Hiring a plumber in Texas: licenses, permits and estimates

How Texas plumbing licenses fit together

The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) licenses plumbers statewide. The main credentials:

Credential	What it means for you
Master Plumber	The highest license. A master plumber who has an insurance certificate on file with the board can act as a company’s Responsible Master Plumber (RMP). That person is accountable for the company’s plumbing work.
Journeyman Plumber	Licensed to do plumbing work, under a company with an RMP.
Tradesman Plumber-Limited	A limited license with a narrower scope of work than a journeyman’s.
Plumber’s Apprentice	A registration, not a license. Apprentices must work under the supervision and control of a licensee. Drain cleaner and residential utilities installer are certifications added to an apprentice registration.
Endorsements	Add-ons such as Water Supply Protection Specialist, Medical Gas Piping Installation, and residential fire sprinkler work.

Licenses renew every year and require 6 hours of continuing education. A license expired for more than two years can’t be renewed.

How to check a plumber in four steps

1. Get the RMP’s name and license number. Texas rules require it on both sides of service vehicles, at least 2 inches tall and starting with M, MPL or RMP. It must also appear on advertising and on the first page of proposals and invoices.
2. Open the state’s public license search at vo.licensing.hpc.texas.gov and choose the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. You can search by name, license number, or city and ZIP.
3. Read the record. It shows whether the license is current, its expiration date, insurance certificate status, endorsements and any disciplinary actions, with documents.
4. Match it to the company. The name on the record should match the RMP the company gave you.

A company’s website saying “licensed” is not the same as a record in the state database. That’s why our directory marks a license as officially checked only when we’ve matched it to the state record ourselves.

When a Houston job needs a permit

Permits are issued locally, and Houston’s rules are stricter than many people expect:

• Water heater replacement or installation: permit and inspection required.
• Gas piping to an appliance: permit, plan review and inspection required.
• Pipe repairs: a permit is required. Under the city’s code, clearing a stoppage or fixing a leak is exempt only if no valves, pipes or fixtures are replaced or rearranged.
• Who pulls it: a Texas master plumber who has registered the license with the City of Houston. Registration requires proof of insurance. The code bars using a license to pull a permit for someone else without written authorization.

Houston’s plumbing code is the city’s amendments to the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code. It took effect with the 2021 Houston Construction Code on January 1, 2024. Suburban cities such as Katy and Pearland have adopted 2021 International codes instead. See permits across Greater Houston for each city’s office.

Check a past job. Houston’s Sold Permits Search shows basic permit history for an address over the past three years.

Doing it yourself

Texas law says a property owner doesn’t need a license to do plumbing in their own homestead. Houston still requires a Homeowner’s Plumbing Permit and an inspection. You must own the home, live in it as a registered homestead, and do the work yourself. The minimum total cost listed by the city is $116.11 (an $86.39 permit fee plus a $33.56 administrative fee). Gas work is the exception to “do it yourself” in our view: leave it to a licensed plumber.

Reading an estimate

• The board does not regulate prices. Its advice is to get several written estimates and warranties and to check references.
• A compliant proposal or invoice shows the RMP’s name and license number, the board’s contact details, and the phrase “regulated by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners.”
• Ask whether the price includes the permit, inspection, and any drywall, concrete or landscape repair.
• Ask what the warranty covers (parts, labor or both) and for how long, and get it in writing.

If something goes wrong

Start with the company. If that fails, you can file a complaint with TSBPE using its general complaint form or by calling (512) 936-5200 (Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). The board can also tell you whether a plumber has valid complaints on file.