Kentucky Plumber License Expired? How to Reactivate

What Happens When Your Kentucky Plumber License Expires

Both journeyman and master plumber licenses in Kentucky renew annually on the last day of your birth month. Miss that deadline, and the Division of Plumbing flags your credential as delinquent under 815 KAR 20:032. A delinquent license means you cannot legally perform plumbing work, pull permits, or advertise services — and continuing to work carries penalties up to $1,000 per day under KRS Chapter 318.

The good news: an expired license is not a revoked license. Kentucky offers a clear reactivation path, and the total cost depends on how many renewal cycles you missed.

The Reactivation Process

To reinstate a delinquent license, you need three things:

1. Pay the current renewal fee — $60 for journeymen, $250 for master plumbers.
2. Pay the late fee — $3 for journeymen, $5 for master plumbers.
3. Complete all delinquent continuing education hours — eight hours for each renewal cycle you missed, capped at a maximum of 40 total delinquent hours.

That 40-hour cap is meaningful. If your license has been expired for five or more years, you still only owe 40 hours of CE — not 40 hours per year. The state treats extended absences the same as a five-year lapse once you hit the ceiling.

All CE must be completed through providers approved under 815 KAR 20:034. The DHBC requires providers to submit completion records directly, so keep your certificates until your reactivated license card arrives.

Inactive Status: A Planned Alternative

If you know you won't be practicing for a while — retirement, relocation out of state, medical leave — placing your license in inactive status before it lapses saves you from accumulating delinquent CE.

Inactive status fees:

• Master plumber: $125
• Journeyman plumber: $30

While inactive, you owe zero continuing education hours. But you are legally barred from performing any plumbing work, pulling permits, or advertising plumbing services in Kentucky. Contact the DHBC Division of Plumbing for reactivation requirements after inactive status.

When Suspension Is Different

License suspension is a disciplinary action, not an administrative lapse. If your license was suspended rather than simply expired, contact the DHBC Division of Plumbing for the applicable reinstatement conditions.

Avoid the Lapse

The simplest protection is marking your birth month as your renewal deadline each year. Your eight hours of approved CE must be completed within the 12 months preceding your expiration date, and Kentucky allows you to carry forward up to 12 excess hours into the next two successive educational years — so completing extra hours in a light year gives you a buffer.

If you're weighing whether to reactivate or start fresh, the Kentucky Plumber License Guide walks through the complete timeline for each license tier, including exactly which forms and documentation you need to file with the DHBC Licensing Branch.

See more Kentucky guides →