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Kansas has no state plumber license

Kansas does not issue a state license for plumbers.1 Cities and counties set their own rules; this page lists what Wichita / Sedgwick County (MABCD: City of Wichita, unincorporated Sedgwick County and small cities in its jurisdiction), Johnson County (Overland Park, Olathe and other Johnson County cities; unincorporated Johnson County), Kansas City, Kansas (Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City), Topeka and Lawrence require.

Last checked · 14 official sources

On this page
  1. Is there a Kansas plumber license?
  2. City and county licenses
  3. Other rules for plumbers in Kansas
  4. Check a license or report a problem
  5. Laws and rules
  6. Plumber licenses in other states

Is there a Kansas plumber license?

No. Kansas does not license plumbers at the state level.1

  • State law does not require a license; whether one is needed depends on the city or county. Where a city or county licenses plumbers, it must use the state-designated standard exams (ICC, IAPMO or Prometric) for licenses that are valid in other Kansas jurisdictions.2
  • Wichita/Sedgwick County (MABCD): homeowners may do specific plumbing work on their own owner-occupied home after passing an MABCD homeowner exam.3
  • Medical gas piping: anyone installing, repairing or inspecting medical gas piping in a Kansas city or county must be licensed under K.S.A. 12-1508 et seq. and hold the matching ASSE Series 6000 certification.4
The official wording

“In addition to the general requirements for starting a business in Kansas, cities and counties set licensing requirements for construction or contracting businesses.”1

Kansas Business Center

City and county licenses

Kansas leaves plumber licensing to cities and counties. Under K.S.A. 12-1509, a city or county that licenses plumbers must use an ICC, IAPMO or Prometric standard exam with a 75% pass mark, require at least 12 hours of CE every 2 years (or 6 a year, half of it code), check 2 years of field experience before a journeyman certificate, and 2 years as a journeyman (or 4 years of field experience) before a master certificate. A certificate earned that way must be accepted without re-examination by any other Kansas city or county that licenses plumbers. Licenses based on other exams are valid only locally unless there is a reciprocal agreement.4

City or countyWhat it requiresLink
Wichita / Sedgwick County (MABCD: City of Wichita, unincorporated Sedgwick County and small cities in its jurisdiction)MABCD requires journeyman and master plumbers to hold MABCD trade certificates. Journeyman: 2 years of field experience (or 1 year plus 1 year of plumbing trade school) and 75%+ on ICC K9R / 560 Journeyman Plumber with Gas or an IAPMO exam. Master: journeyman plus 2 years as a journeyman, or 4 years of field experience, and 75%+ on ICC K9F / 557 Master Plumber with Gas or IAPMO. $35 certificate fee; certificates last 2 years and need 12 CE hours (6 trade-specific, 6 general) per renewal; expired certificates owe extra CE hours. MABCD does not reciprocate with state testing. Plumbing companies also need an MABCD Plumbing trade contractor license ($360 for 2 years, expires 31 December of odd years).5Official page5
Johnson County (Overland Park, Olathe and other Johnson County cities; unincorporated Johnson County)Johnson County Contractor Licensing issues a Class DP Plumbing Contractor license to a company with a full-time (30+ hours/week) Qualifying Individual who scored 75%+ on a Contractor License Review Board-approved standard exam (ICC Master Plumbing with Gas, Exam ID KGF; standard exam agencies are ICC and Prometric or past ETS subsidiaries; ICC National exams considered without guarantee). The company files $1,000,000 general liability. Fees: $100 application + $225 per license type; renewal $225 a year, $75 late fee from February 1; inactive renewal $100. Each QI needs 8 hours of approved CE per license type each calendar year.6Official page6
Kansas City, Kansas (Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City)Plumbing contractors need one master per trade who passed a Block & Associates, Experior or Prometric exam at 75%+ (the city sponsors Prometric Master Plumber testing) and holds a UG Certificate of Qualification approved by the Chief Building Inspector. The contractor files a $5,000 surety bond, buys a master card ($60) and an employee card ($20) for each employee working in the jurisdiction, all renewed annually, and pays the UG occupational tax.7Official page8
TopekaTopeka licenses master, journeyman and apprentice plumbers. Masters and journeymen need a notarized time-in-trade form and 75%+ on the Standard Master or Journeyman Plumbing with Gas exam (Prometric, or a comparable ICC exam). Apprentices must be licensed and work under direct supervision; the plumbing work ratio is 1 to 1. Exam sponsorship costs $50 (non-refundable, trade board review) and a re-test $20; the first license is issued free. Licenses renew each year by December 14; the designated master or journeyman needs 6 CE hours a year (3 in the trade).9Official page9
LawrenceLawrence licenses a Class E Plumbing Contractor: 4 years of qualifying plumbing experience and a Certificate of Competency. Fees: $75 application + $75 annual license fee; late renewal +$75. Certain employees doing plumbing work for the contractor must be certified master or journeyman tradespersons; the qualifying party needs 8 hours of CE a year and tradespersons 6 hours.10Official page11

Other rules for plumbers in Kansas

Education or training
At least 930 clock hours4
Framework for local licenses: "field experience" can include trade-related schooling for up to 1 of the 2 required years, if the program is at least 930 hours with a certificate of completion.4
Experience
At least 2 years4
Framework for local licenses: 2 years of field experience under a journeyman or master before a journeyman certificate; 2 years holding a journeyman certificate, or 4 years of field experience, before a master certificate.4
Supervision: Direct supervision by a journeyman or master certificate holder.4
Exam
State-designated standard examinations for local plumber licensing: ICC, IAPMO or Prometric (plumbing contractor, master, journeyman)12
Given by: ICC, IAPMO or Prometric (local jurisdictions choose; MABCD and Johnson County use ICC exams such as K9R/K9F/KGF)13
Passing score: 75% (minimum the local rules must set)4

Check a license or report a problem

Before you hire a plumber in Kansas, you can confirm the license is current on the board's own search. Every board we cover in Kansas is on the Kansas license lookup page.

Look up a license
jocogov.org14

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

Plumber licenses in other states

Sources

Every number and rule above links to one of these official pages. Select a footnote number to read the board's own words.

  1. Business Starter Kit: ConstructionKansas Business CenterChecked November 7, 2026
  2. K.S.A. 12-1510Kansas Office of Revisor of StatutesChecked November 7, 2026
  3. MABCD Contractor LicensingSedgwick County - Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department (MABCD)Checked November 7, 2026
  4. K.S.A. 12-1509Kansas Office of Revisor of StatutesChecked November 7, 2026
  5. MABCD Master & Journeyman Trade CertificatesMetropolitan Area Building and Construction Department (MABCD), Sedgwick CountyChecked November 7, 2026
  6. New License & License TypesJohnson County, Kansas - Contractor LicensingChecked November 7, 2026
  7. Contractors Requirements - Electrical, Mechanical, PlumbingUnified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas - Building InspectionsDated March 15, 2011Checked November 7, 2026
  8. Trade Licensing & Prometric TestingUnified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, KansasChecked November 7, 2026
  9. Topeka Trade Contractors InfoCity of Topeka Development ServicesChecked November 7, 2026
  10. Ordinance No. 9634 - Chapter V Article 15 Contractor LicensingCity of Lawrence, KansasDated July 1, 2019Checked November 7, 2026
  11. Contractor LicensingCity of Lawrence, KansasChecked November 7, 2026
  12. K.S.A. 12-1508 Competency of plumbers for licensure; designation of standard examinationsKansas Office of Revisor of StatutesChecked November 7, 2026
  13. Exam InformationJohnson County, Kansas - Contractor LicensingChecked November 7, 2026
  14. Contractor LicensingJohnson County, Kansas - Contractor LicensingChecked November 7, 2026