The process is easy, as you need to get five years of practical, hands-on experience before you can become a journeyman plumber, and then, you must gain four years of experience to achieve the status of a master plumber in Montana.
To be allowed to work, all plumbers must hold an active license issued by the Montana Board of Plumbers.
This is the main governing body for plumbers in this state, and they can get the license only if they pass both the journeyman and master licensing exams.
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Montana Plumbing License Reciprocity
The thing worth mentioning is that Montana maintains reciprocity agreements for licensed plumbers with four other states: Idaho, Oregon, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
There is a limitation, as reciprocity is only maintained for journeyman plumbers whose licenses are active and have no complaints filed against them, while it is not maintained for master plumbers or apprentices.
If you are moving from any other state to Montana, you will have to apply for a license before you can begin working as a plumber.
The documentation needed for this procedure is the basic application, your state’s licensing requirements, previous certifications from all states and jurisdiction you have been licensed in, and verification of experience obtained in the field, as well as $100 application fee and $300 reciprocity fee.
You can submit your application online or through the mail to the Montana Board of Plumbers at:
PO Box 200513
Helena, MT 59620-0513
Those of you who belong to out-of-state applicants have to sit and pass the Montana state licensing exam before beginning work, or you can pay an additional $100 temporary work permit fee so you can legally work as a plumber in Montana before the exam.
Actually, the Board of Plumbers can issue this temporary license to an applicant if the other state’s license standards at the time of application to this state are substantially equivalent to or greater than the standards in this state; and there is no reason to deny the license under the laws of this state governing the profession or occupation.
Montana Master Plumbing License Requirements
To become a master plumber you need to meet the two requirements set by the Montana Board of Plumbers.
- 4 years’ experience as a licensed journeyman plumber in the field of plumbing, out of which 3 years’ experience has to be with a licensed master plumber, or in a supervisory capacity in the field of plumbing, which may run concurrently with the 4 years’ experience as a licensed journeyman plumber
- Successful completion of the master’s written examination in Montana with a grade of 70% or better
Prior to becoming a master plumber, you must first submit an application to the Board and receive their approval to sit the exam via an online portal or the Master Plumber Application on the Board of Plumber’s website.
Additionally, you must include the Experience Verification Affidavit, the Verification of Licensure form, pay the $100 application fee, and the $280 license fee, in the form of a check or money order made payable to the Board of Plumbers.
Master Plumber Exam
The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAMPO) offers this open-book exam, but you may only bring in the 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code, the Montana Amendments, and a non-scientific calculator.
You can take this test in-person, at different locations throughout the state, or online using IAMPO’s Flex Testing platform.
To be considered successful, you must receive a passing score of at least 70%.
If you pass the exam, you will receive your license from the Board of Plumbers.
However, this is not the end of your education and training, as you need to renew it annually.
The renewal process in Montana is fairly simple: all plumbing licenses expire on September 1 of each year, and you must also take four hours of continuing education each year before you can renew your license.
The renewal can be done online using the general license and application portal on the Montana Board of Plumber’s website.
Montana Plumbing Journeyman License Requirements
As for the journeyman plumber license, there are two requirements set by the Montana Board of Plumbers for future journeyman plumbing contractors:
- 5 years and 7500 aggregate hours of experience in the field of plumbing OR
- Completion of an apprenticeship program that meets the standards set by the Montana Apprenticeship and Training Bureau, or the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Apprenticeship
- Successful completion of the journeyman written and journeyman practical examination in Montana with a grade of 70% or better on both the written and practical parts
Plumbing Journeyman Exam
The journeyman plumbing exam is just like the master exam an open-book one but only limited to the 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code, the Montana Amendments, and a non-scientific calculator.
You can take this exam either in-person or online, but you must receive a score of at least 70% to pass.
If you do not pass the practical portion of the exam, you may retake it.
Journeyman plumbing licenses require annual renewal and also you must complete four hours of continuing education each year before you can renew your license.
Montana Plumbing Apprenticeship Requirements
In Montana, there is no requirement to work as an apprentice in order to become a licensed plumber.
Plumbing Trade Schools in Montana
Montana State University-Northern
Public
Tuition & Costs: Must contact for more information; expenses vary depending on program and location
Contact Information:
(406) 265-3700 or (800) 662-6132
300 13th Street West, Harve, Montana 59501
Insurance for Plumbers in Montana
Licensed Montana plumbers must be insured to provide services in the plumbing industry due to the fact that insurance protects you from property damage claims and professional malpractice.
Minimum plumber insurance requirements are:
- $300,000 for property damage insurance (for each occurrence)
- $100,000 for general liability insurance (for each occurrence)
Salary
The average pay for a Montana plumber is $25.27 per hour, but it highly depends on the level of experience and certification.
The average Plumber salary in Montana is $52,107.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Plumbers in Montana
City Name Salary Billings $55,049 Missoula $47,508 Great Falls $49,836 Bozeman $47,508 Butte $47,508 Helena $48,370 Kalispell $51,014 Havre $48,974 Anaconda $47,508 Miles City $54,186 Regional Salary
Region Employed Avg. Annual Salary Avg. Hourly Pay Top 10% Annual Salary Bottom 10% Annual Salary Billings, MT 440 $79,100 $38.03 $105,680 $51,880 Great Falls, MT 260 $72,150 $34.69 $83,650 $46,650 Missoula, MT 160 $66,350 $31.9 $88,230 $45,880
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
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