Plumber in Kansas
Requirements, salary data, licensing costs, and career ROI for KS. Updated with 2024 BLS OEWS wage data.
BLS OEWS 2024, Kansas.
Jobs (KS)
10-yr job growth
Time to complete
route How to become a plumber in Kansas
To become a plumber in Kansas, you must obtain a license through local city or county jurisdictions, as there is no statewide plumbing license. For example, in Sedgwick County and the City of Wichita, the Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department (MABCD) issues journeyman and master plumber certificates. Aspiring journeyman plumbers typically need one year of field experience and one year of trade school, or two years of field experience, and must pass an approved exam. Master plumbers generally require two years of experience as a journeyman plumber or four years of field experience and must pass a master plumber exam. While there are no statewide reciprocity agreements, the Kansas State Board of Technical Professions (KSBTP) may evaluate out-of-state credentials for licensure by endorsement.
bar_chart Salary percentiles
Source: BLS OEWS 2024 for Kansas. Metro-area wages may differ significantly from the state aggregate.
checklist Kansas requirements
| Licensing body | N/A (Local Jurisdictions) |
| State license | Not required |
| Reciprocity | Kansas offers case-by-case endorsement for out-of-state plumbers, with some local agreements.Reciprocal states: Kansas does not have statewide reciprocity agreements for plumbing licenses with other states, as licenses are issued at the local level. However, the Kansas State Board of Technical Professions (KSBTP) evaluates out-of-state credentials on a case-by-case basis for licensure by endorsement, assessing if the licensing standards of the other state are substantially equivalent to Kansas requirements. Some local jurisdictions may have specific agreements, for example, journeyman plumbers from Arkansas and Texas who have been licensed for at least two years may submit a reciprocal application to the State Plumbing Board. |
| Notes | Kansas does not have a statewide licensing requirement for plumbers. Licensing is handled at the city and county level. Requirements vary significantly between jurisdictions like Wichita (Sedgwick County), Kansas City, and Topeka. Most programs require applicants to be at least 18 years old with a high school diploma or GED. For Sedgwick County/Wichita, journeyman plumbers need one year of field experience and one year of trade school, or two years of field experience, and must pass an approved exam. Master plumbers need two years of experience as a journeyman plumber or four years of field experience and must pass a master plumber exam. Johnson County requires a Class D plumbing contractor license for plumbing work, which requires four years of plumbing experience or a journeyman license from another state and passing a contractor examination. |
Source: N/A (Local Jurisdictions)
Already licensed elsewhere and moving to Kansas? See whether Kansas recognizes an out-of-state credential — with the tier and pathway for all 50 states — in our Plumber license reciprocity guide.
work_outline Job outlook
AI & tech impact
This career has low exposure to AI automation. Most tasks require physical presence, human judgment, or hands-on skills that AI cannot easily replicate.
balance Is it worth it?
- infoNo state license required — lower barrier but weaker signal
- check_circleLow AI disruption risk
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