Who can sit it
The Master exam is for licensed Journeymen. The Plumbing License Law (Occupations Code 1301.002, as amended by HB 3214 effective September 1, 2025) sets the bar at two years as a licensed Journeyman, or one year plus a completed US Department of Labor apprenticeship program (or a Board-accepted one). The Candidate Handbook dated August 2025 and Board Rule 363.4 still print the old four-year figure; the statute controls, and TSBPE's application system is where you find out how they are applying it to you. Any of these qualifies, plus fingerprints reviewed and approved:
- You hold a Journeyman Plumber license, from Texas or another state, and have held it for the required period (two years under the current statute).
- You hold a Journeyman license, have held it at least one year, and have completed a DOL apprenticeship program.
- You hold a Master license from another state and previously held a Journeyman license for the required period.
- You hold a Master license from another state, held a Journeyman license for at least one year, and completed a DOL apprenticeship program.
You must also be a US citizen or national, or an immigrant eligible to work in Texas. Apply through the State of Texas Online Licensing System or by mail. The application fee is $175. The only supporting document is the Supplemental Criminal History Information Form, and only if you have ever been convicted of a felony.
What is on it
308 scored questions in 360 minutes, with a 30-minute pause-the-clock break built in. 70 percent passes. It is the longest exam TSBPE gives, and it is written only: there is no practical for the Master license.
The handbook names the study areas but publishes no per-area question counts, so nobody can honestly tell you the split. The areas are the same ones the Journeyman exam draws from, with the Master carrying more weight on the law and the Responsible Master Plumber duties that come with the license:
- Plumbing License Law, Occupations Code chapter 1301: licensing, the Responsible Master Plumber, insurance, permits, discipline and penalties.
- Board Rules, 22 Texas Administrative Code chapters 361 to 367: scope of work, RMP duties, code adoption, conduct.
- The plumbing code, chapter by chapter: definitions, general regulations, fixtures, water heaters, water supply and distribution, sanitary drainage, vents, traps and interceptors, indirect and special wastes, storm drainage, fuel gas and the venting of gas appliances. One- and two-family dwellings and commercial work both appear.
Two codes, one exam
Texas adopts both books. The handbook says to study either the 2018 International Plumbing Code with the 2018 International Fuel Gas Code, or the 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code, and writes the exam to be passable from either. Every code question on this site is written on a rule the two codes share and shows both section numbers; where they disagree, the lesson says so in a table and we leave it out of the questions. Know one book well and the shared rules carry you.
Closed book, for six hours
Nothing goes into the room. Dictionaries, books, papers (including your own scratch paper) and reference materials are not permitted; pockets are emptied, phones and watches go in a locker, and the administrator hands you note materials once you are seated. The tutorial before the exam does not count against your time.
The 30-minute pause-the-clock break is yours to take when you want it: raise your hand first. The exam resumes where you left it, and the clock restarts after 30 minutes even if you are not back in the seat. You cannot leave the floor or the building. TSBPE suggests bringing water and something to eat because of the length of the test; the test center does not allow eating in the testing room, so ask the administrator where.
Six hours of closed-book questions is a memory exam as much as a plumbing exam. Learn each number next to its rule until the rule brings the number back on its own; the flashcards and the weak-area drill exist for exactly that.
How to book
- Wait for the Authorization to Test email from Pearson VUE. It carries your TSBPE Entity ID; you need it to create the Pearson VUE account.
- Reserve online or by phone at (888) 304-3589 at least 24 hours before the date you want. No walk-ins.
- Pay the exam fee, $128.50, at reservation by card or voucher. Nothing is paid at the test center, and the fee is forfeited unless you change or cancel at least 48 hours ahead.
- Arrive 30 minutes early with one current, government-issued photo ID that carries your signature; the name must match your registration exactly, and there is no grace period on an expired ID. You are photographed at check-in and leave with your score report.
After you pass
Pay the $75 initial license fee in your TSBPE online account; the wall certificate and pocket card arrive by mail in 10 to 15 business days. Your first expiration date is set at random, 6 to 18 months out; after that the license renews every year with six hours of continuing professional education.
A Master who wants to act as a Responsible Master Plumber for a company files the insurance certificate and the RMP paperwork with the Board on top of this. The law lessons cover what that means.
Questions people ask
What happens if I fail?
The score report shows your number and how you did in each content area. One authorization covers up to five attempts within one year of the TSBPE application. You wait 24 hours before scheduling again, and the exam cannot be retaken sooner than 30 days after a first failure, 60 days after a second, and 90 days after each one after that. Each attempt is paid again.
Is there a practical for the Master?
No. The Master exam is written only. The hands-on practical belongs to the Tradesman and Journeyman licenses.
Can I bring my code book?
No. Closed book, no notes, no scratch paper of your own. The administrator provides note materials in the room.
UPC or IPC?
Either. TSBPE names both and writes the exam to be passable from either one. Our questions only use rules the two codes share and show both citations.
Is the exam in Spanish?
The Candidate Handbook does not list a Spanish version, so plan on English. Our lessons and questions are in both languages, with the code terms kept in English.
What does it cost all in?
$175 to TSBPE to apply, $128.50 to Pearson VUE for the exam, $75 to TSBPE for the initial license. Retakes are $128.50 each.