Kentucky Plumber License Renewal and Continuing Education

Annual Renewal on Your Birth Month

Both journeyman and master plumbing licenses in Kentucky renew annually, expiring on the last day of your birth month. If you received your initial license mid-year, the first renewal period may be prorated to cover between 7 and 18 months, aligning you with the birth-month cycle from that point forward.

Annual renewal fees are $60 for journeymen and $250 for master plumbers.

The 8-Hour CE Requirement

Under 815 KAR 20:032, every licensed plumber in Kentucky must complete eight hours of approved continuing education within the 12 months preceding their license expiration date. This is the state requirement — and it trips people up because several commercial CE providers market "6-hour packages" to Kentucky plumbers. Completing only 6 hours leaves you 2 hours short and puts your license at risk of delinquency.

The breakdown by license level:

Journeyman plumbers must complete a minimum of 2 hours of trade-specific job safety training. The remaining 6 hours can cover the Kentucky State Plumbing Code, safety, or trade-specific subjects.

Master plumbers must complete 8 hours covering business management, accounting, job safety, or code updates.

Dual license holders (anyone carrying both a journeyman and master license) need only meet the master CE requirements — the 8 hours at the master level satisfy both credentials.

CE Carry-Forward

If you accumulate more than 8 hours in a given year, you can carry forward a maximum of 12 excess hours into the two successive educational years. This is useful if you attend a multi-day conference or take extra courses — those hours are not wasted, but the carry-forward window is limited to two years.

What Happens If You Miss the Deadline

Failing to renew before your expiration date puts your license in delinquent status. To reinstate:

• Pay the standard renewal fee
• Pay a late fee — $5 for master plumbers, $3 for journeymen
• Complete all delinquent CE hours (the total is capped at 40 hours regardless of how long you have been lapsed)

While delinquent, you cannot legally perform plumbing work, pull permits, or advertise plumbing services.

Inactive Status as an Alternative

If you plan to stop practicing temporarily, you can place your license on inactive status by paying an inactive fee — $125 for a master license, $30 for a journeyman license. While inactive, you are exempt from CE requirements but are legally barred from performing any plumbing work, pulling permits, or advertising services.

This can be useful during extended medical leave, a career change, or relocation to another state. Contact the DHBC for the current reactivation procedure and applicable CE and fee requirements before returning to work.

Choosing CE Providers

Courses must be approved under 815 KAR 20:034. Approved providers submit completion records directly to the DHBC, so your hours should appear in the state system after completion. If you take an online course, verify that the provider uses a secure verification system — the regulation requires it for digital delivery.

The Kentucky Plumber License Guide includes a complete renewal timeline, CE planning worksheet, and the carry-forward calculation so you never lose track of your compliance status.

See more Kentucky guides →