Wisconsin Plumber License Renewal (DSPS)

Last reviewed October 2026 · 4 min read

Wisconsin master and journeyman plumber licenses, restricted appliance and restricted service included, run for four years and expire on March 31 (not June 30, like the electrical licenses). You renew online in LicensE, and it won't let you submit until your CE provider has entered all your hours: 24 for master and journeyman plumbers, 12 for the restricted licenses. Finish your CE early, because providers have up to 14 days to enter it.

At a glance

Renews every: 4 years, expiring on March 31: master plumber, master plumber restricted appliance, master plumber restricted service, journeyman plumber, journeyman plumber restricted appliance and journeyman plumber restricted service licenses. Check the expiration year on your license in LicensE
Continuing education: 24 hours for master and journeyman plumbers; 12 hours for master and journeyman plumbers restricted appliance or restricted service. Take it from a provider on DSPS's Approved Course Provider List
When to take it: Before the license expires. Your course provider enters the hours and has 14 days to do it, and LicensE won't let you submit the renewal until all of them are in
Fee: $500 for a master plumber, master plumber restricted appliance or master plumber restricted service license; $180 for a journeyman plumber, journeyman plumber restricted appliance or journeyman plumber restricted service license
Renewal notice: When your renewal opens, DSPS emails instructions to the email address on file
Renew: Online in LicensE from your individual account: choose "Renew My License", complete the application, upload any required documents and pay by card or ACH. An ACH payment can add 3-5 business days to processing
Deadline: Submit the renewal and pay by 11:59 p.m. on the last day of the renewal period. If you do, your license stays valid while DSPS reviews it, even if LicensE shows it as expired, as long as you answer any requests from DSPS
Late CE: CE completed after the license expires carries a $25 late CE fee
After 4 years: For a license expired more than 4 years, you apply in LicensE under "Reinstatement After 4 Years" instead of renewing, and meet that application's requirements again
Reinstatement fee: DSPS's fee table lists a $200 reinstatement fee for plumber licenses, where one applies

To check your CE in the LicensE lookup, search by your full credential number with its suffix and spaces, like 1234 - PM (master plumber) or 1234 - PJ (journeyman plumber); restricted licenses have their own suffixes. A course that's missing or shows wrong hours is for your course provider to fix: you can't upload CE yourself.

How to renew

Look up your license in LicensE and note the expiration date (March 31 of its last year).
Take your CE with approved providers well ahead: 24 hours for master and journeyman plumbers, 12 for restricted appliance or restricted service. Check in the LicensE lookup that every course shows up.
When DSPS emails you that renewal is open, log in to your individual LicensE account and choose "Renew My License".
Complete the application, upload any required documents and pay the fee by March 31. An ACH payment can add 3-5 business days to processing.

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 outCheck the expiration year in LicensE and book your CE hours (24, or 12 for a restricted license) with approved providers.
2 months outFinish the hours. Providers have up to 14 days to enter them, and LicensE won't take the renewal until they're in.
When DSPS emails youRenewal is open. Renew in LicensE and pay the fee ($500 master, $180 journeyman).
March 31Submit and pay by 11:59 p.m. CE finished after the license expires costs an extra $25.

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 utility contractor or pipelayer license, if you hold one (March 31, every 4 years)
Your cross connection control assembly tester credential (every 4 years, on the date it was issued, with 6 hours of CE)
Your plumbing apprentices' credentials (every year, on the date they were issued)
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 Wisconsin plumber licenses expire?

Master plumber, master plumber restricted appliance, master plumber restricted service, journeyman plumber, journeyman plumber restricted appliance and journeyman plumber restricted service licenses run 4 years and expire on March 31. Check the expiration year on your license in LicensE.

How many CE hours does a Wisconsin plumber need?

24 hours for master and journeyman plumbers; 12 hours for master and journeyman plumbers restricted appliance or restricted service. Your course provider enters the hours and has 14 days to do it, and LicensE won't let you submit the renewal until all of them are in.

How much does it cost to renew a Wisconsin plumber license?

$500 for a master plumber, master plumber restricted appliance or master plumber restricted service license; $180 for a journeyman plumber, journeyman plumber restricted appliance or journeyman plumber restricted service license.

What if my Wisconsin plumber license expired?

CE completed after the license expires carries a $25 late CE fee. For a license expired more than 4 years, you apply in LicensE under "Reinstatement After 4 Years" instead of renewing, and meet that application's requirements again.

Official sources

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

Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS), Master Plumber

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other Wisconsin guides

All Wisconsin 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

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Wisconsin Plumber License Renewal (DSPS)

Last reviewed October 2026 · 4 min read

At a glance

Renews every: 4 years, expiring on March 31: master plumber, master plumber restricted appliance, master plumber restricted service, journeyman plumber, journeyman plumber restricted appliance and journeyman plumber restricted service licenses. Check the expiration year on your license in LicensE
Continuing education: 24 hours for master and journeyman plumbers; 12 hours for master and journeyman plumbers restricted appliance or restricted service. Take it from a provider on DSPS's Approved Course Provider List
When to take it: Before the license expires. Your course provider enters the hours and has 14 days to do it, and LicensE won't let you submit the renewal until all of them are in
Fee: $500 for a master plumber, master plumber restricted appliance or master plumber restricted service license; $180 for a journeyman plumber, journeyman plumber restricted appliance or journeyman plumber restricted service license
Renewal notice: When your renewal opens, DSPS emails instructions to the email address on file
Renew: Online in LicensE from your individual account: choose "Renew My License", complete the application, upload any required documents and pay by card or ACH. An ACH payment can add 3-5 business days to processing
Deadline: Submit the renewal and pay by 11:59 p.m. on the last day of the renewal period. If you do, your license stays valid while DSPS reviews it, even if LicensE shows it as expired, as long as you answer any requests from DSPS
Late CE: CE completed after the license expires carries a $25 late CE fee
After 4 years: For a license expired more than 4 years, you apply in LicensE under "Reinstatement After 4 Years" instead of renewing, and meet that application's requirements again
Reinstatement fee: DSPS's fee table lists a $200 reinstatement fee for plumber licenses, where one applies

How to renew

Look up your license in LicensE and note the expiration date (March 31 of its last year).
Take your CE with approved providers well ahead: 24 hours for master and journeyman plumbers, 12 for restricted appliance or restricted service. Check in the LicensE lookup that every course shows up.
When DSPS emails you that renewal is open, log in to your individual LicensE account and choose "Renew My License".
Complete the application, upload any required documents and pay the fee by March 31. An ACH payment can add 3-5 business days to processing.

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 outCheck the expiration year in LicensE and book your CE hours (24, or 12 for a restricted license) with approved providers.
2 months outFinish the hours. Providers have up to 14 days to enter them, and LicensE won't take the renewal until they're in.
When DSPS emails youRenewal is open. Renew in LicensE and pay the fee ($500 master, $180 journeyman).
March 31Submit and pay by 11:59 p.m. CE finished after the license expires costs an extra $25.

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 utility contractor or pipelayer license, if you hold one (March 31, every 4 years)
Your cross connection control assembly tester credential (every 4 years, on the date it was issued, with 6 hours of CE)
Your plumbing apprentices' credentials (every year, on the date they were issued)
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 Wisconsin plumber licenses expire?

How many CE hours does a Wisconsin plumber need?

How much does it cost to renew a Wisconsin plumber license?

What if my Wisconsin plumber license expired?

Official sources

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

Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS), Master Plumber

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other Wisconsin guides

All Wisconsin 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