor scope; restricted journeyworker and master credentials can affect work and supervision scope. Confirm the worker credential, employer authorization, and community before relying on this route.
- Classroom hours:
- Program and sponsor terms vary
- Supervised work hours:
- Documented field experience is required for later license routes
Stored requirement from this source-checked record. Read the stage's official source and confirm current eligibility, accepted credits, and how hours must be documented.
A state or exam fee is not the total cost. Tuition, tools, protective equipment, travel, application waiting time, unpaid study, and lost income need a separate written budget. A complete route cost is not verified here.
Key requirements in this record
- Register with DLI or enroll in a DLI-registered plumbing apprenticeship
- Work for the required licensed contractor or registered plumbing employer
- Confirm direct supervision, tools, transportation, safety gear, and classroom expectations
Online Training Applicability
Training, experience, and continuing education
These requirements describe different things: related instruction, supervised on-the-job experience, wiring-school instruction, and renewal education. They are not interchangeable and do not prove a current sponsor seat, employer opening, or placement result.
Continuing education
Master and journeyworker plumbers generally have DLI continuing-education obligations during the license period; confirm the current hours and license-specific rules directly.
Selected-stage instruction
Minnesota DLI registered unlicensed plumber or registered apprenticeship
Program and sponsor terms vary
Selected-stage field experience
Minnesota DLI registered unlicensed plumber or registered apprenticeship
Documented field experience is required for later license routes
Stage-by-stage hour qualifiers
Minnesota DLI registered unlicensed plumber or registered apprenticeship
Instruction/training: Program and sponsor terms vary
On-the-job experience: Documented field experience is required for later license routes
Minnesota journeyworker plumber license
Instruction/training: Registered apprenticeship and approved education routes vary
On-the-job experience: One year equals at least 1,750 hours; DLI lists category-specific experience requirements
Minnesota master plumber license
Instruction/training: DLI route and education alternatives vary
On-the-job experience: At least one year of licensed journeyworker experience for the standard route
Minnesota plumbing contractor or restricted plumbing contractor license
Instruction/training: Not established as a statewide total for the contractor license
On-the-job experience: A current master plumber must satisfy the responsible-individual requirement
Questions to verify for Minnesota career switchers
When can I legally begin earning money?
Minnesota DLI describes paid work by a registered unlicensed plumber or registered apprentice under direct supervision and within the employer’s authorized scope. Apprenticeship pages are discovery leads only and do not establish a current sponsor seat, employer opening, wage, benefits package, or selection outcome.
Does online trade training count toward my license?
Plumbing theory, code reading, blueprint interpretation, and safety can be studied online. Registration, documented experience, examination, direct supervision, permits, inspections, and hands-on competence remain separate.
What does it take to start my own contracting business?
A plumbing business needs the Minnesota plumbing contractor or restricted contractor license, a responsible active master plumber, required insurance and workers’ compensation compliance, a $25,000 surety bond, permits, inspections, code compliance, business setup, tools, vehicles, and working capital. Full plumbing contractor licensing applies to contracting work in communities over 5,000; communities under 5,000 may fall within restricted contractor scope, and restricted journeyworker or master credentials can affect worker and supervision scope. Confirm the population threshold and exact project scope with DLI and the local authority.
Will another state accept my license or certificate?
This record does not list a verified reciprocity agreement. Check the current transfer or examination-waiver rules with the relevant board before assuming that a credential or work history transfers to another state.
Ready to map your personal transition into Minnesota Plumber work?
Input your current income, budget, and evening availability to generate a step-by-step planning outline with listed training options. Check each provider and regulator before enrolling.