How do you start as a plumber in Hawaii?
There are three ways in: a registered apprenticeship (1 programs in Hawaii), trade school, or a helper or trainee job with a licensed plumbing contractor.
Every route ends at the same place: 10,000 logged hours and the state exam.
Earn while you learn
A program hires you, pays you on the job and runs your classes.
- Pay
- From day one
- In HI
- 1 registered programs
Classroom first
Learn the basics, then find work to log your hours.
- Pay
- You pay tuition
- In HI
- Community colleges nearby
Start on a crew
Get hired as a helper by a licensed plumbing contractor and log hours on the job.
- Pay
- Paid on the job
- Start
- No experience needed
How do you get a plumber license in Hawaii?
Log 10,000 hours of supervised work, then apply to the Board of Electricians and Plumbers and pass the journey worker exam given by PSI Services.
Journey worker license from the Board of Electricians and Plumbers.
Start as an apprentice or trainee
Join a registered apprenticeship, take a trade school program, or work as a helper for a licensed contractor.
- Issued by
- Board of Electricians and Plumbers
Log 10,000 hours10,000 hrs
About 5 years of full-time work under a licensed plumber. Keep your own log of hours and pay stubs.
- Issued by
- Your employer signs off
- Time
- 10,000 hrs
Pass the journey worker exam$40 application
Apply to the Board of Electricians and Plumbers with your hours, then book the exam with PSI Services.
- Issued by
- Board of Electricians and Plumbers
- Cost
- $40 application
Keep it currentEvery 3 years
Renew every 3 years. Continued competency each renewal: attend a course on the latest UPC update or pass the board's exam
- Issued by
- Board of Electricians and Plumbers
- Time
- Every 3 years
Run your own shop
To bid and contract on your own you need a plumbing contractor license or registration.
- Issued by
- Contractors License Board (DCCA PVL)
Exam vendor, code book, fees, renewal and reciprocity for the Hawaii journey worker license.
$78,060
a year is the median for plumbers in Hawaii ($37.53 an hour, May 2025).3
Pay by city and percentile- Urban Honolulu$39.00
- Kahului–Wailuku$37.31
More questions about becoming a plumber in Hawaii
How long does it take to become a plumber in Hawaii?
About 5 years of full-time work: the journey worker license requires 10,000 hours of supervised experience.1
Are plumbers in demand in Hawaii?
Projections Central expects about 260 plumber openings a year in Hawaii through 2034, counting new jobs and people leaving the trade.2
Find an apprenticeship near you
1 registered programs in Hawaii. Enter your ZIP to see the closest ones and what they ask for.
Find a programMore for plumbers in Hawaii
Sources
- Board of Electricians and Plumbers (cca.hawaii.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections 2024-2034 (projectionscentral.org, 2024-2034)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Hawaii, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)