How long does it really take to become a plumber?

Is it time we rethink the requirements for becoming a plumber? I’ve been doing this for over 40 years, and while the world has changed, our licensing requirements haven’t. At least not here in Texas. Today, high schools offer plumbing courses, and online education has made learning faster and easier. But in Texas, we still require 4,000 hours—that’s two years—to get a tradesman license.

Now, I get it. Standards are important, and you want someone working on your pipes who knows their stuff. But when it comes to resetting a toilet, changing a faucet, or simple tasks like that, does it really take two years to learn those skills?

What if we dropped the tradesman requirement to 2,000 hours—just one year? I know companies in California that train apprentices in just nine weeks. And no, they don’t just throw them out there; they train them right, with real training and field experience. By the end of it, those apprentices are generating revenue and contributing to the workforce.

Here’s the thing: we need more plumbers. Handymen are stepping in because we don’t have enough licensed professionals to handle the jobs. We need to bring people into the trade faster and get them earning money sooner. If we did, we could both meet the demand for plumbing services and keep standards high.

But it’s not just about getting tradesman licenses quicker. If you want to be a journeyman, double that. You need 8,000 hours and 4 years to become a journeyman plumber. And the Master plumber license? Right now, it takes 8 years to become a Master in Texas. That’s the same amount of time it takes to become a doctor. You can become an attorney in just 7.

But here’s the kicker—unlike a doctor or attorney, you’re getting paid to learn. No massive student debt, just learning the trade and earning money along the way.

I’m not saying we lower the bar to Master plumber—after all, they’re responsible for running companies, pulling permits, and making sure everything is done to code. But with the tools and resources we have today, do we really need to make someone wait eight full years? If a young plumber is motivated, can learn fast, and has proven themselves competent, why not give them the opportunity to advance sooner?

In places like California, companies are already putting plumbers in trucks after nine weeks of solid training, and they’re doing great. Here in Texas, we could make it easier for people to get their foot in the door and progress faster. That way, we can get more people into the trades, fill the demand, and keep plumbing standards high.

So, what do you think? Could we streamline this process? Me? I say let’s get more people into the field and give them the opportunity to succeed faster.