New Jersey Master Plumber License Renewal

Last reviewed October 2026 · 4 min read

New Jersey's State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers, part of the Division of Consumer Affairs, licenses master plumbers. Every license expires on June 30 of an odd-numbered year and is renewed for two years, with 5 continuing education credits (none for your first renewal) and a $3,000 surety bond kept in force. You can still renew for 30 days after the expiration date with a $50 late fee; after that the license is suspended and working on a suspended license counts as unlicensed practice.

At a glance

Renews every: 2 years. Master plumber licenses expire on June 30 of odd-numbered years, so the next expiration is June 30, 2027. Renew before the expiration date
Renewal notice: The board sends a renewal notice at least 60 days before the license expires. It also explains the option to renew as inactive
Fee: $160 for the two-year renewal. Renewing after the expiration date adds a $50 late fee
Continuing education: 5 credits every two-year period, at board-approved courses (one hour of instruction is one credit). One hour each period reviews the master plumber law and rules (N.J.S.A. 45:14C and N.J.A.C. 13:32)
First renewal: No continuing education is required for your first renewal
CE records: Keep proof of your CE attendance for four years
Extra credits: The board may let extra credits count toward the next two-year period only, never later ones
Bond: A $3,000 surety bond in favor of the State of New Jersey, from a surety company authorized in New Jersey. Renewing the license requires renewing the bond
Renew: Online through the Division of Consumer Affairs' MyLicense portal
Late renewal: For up to 30 days after the expiration date you can renew with the renewal fee plus the late fee. During those 30 days the license stays valid
If it's suspended: A license not renewed within 30 days of expiration is suspended without a hearing. Working after those 30 days counts as unlicensed practice, even if you never got a suspension notice
Reinstatement: Send a reinstatement application, a certification of employment, the renewal fee for the current period, any unpaid renewal fee for the period before it, a $150 reinstatement fee, a current $3,000 surety bond, and proof of your CE
Inactive status: You can renew as inactive: return your pressure seal to the board and don't practice until the license is active again. Reactivating takes a renewal application, a certification of employment, the renewal fee and the CE credits for the current period
Bona fide representative: A firm in the plumbing contracting business works under a licensed master plumber who owns at least 10% of it and registers with the board as its bona fide representative within 30 days of taking that role. If that license is suspended, the firm can't operate under it until a valid license is held again

The board picks the topics for the other CE hours before each two-year period starts: check its continuing education page or ask the board which courses count.

Plumbing inspectors who completed the Department of Community Affairs' inspector CE, and licensed master HVACR contractors who completed their HVACR CE, owe only the one hour on the master plumber law and rules.

The board may waive CE for hardship, such as illness, disability or retirement.

An older section of the master plumber law still describes a yearly renewal and a $50 fee. The board and the Division of Consumer Affairs state the $160 fee, and the board's rules and license records use the two-year renewal; state law lets the board set its fees by rule.

How to renew

Check your license's expiration date: June 30 of an odd-numbered year (the next one is June 30, 2027).
Finish your 5 CE credits at board-approved courses, including the hour on the master plumber law and rules (not needed for your first renewal).
Make sure your $3,000 surety bond is renewed and current.
Renew online through the Division of Consumer Affairs' MyLicense portal and pay the $160 fee before June 30.
Missed the date? Renew within 30 days of expiration with the $50 late fee, before the license is suspended.

Still tracking this in a spreadsheet? On a paid plan, get emailed 90, 60, 30, 7 and 1 days before it expires, by default.

Start free

Deadline checklist

6 months outBook your 5 CE credits at a board-approved course, including the hour on the law and rules.
60 days outWatch for the board's renewal notice. Check that your $3,000 surety bond is renewed.
30 days outRenew online through MyLicense and pay the $160 fee.
June 30Missed it? You have 30 days with a $50 late fee. After that the license is suspended.

Put this renewal in your calendar

Know your expiration date? Download a free calendar file with reminders before it, no sign-up needed. It's made in your browser: nothing you type is sent to us (your browser keeps it only if you follow the sign-up link, for your new ledger). A Google Calendar button sends just that one event to Google.

The file covers one date: once you renew, make a new one. How to add it to your calendar

The license isn't the only thing expiring

Most lapses that cost contractors work aren't the license itself. They're one of these, renewing on a different date:

Your $3,000 surety bond
Your 5 CE credits for the two-year period
General liability insurance policy
Workers' compensation policy (or exemption)
Certificates of insurance (COIs) you've given to clients and GCs
Commercial auto insurance

LicenseLedger keeps every one of those dates in one place and emails you before each one expires, with reminders far enough ahead to finish CE and paperwork.

Track your renewal dates free

Frequently asked questions

When does a New Jersey master plumber license expire?

Master plumber licenses expire on June 30 of odd-numbered years, so the next expiration is June 30, 2027. Each renewal is for 2 years.

How much does it cost to renew a New Jersey master plumber license?

$160 for the two-year renewal. Renewing after the expiration date adds a $50 late fee.

How many CE credits do New Jersey master plumbers need?

5 credits every two-year period, at board-approved courses, including one hour on the master plumber law and rules. No continuing education is required for your first renewal.

What happens if my New Jersey master plumber license expires?

For up to 30 days after the expiration date you can renew with the renewal fee plus the late fee, and the license stays valid. A license not renewed within 30 days of expiration is suspended without a hearing.

Official sources

Rules, fees and CE requirements change. Confirm the current requirements with the official source before you renew:

New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other New Jersey guides

All New Jersey guides on one page

Plumber guides for other states

2027 license renewal deadlines, month by month

Get a reminder before this renewal is due

Add this license, your insurance policies and the COIs you collect from subs to LicenseLedger, and get an email before each one expires. Free for up to 3 records, no credit card required.

Start free

How LicenseLedger works for plumbers

Not ready to sign up? Get the free tracking spreadsheet

New Jersey Master Plumber License Renewal

Last reviewed October 2026 · 4 min read

At a glance

Renews every: 2 years. Master plumber licenses expire on June 30 of odd-numbered years, so the next expiration is June 30, 2027. Renew before the expiration date
Renewal notice: The board sends a renewal notice at least 60 days before the license expires. It also explains the option to renew as inactive
Fee: $160 for the two-year renewal. Renewing after the expiration date adds a $50 late fee
Continuing education: 5 credits every two-year period, at board-approved courses (one hour of instruction is one credit). One hour each period reviews the master plumber law and rules (N.J.S.A. 45:14C and N.J.A.C. 13:32)
First renewal: No continuing education is required for your first renewal
CE records: Keep proof of your CE attendance for four years
Extra credits: The board may let extra credits count toward the next two-year period only, never later ones
Bond: A $3,000 surety bond in favor of the State of New Jersey, from a surety company authorized in New Jersey. Renewing the license requires renewing the bond
Renew: Online through the Division of Consumer Affairs' MyLicense portal
Late renewal: For up to 30 days after the expiration date you can renew with the renewal fee plus the late fee. During those 30 days the license stays valid
If it's suspended: A license not renewed within 30 days of expiration is suspended without a hearing. Working after those 30 days counts as unlicensed practice, even if you never got a suspension notice
Reinstatement: Send a reinstatement application, a certification of employment, the renewal fee for the current period, any unpaid renewal fee for the period before it, a $150 reinstatement fee, a current $3,000 surety bond, and proof of your CE
Inactive status: You can renew as inactive: return your pressure seal to the board and don't practice until the license is active again. Reactivating takes a renewal application, a certification of employment, the renewal fee and the CE credits for the current period
Bona fide representative: A firm in the plumbing contracting business works under a licensed master plumber who owns at least 10% of it and registers with the board as its bona fide representative within 30 days of taking that role. If that license is suspended, the firm can't operate under it until a valid license is held again

The board picks the topics for the other CE hours before each two-year period starts: check its continuing education page or ask the board which courses count.

The board may waive CE for hardship, such as illness, disability or retirement.

How to renew

Check your license's expiration date: June 30 of an odd-numbered year (the next one is June 30, 2027).
Finish your 5 CE credits at board-approved courses, including the hour on the master plumber law and rules (not needed for your first renewal).
Make sure your $3,000 surety bond is renewed and current.
Renew online through the Division of Consumer Affairs' MyLicense portal and pay the $160 fee before June 30.
Missed the date? Renew within 30 days of expiration with the $50 late fee, before the license is suspended.

Still tracking this in a spreadsheet? On a paid plan, get emailed 90, 60, 30, 7 and 1 days before it expires, by default.

Start free

Deadline checklist

6 months outBook your 5 CE credits at a board-approved course, including the hour on the law and rules.
60 days outWatch for the board's renewal notice. Check that your $3,000 surety bond is renewed.
30 days outRenew online through MyLicense and pay the $160 fee.
June 30Missed it? You have 30 days with a $50 late fee. After that the license is suspended.

Put this renewal in your calendar

The file covers one date: once you renew, make a new one. How to add it to your calendar

The license isn't the only thing expiring

Most lapses that cost contractors work aren't the license itself. They're one of these, renewing on a different date:

Your $3,000 surety bond
Your 5 CE credits for the two-year period
General liability insurance policy
Workers' compensation policy (or exemption)
Certificates of insurance (COIs) you've given to clients and GCs
Commercial auto insurance

LicenseLedger keeps every one of those dates in one place and emails you before each one expires, with reminders far enough ahead to finish CE and paperwork.

Track your renewal dates free

Frequently asked questions

When does a New Jersey master plumber license expire?

Master plumber licenses expire on June 30 of odd-numbered years, so the next expiration is June 30, 2027. Each renewal is for 2 years.

How much does it cost to renew a New Jersey master plumber license?

$160 for the two-year renewal. Renewing after the expiration date adds a $50 late fee.

How many CE credits do New Jersey master plumbers need?

5 credits every two-year period, at board-approved courses, including one hour on the master plumber law and rules. No continuing education is required for your first renewal.

What happens if my New Jersey master plumber license expires?

Official sources

Rules, fees and CE requirements change. Confirm the current requirements with the official source before you renew:

New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other New Jersey guides

All New Jersey guides on one page

Plumber guides for other states

2027 license renewal deadlines, month by month

Get a reminder before this renewal is due

Add this license, your insurance policies and the COIs you collect from subs to LicenseLedger, and get an email before each one expires. Free for up to 3 records, no credit card required.

Start free

How LicenseLedger works for plumbers

Not ready to sign up? Get the free tracking spreadsheet