City of St. Louis Plumber and Drainlayer License Renewal

Last reviewed October 2026 · 8 min read

The City of St. Louis licenses its own master plumbers, master drainlayers and journeyman plumbers under the city's Plumbing Code (Ordinance 71644, the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code as the city amended it). Every one of those licenses comes due on the same date: December 31, 2023 and every three years after, which makes the next one December 31, 2026. You can file from September 1 before it. Renewing after the license expires adds a $100 processing fee, a renewal sent more than one month after expiration means retaking the exam, and a master who doesn't renew within the grace period loses the license and the permits and unfinished jobs that go with it.

At a glance

Who needs a license: In the City of St. Louis, installing, altering or repairing plumbing needs a Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber or Interim Journeyman Plumber license, or registration as a Plumber Apprentice or Experienced Plumber Apprentice working under the direction of a licensed Master Plumber (minor repairs and work under a Home Owner Permit aside). Building sewers from five feet beyond the foundation wall, and sanitary or storm, trunk, main and lateral sewers, need a Master Drainlayer or that Master's direct supervision
Plumbing permits: Issued to licensed plumbing contractors certified by the City of St. Louis: the Building Division's permit page asks for a Plumbing Contractor's license issued by the City of St. Louis Building Division and a registered trades contractor account on the STL City Permits website
Renews every: 3 years, all on one date: the code makes every Master Plumber, Master Drainlayer and Journeyman Plumber license due December 31, 2023, and every three years thereafter (so December 31, 2026, then December 31, 2029). A new license issued more than 30 days before the renewal date expires on that renewal date, with its fee prorated
When you can file: From September 1 before the expiration, and not after the last day of January after the license expires. Filed before it expires, a renewal needs a new application form, surety bond and insurance, and the fees
What to submit: A completed application for license renewal and a full-face photograph (or the equivalent the Board decides) with each renewal, plus verification of continuing education for an active license
Continuing education: Holders of active licenses submit verification that they attended continuing education courses, seminars, films or other training approved by the Board of Plumbing Examiners. The minimums the code prints with it (after the matching paragraph for the Board of Sprinkler Fitter Examiners) are 12 PEU (Professional Education Units) per three-year license cycle, pro-rated on a yearly base, for masters and contractors and for journeyman licensees, with a carryover of up to 4 PEU over the requirement to the next cycle. Confirm the hours your license needs with the Plumbing Section
License fees: From the code's Table 111, each for 3 years: Journeyman $50, Master Drainlayer $300, Master Plumber $300, Master Plumber/Drainlayer $600. The code says fees are prorated. The table also lists a $50 application fee for all classes; it doesn't say whether a renewal pays it, so ask the Plumbing Section
Late renewal: Miss any renewal requirement before the license expires and you also pay a $100 processing fee. A renewal application submitted more than one month after the license expires means reexamination, on the same terms as a new applicant
After the grace period: A master plumber, master drainlayer or journeyman plumber who hasn't renewed must re-apply and re-test for a new license, at the Board of Examiners' discretion. A Master Plumber or Master Drainlayer who doesn't renew during the grace period has the license terminated: no permit is issued to them until they have a new license, and they're disqualified from work under permits already issued to them and from any job unfinished when the license ended
No renewal notice needed: Not receiving a renewal application doesn't relieve you of the duty to renew on time, or of any late fees
Hardship extension: For good cause, on written application, the Board may waive or extend the continuing education (credit hour) or reporting requirements in cases of hardship or extenuating circumstances. An extension may be conditioned on a $30 late filing fee, and moves the license's expiration to the date the Board sets
Insurance and bond: Master Plumbers and Master Drainlayers submit a certificate of insurance for at least $1,000,000 per occurrence (bodily injury and property damage) to the Plumbing Section on January 1 of each year; permits aren't issued to contractors who don't file it annually. No permit is issued without an approved $25,000 surety bond and a certificate of Contractor Commercial General Liability Insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence on file, with the City of St. Louis named as an additional insured. A plumbing or drainlaying contractor working in the public rights-of-way also gives the City a $25,000 surety bond, renewed annually
Inactive license: If you're not working at the trade, you can ask the Board in writing to place your license in inactive status (no work in that category while inactive). An inactive license is valid for 10 years, and the department notifies you 3 months before it expires. Renewing an inactive license needs no continuing education, except the minimum hours for any year or part of a year it was active. To keep an inactive Master Plumber license while actively working at the trade, you must hold an active Journeyman Plumber license
One company per master: A Master may obtain permits for only one company at a time, must be registered with the Office of Plumbing and Sewer Inspection as an officer or full-time employee of it at least 30 days before using the license for it, and the company must be registered with the Missouri Secretary of State
Advertising: An advertisement offering work under the Plumbing Code must clearly state the name, business address and license number of at least one appropriately licensed person in responsible charge of the work
Penalties: Violating the code is a Class A misdemeanor, and after notice and a hearing the Board may impose civil penalties of $5 to $1,000 per offense. An unpaid civil penalty is grounds for non-renewal or denial of reinstatement
Contact: The Board of Examiners page lists City Hall, Room 426, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103, phone (314) 622-3313, email dps-building-division@stlouis-mo.gov. Walk-in plumbing permits are at the Building Division's Plumbing Section, Room 425, City Hall

This guide covers the City of St. Louis's licenses only, not St. Louis County's or any other Missouri city's or county's: check with the one where you work.

The code also licenses pipefitters and sprinkler fitters (3-year licenses in its fee tables); this guide doesn't cover them.

The dates, fees and penalties here come from Ordinance 71644 as enacted in 2023. The Plumbing Section can tell you about any later change, and whether the renewal can be filed online.

How to renew

Check your license type and confirm with the Plumbing Section that it is due December 31, 2026: the code puts every Master Plumber, Master Drainlayer and Journeyman Plumber license on that one date.
Active licenses: gather proof of the Board-approved continuing education for this cycle, and ask the Plumbing Section how many hours your license needs.
Make sure your surety bond and insurance are current: the code asks a renewal filed before expiration for a new application form, surety bond and insurance. Masters also need the $25,000 bond and at least $1,000,000 per occurrence of general liability insurance on file to get permits. Journeymen: ask the Plumbing Section what bond or insurance your renewal needs.
From September 1, file a completed renewal application with a full-face photograph and pay the fee, well before December 31.
If you miss December 31, renew right away: you'll owe the $100 processing fee, and more than one month after expiration you'll have to retake the exam.

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

September 1Renewals open for licenses expiring December 31. Check your continuing education, bond and insurance.
OctoberFinish any missing continuing education and gather a full-face photograph for the application.
Before December 31File the renewal application with the fee, bond and insurance, and keep a copy.
January 1Masters: file the year's certificate of insurance with the Plumbing Section.

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 $25,000 surety bond (and, if you work in the public rights-of-way, the annual bond to the Streets Department)
The certificate of insurance Master Plumbers and Master Drainlayers file with the Plumbing Section every January 1
Your crew's journeyman plumber licenses and apprentice registrations
Missouri Department of Natural Resources backflow prevention assembly certification, if you test backflow assemblies: failing to renew it, or to tell the Office of Plumbing and Sewer Inspection you renewed it, cancels the Board's backflow testing registration or certification
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 do St. Louis plumber licenses expire?

All City of St. Louis Master Plumber, Master Drainlayer and Journeyman Plumber licenses are due on one date: December 31, 2023, and every three years thereafter, so December 31, 2026. You can file from September 1 before the expiration.

What happens if I renew my St. Louis plumbing license late?

Miss any renewal requirement before the license expires and you also pay a $100 processing fee. A renewal application submitted more than one month after the license expires means reexamination. A Master Plumber or Master Drainlayer who doesn't renew during the grace period has the license terminated and no permit is issued to them until they have a new license.

How much does it cost to renew a St. Louis plumber license?

The code's Table 111 sets, each for 3 years: Journeyman $50, Master Drainlayer $300, Master Plumber $300, Master Plumber/Drainlayer $600. The table also lists a $50 application fee for all classes; ask the Plumbing Section whether a renewal pays it.

Do St. Louis plumbers need continuing education to renew?

Yes: holders of active licenses submit verification of continuing education approved by the Board of Plumbing Examiners. The minimums the code prints with it (after the matching paragraph for the Board of Sprinkler Fitter Examiners) are 12 PEU per three-year license cycle, pro-rated on a yearly base, for masters and contractors and for journeyman licensees. Confirm the hours your license needs with the Plumbing Section.

Do St. Louis masters need insurance and a bond?

Yes. No permit is issued without an approved $25,000 surety bond and a certificate of Contractor Commercial General Liability Insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence on file, with the City of St. Louis named as an additional insured, and Master Plumbers and Master Drainlayers submit a certificate of insurance to the Plumbing Section on January 1 of each year.

Official sources

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

City of St. Louis Building Division, Plumbers and Drainlayers Board of Examiners

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other Missouri guides

All Missouri guides on one page

Plumber guides for other states

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

City of St. Louis Plumber and Drainlayer License Renewal

Last reviewed October 2026 · 8 min read

At a glance

Who needs a license: In the City of St. Louis, installing, altering or repairing plumbing needs a Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber or Interim Journeyman Plumber license, or registration as a Plumber Apprentice or Experienced Plumber Apprentice working under the direction of a licensed Master Plumber (minor repairs and work under a Home Owner Permit aside). Building sewers from five feet beyond the foundation wall, and sanitary or storm, trunk, main and lateral sewers, need a Master Drainlayer or that Master's direct supervision
Plumbing permits: Issued to licensed plumbing contractors certified by the City of St. Louis: the Building Division's permit page asks for a Plumbing Contractor's license issued by the City of St. Louis Building Division and a registered trades contractor account on the STL City Permits website
Renews every: 3 years, all on one date: the code makes every Master Plumber, Master Drainlayer and Journeyman Plumber license due December 31, 2023, and every three years thereafter (so December 31, 2026, then December 31, 2029). A new license issued more than 30 days before the renewal date expires on that renewal date, with its fee prorated
When you can file: From September 1 before the expiration, and not after the last day of January after the license expires. Filed before it expires, a renewal needs a new application form, surety bond and insurance, and the fees
What to submit: A completed application for license renewal and a full-face photograph (or the equivalent the Board decides) with each renewal, plus verification of continuing education for an active license
Continuing education: Holders of active licenses submit verification that they attended continuing education courses, seminars, films or other training approved by the Board of Plumbing Examiners. The minimums the code prints with it (after the matching paragraph for the Board of Sprinkler Fitter Examiners) are 12 PEU (Professional Education Units) per three-year license cycle, pro-rated on a yearly base, for masters and contractors and for journeyman licensees, with a carryover of up to 4 PEU over the requirement to the next cycle. Confirm the hours your license needs with the Plumbing Section
License fees: From the code's Table 111, each for 3 years: Journeyman $50, Master Drainlayer $300, Master Plumber $300, Master Plumber/Drainlayer $600. The code says fees are prorated. The table also lists a $50 application fee for all classes; it doesn't say whether a renewal pays it, so ask the Plumbing Section
Late renewal: Miss any renewal requirement before the license expires and you also pay a $100 processing fee. A renewal application submitted more than one month after the license expires means reexamination, on the same terms as a new applicant
After the grace period: A master plumber, master drainlayer or journeyman plumber who hasn't renewed must re-apply and re-test for a new license, at the Board of Examiners' discretion. A Master Plumber or Master Drainlayer who doesn't renew during the grace period has the license terminated: no permit is issued to them until they have a new license, and they're disqualified from work under permits already issued to them and from any job unfinished when the license ended
No renewal notice needed: Not receiving a renewal application doesn't relieve you of the duty to renew on time, or of any late fees
Hardship extension: For good cause, on written application, the Board may waive or extend the continuing education (credit hour) or reporting requirements in cases of hardship or extenuating circumstances. An extension may be conditioned on a $30 late filing fee, and moves the license's expiration to the date the Board sets
Insurance and bond: Master Plumbers and Master Drainlayers submit a certificate of insurance for at least $1,000,000 per occurrence (bodily injury and property damage) to the Plumbing Section on January 1 of each year; permits aren't issued to contractors who don't file it annually. No permit is issued without an approved $25,000 surety bond and a certificate of Contractor Commercial General Liability Insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence on file, with the City of St. Louis named as an additional insured. A plumbing or drainlaying contractor working in the public rights-of-way also gives the City a $25,000 surety bond, renewed annually
Inactive license: If you're not working at the trade, you can ask the Board in writing to place your license in inactive status (no work in that category while inactive). An inactive license is valid for 10 years, and the department notifies you 3 months before it expires. Renewing an inactive license needs no continuing education, except the minimum hours for any year or part of a year it was active. To keep an inactive Master Plumber license while actively working at the trade, you must hold an active Journeyman Plumber license
One company per master: A Master may obtain permits for only one company at a time, must be registered with the Office of Plumbing and Sewer Inspection as an officer or full-time employee of it at least 30 days before using the license for it, and the company must be registered with the Missouri Secretary of State
Advertising: An advertisement offering work under the Plumbing Code must clearly state the name, business address and license number of at least one appropriately licensed person in responsible charge of the work
Penalties: Violating the code is a Class A misdemeanor, and after notice and a hearing the Board may impose civil penalties of $5 to $1,000 per offense. An unpaid civil penalty is grounds for non-renewal or denial of reinstatement
Contact: The Board of Examiners page lists City Hall, Room 426, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103, phone (314) 622-3313, email dps-building-division@stlouis-mo.gov. Walk-in plumbing permits are at the Building Division's Plumbing Section, Room 425, City Hall

This guide covers the City of St. Louis's licenses only, not St. Louis County's or any other Missouri city's or county's: check with the one where you work.

The code also licenses pipefitters and sprinkler fitters (3-year licenses in its fee tables); this guide doesn't cover them.

The dates, fees and penalties here come from Ordinance 71644 as enacted in 2023. The Plumbing Section can tell you about any later change, and whether the renewal can be filed online.

How to renew

Check your license type and confirm with the Plumbing Section that it is due December 31, 2026: the code puts every Master Plumber, Master Drainlayer and Journeyman Plumber license on that one date.
Active licenses: gather proof of the Board-approved continuing education for this cycle, and ask the Plumbing Section how many hours your license needs.
Make sure your surety bond and insurance are current: the code asks a renewal filed before expiration for a new application form, surety bond and insurance. Masters also need the $25,000 bond and at least $1,000,000 per occurrence of general liability insurance on file to get permits. Journeymen: ask the Plumbing Section what bond or insurance your renewal needs.
From September 1, file a completed renewal application with a full-face photograph and pay the fee, well before December 31.
If you miss December 31, renew right away: you'll owe the $100 processing fee, and more than one month after expiration you'll have to retake the exam.

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

September 1Renewals open for licenses expiring December 31. Check your continuing education, bond and insurance.
OctoberFinish any missing continuing education and gather a full-face photograph for the application.
Before December 31File the renewal application with the fee, bond and insurance, and keep a copy.
January 1Masters: file the year's certificate of insurance with the Plumbing Section.

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 $25,000 surety bond (and, if you work in the public rights-of-way, the annual bond to the Streets Department)
The certificate of insurance Master Plumbers and Master Drainlayers file with the Plumbing Section every January 1
Your crew's journeyman plumber licenses and apprentice registrations
Missouri Department of Natural Resources backflow prevention assembly certification, if you test backflow assemblies: failing to renew it, or to tell the Office of Plumbing and Sewer Inspection you renewed it, cancels the Board's backflow testing registration or certification
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 do St. Louis plumber licenses expire?

What happens if I renew my St. Louis plumbing license late?

How much does it cost to renew a St. Louis plumber license?

Do St. Louis plumbers need continuing education to renew?

Do St. Louis masters need insurance and a bond?

Official sources

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

City of St. Louis Building Division, Plumbers and Drainlayers Board of Examiners

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other Missouri guides

All Missouri guides on one page

Plumber guides for other states

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