Texas Plumbing License Renewal (TSBPE)

Last reviewed October 2026 · 3 min read

Texas plumbing licenses (tradesman plumber-limited, journeyman, master) are valid for one year, and every renewal needs 6 hours of continuing professional education from a TSBPE-approved provider. Renew late and you can't do plumbing work that needs the license until the renewal is issued; let a license sit expired for two years and it can't be renewed at all.

At a glance

Renews every: 1 year
Continuing education: 6 hours from a TSBPE-approved provider before each renewal, 3 of them in health protection, energy conservation and water conservation. You have 12 months to complete them
Renewal fee: Responsible Master Plumber $300, master plumber $75, journeyman plumber $40, tradesman plumber-limited $35
Renew: Online through TSBPE's online licensing system: submit the renewal, then pay the fee through Texas.gov. Online payment works only within 2 months before expiration, or up to 275 days after: past that, contact TSBPE to renew
Renewal notice: TSBPE sends a written notice at least 31 days before the expiration date, to your last address on file
Medical gas endorsement: It expires with your license and renews in the same transaction. It needs at least 2 hours of medical gas CPE (or a national certification). TSBPE's rules and its training page differ on how often, so confirm with TSBPE before you renew
Responsible Master Plumber insurance: Keep a certificate of insurance on file with TSBPE for commercial general liability of at least $300,000 for all claims in a one-year period
Renewing late: Up to 90 days expired: 1.5 times the normal fee. More than 90 days but less than 2 years: twice the normal fee. You also need 6 CE hours for each year the license was expired
After it expires: No plumbing work that needs the license from the expiration date until the renewed license is issued
Expired 2 years or more: It can't be renewed. You'd have to get a new license the way you got the first one, exams included

If you hold both a journeyman and a master plumber license, you pay only the master license's renewal fee.

Drain cleaner, drain cleaner-restricted and residential utilities installer registrations also renew every year, with 6 hours of approved training.

How to renew

Check your license and expiration date on TSBPE's public license search.
Complete 6 CE hours with a TSBPE-approved provider, and check with TSBPE whether your medical gas endorsement (if you hold one) needs its 2 hours of medical gas CPE this year.
Log in to TSBPE's online licensing system, choose Renewal next to your highest-ranking license, and answer the renewal questions.
Pay the renewal fee through Texas.gov before the expiration date.

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

90 days outConfirm the exact expiration date on the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) license lookup.
90 days outStart your continuing education with an approved provider, and keep the completion certificates.
45 days outCheck that your bond, liability insurance and workers' comp (where required) are current and will stay current through the renewal.
30 days outFinish all CE hours, then submit the renewal and pay the fee.
7 days outConfirm the board shows the renewal as processed and your license as active.

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:

Endorsements (medical gas, water supply protection, residential fire sprinkler): they expire with your license
The Responsible Master Plumber's certificate of insurance on file with TSBPE: replace it whenever the liability policy renews
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

How many CE hours do Texas plumbers need?

6 hours from a TSBPE-approved provider before each renewal, 3 of them in health protection, energy conservation and water conservation.

How much does it cost to renew a Texas plumbing license?

Responsible Master Plumber $300, master plumber $75, journeyman plumber $40, tradesman plumber-limited $35. Up to 90 days expired, it's 1.5 times the normal fee; more than 90 days but less than 2 years, twice the normal fee.

Does the medical gas endorsement renew separately?

No. It expires with your license and renews in the same transaction. It needs at least 2 hours of medical gas CPE (or a national certification).

What insurance does a Texas Responsible Master Plumber need?

A certificate of insurance on file with TSBPE for commercial general liability of at least $300,000 for all claims in a one-year period.

Can I renew a Texas plumbing license that expired years ago?

Not once it has been expired for two years or more. You'd have to get a new license the way you got the first one, exams included.

Official sources

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

Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE)

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other Texas guides

All Texas 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

Texas Plumbing License Renewal (TSBPE)

Last reviewed October 2026 · 3 min read

At a glance

Renews every: 1 year
Continuing education: 6 hours from a TSBPE-approved provider before each renewal, 3 of them in health protection, energy conservation and water conservation. You have 12 months to complete them
Renewal fee: Responsible Master Plumber $300, master plumber $75, journeyman plumber $40, tradesman plumber-limited $35
Renew: Online through TSBPE's online licensing system: submit the renewal, then pay the fee through Texas.gov. Online payment works only within 2 months before expiration, or up to 275 days after: past that, contact TSBPE to renew
Renewal notice: TSBPE sends a written notice at least 31 days before the expiration date, to your last address on file
Medical gas endorsement: It expires with your license and renews in the same transaction. It needs at least 2 hours of medical gas CPE (or a national certification). TSBPE's rules and its training page differ on how often, so confirm with TSBPE before you renew
Responsible Master Plumber insurance: Keep a certificate of insurance on file with TSBPE for commercial general liability of at least $300,000 for all claims in a one-year period
Renewing late: Up to 90 days expired: 1.5 times the normal fee. More than 90 days but less than 2 years: twice the normal fee. You also need 6 CE hours for each year the license was expired
After it expires: No plumbing work that needs the license from the expiration date until the renewed license is issued
Expired 2 years or more: It can't be renewed. You'd have to get a new license the way you got the first one, exams included

If you hold both a journeyman and a master plumber license, you pay only the master license's renewal fee.

Drain cleaner, drain cleaner-restricted and residential utilities installer registrations also renew every year, with 6 hours of approved training.

How to renew

Check your license and expiration date on TSBPE's public license search.
Complete 6 CE hours with a TSBPE-approved provider, and check with TSBPE whether your medical gas endorsement (if you hold one) needs its 2 hours of medical gas CPE this year.
Log in to TSBPE's online licensing system, choose Renewal next to your highest-ranking license, and answer the renewal questions.
Pay the renewal fee through Texas.gov before the expiration date.

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

90 days outConfirm the exact expiration date on the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) license lookup.
90 days outStart your continuing education with an approved provider, and keep the completion certificates.
45 days outCheck that your bond, liability insurance and workers' comp (where required) are current and will stay current through the renewal.
30 days outFinish all CE hours, then submit the renewal and pay the fee.
7 days outConfirm the board shows the renewal as processed and your license as active.

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:

Endorsements (medical gas, water supply protection, residential fire sprinkler): they expire with your license
The Responsible Master Plumber's certificate of insurance on file with TSBPE: replace it whenever the liability policy renews
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

How many CE hours do Texas plumbers need?

6 hours from a TSBPE-approved provider before each renewal, 3 of them in health protection, energy conservation and water conservation.

How much does it cost to renew a Texas plumbing license?

Does the medical gas endorsement renew separately?

No. It expires with your license and renews in the same transaction. It needs at least 2 hours of medical gas CPE (or a national certification).

What insurance does a Texas Responsible Master Plumber need?

A certificate of insurance on file with TSBPE for commercial general liability of at least $300,000 for all claims in a one-year period.

Can I renew a Texas plumbing license that expired years ago?

Not once it has been expired for two years or more. You'd have to get a new license the way you got the first one, exams included.

Official sources

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

Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE)

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other Texas guides

All Texas 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