Michigan Plumbing License: What Applies and What Does Not

Does a plumbing business need a license in Michigan?

Michigan issues 4 license classes for plumbers.

Michigan licenses plumbing statewide under the Occupational Code, administered by the Bureau of Construction Codes within the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Individuals hold master, journey or apprentice credentials, and the business is covered by a separate plumbing contractor license tied to a named master plumber who is jointly and severally responsible for the work.

The plumbing business itself must be licensed or registered, not only the people doing the work.

A business performing plumbing operates under a plumbing contractor license. Only a sole proprietor, a partner in a partnership, an officer of a corporation or a member of a limited liability company may apply for it, and the applicant must either hold a master plumber license or employ a licensed master plumber as the contractor's named representative.

This records what Michigan publishes, not a determination about your business. Scope, thresholds and local requirements are set by the issuing body, so confirm with them before you bid or file.

Verified 2026-09-03 against the primary source listed under Sources.

What the LLC has to do first

Several states license the plumbing company separately from the individual plumber, so the LLC and the license are two filings, not one.

The entity filing is separate from anything the license requires. In Michigan it is made with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations Division. File directly with the state here. The order matters wherever the license is issued to the company rather than to a person: the entity has to exist before an application can name it.

Forming an LLC as a plumbing business in Michigan covers the filing itself, step by step.

Insurance Michigan plumbers are asked to show

Plumbing license and registration schemes commonly require proof of general liability cover, and water damage from a failed connection is the claim these policies are bought for.

We do not publish Michigan premium figures for this trade, so nothing here is a quote. Our business insurance guide for plumbers covers what each policy does and does not pay for.