Licensing guide · Manitoba

How to Become a Plumber in Manitoba

Last checked 7 sources checkedNOC 72300

Do you need certification?

Certification is voluntary

Plumber is a voluntary trade in Manitoba. You can work in the trade without a certificate.

Protected titles
Not listed in the sources checked
Show the source
“If a trade is voluntary , registering as an apprentice is optional. … Industrial Mechanic (Millwright) Plumber”

From gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/explore-trades/trade-profiles.html, checked October 10, 2026.

At a glance

Licence status
Voluntary certification See the source
Routes
Annual fees
Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship Manitoba

Your roadmap

Every route is listed. Follow the one that matches where you trained.

Trained in Canada

  • 5 steps without a listed fee

  1. Apprenticeship Manitoba sends you the Apprenticeship Agreement by email, and you and your employer both sign it.

    Source
    “Sign the Apprenticeship Agreement - Apprenticeship Manitoba sends an email to you with the Apprenticeship Agreement - you can print out the agreement and sign it, or electronically sign the agreement - your employer must also sign Part C of the agreement”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/apply-for-your-appr...

  2. Submit your education records, documentation of related work or educational experience, and the signed Apprenticeship Agreement to Apprenticeship Manitoba to register it.

    Source
    “Provide documentation and register your Apprenticeship Agreement with Apprenticeship Manitoba Follow instructions on your Apprenticeship Agreement to submit: a copy of your education records (post-secondary transcript, or high school diploma, and/or Grade 12 transcripts, GED certificate/ Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC), or equivalent).”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/apply-for-your-appr...

  3. Work on the job for the required hours for each level, learning the trade from a certified journeyperson.

    Source
    “You will spend about 80 per cent of your apprenticeship working on the job. Here you will learn the knowledge and skills for your trade from a certified journeyperson. Each trade has a minimum number of on-the-job training hours required for each level.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/discover-apprentice...

  4. Once you have completed the required on-the-job hours, register for and pass technical training delivered by a recognized technical training provider before progressing to the next level.

    Source
    “Once you have completed the required number of on-the-job hours, you can register for technical training delivered by a recognized technical training provider. You need to complete and pass the technical training before progressing to the next level.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/discover-apprentice...

  5. After completing all levels and apprenticeship requirements, pass the certification exam with a minimum grade of 70 per cent to earn your Certificate of Qualification.

    Source
    “Once you’ve completed all levels and apprenticeship requirements for your program, you must pass the certification (final) exam. The minimum passing grade is 70 per cent.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/discover-apprentice...

Listed fees for this route

No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with Apprenticeship Manitoba

5 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.

Official page for this route

Licensed in another province

  • 5 steps without a listed fee
  • Listed time: 1.4 months (only 1 of 5 steps state a time)

  1. Check your trade's page to determine whether you have the work experience, training, knowledge and skills required to write the qualification exam.

    Source
    “Determine if you have the work experience, training, knowledge and skills required to be eligible to write the qualification exam by reviewing the work experience form for your trade on the Apprenticeship Manitoba website.”
    immigratemanitoba.com/life/regulated-occupations

  2. Submit your trades qualification application with the completed work experience form, employer letters and copies of previous trades certification if you meet all requirements.

    Source
    “Submit to Apprenticeship Manitoba your trades qualification application (along with your completed work experience form, employer letter(s) and copies of previous trades certification) only if you meet all requirements to write the qualification exam in your trade.”
    immigratemanitoba.com/life/regulated-occupations

  3. Include a non-refundable $200 payment with your application, made payable to Apprenticeship Manitoba.

    Source
    “Application fee - Include a $200 payment (non-refundable). - Make cheque payable to: Apprenticeship Manitoba.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/apply-to-become-...

  4. Wait for Apprenticeship Manitoba to review your application; approval means you are eligible to write the exam.

    Time: 6 weeks
    Time source
    “Wait for a reply from Apprenticeship Manitoba (application review typically takes about six weeks).”
    immigratemanitoba.com/life/regulated-occupations
    Source
    “Wait for a reply from Apprenticeship Manitoba (application review typically takes about six weeks). Approval of your application means you are eligible to write the exam.”
    immigratemanitoba.com/life/regulated-occupations

  5. Once approved as a trade qualifier, study using the supports and sample exams and then take your certification exam.

    Source
    “If you meet the requirements, you will be notified via email that you have been approved to challenge the certification exam and you are accepted as a trade qualifier. You will have time to study for your certification exam.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/apply-to-become-...

Listed fees for this route

No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with Apprenticeship Manitoba

5 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.

Official page for this route

Trained outside Canada

  • 5 steps without a listed fee
  • Listed time: 1.4 months (only 1 of 5 steps state a time)

  1. Check your trade's page to determine whether you have the work experience, training, knowledge and skills required to write the qualification exam.

    Source
    “Determine if you have the work experience, training, knowledge and skills required to be eligible to write the qualification exam by reviewing the work experience form for your trade on the Apprenticeship Manitoba website.”
    immigratemanitoba.com/life/regulated-occupations

  2. Submit your trades qualification application with the completed work experience form, employer letters and copies of previous trades certification if you meet all requirements.

    Source
    “Submit to Apprenticeship Manitoba your trades qualification application (along with your completed work experience form, employer letter(s) and copies of previous trades certification) only if you meet all requirements to write the qualification exam in your trade.”
    immigratemanitoba.com/life/regulated-occupations

  3. Include a non-refundable $200 payment with your application, made payable to Apprenticeship Manitoba.

    Source
    “Application fee - Include a $200 payment (non-refundable). - Make cheque payable to: Apprenticeship Manitoba.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/apply-to-become-...

  4. Wait for Apprenticeship Manitoba to review your application; approval means you are eligible to write the exam.

    Time: 6 weeks
    Time source
    “Wait for a reply from Apprenticeship Manitoba (application review typically takes about six weeks).”
    immigratemanitoba.com/life/regulated-occupations
    Source
    “Wait for a reply from Apprenticeship Manitoba (application review typically takes about six weeks). Approval of your application means you are eligible to write the exam.”
    immigratemanitoba.com/life/regulated-occupations

  5. Once approved as a trade qualifier, study using the supports and sample exams and then take your certification exam.

    Source
    “If you meet the requirements, you will be notified via email that you have been approved to challenge the certification exam and you are accepted as a trade qualifier. You will have time to study for your certification exam.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/apply-to-become-...

Listed fees for this route

No one-time fees listed by the regulator for these steps Check with Apprenticeship Manitoba

5 steps without a listed fee, so the total may not be the full cost.

Official page for this route

Other listed fees

The regulator lists these without tying them to one step, so they are not in the route totals above. Check which apply to you.

Requirements

Conditions the regulator sets on top of the roadmap steps.

Experience

  • To qualify as a trade qualifier you must have a minimum number of years and hours working in the trade and experience in at least 70 per cent of the scope of the trade.

    Source
    “You must have: - a minimum number of years working in the trade - a minimum number of hours working in the trade - experience (skills) in at least 70 per cent scope of the trade”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/apply-to-become-...

Residency

  • You must reside in Manitoba when you apply, whether as an apprentice or as a trade qualifier challenging the certification exam.

    Source
    “Whether you plan to be an apprentice, or plan to challenge the certification exam as a trade qualifier, you must reside in Manitoba when you apply.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/explore-trades/newcomers.html

Other

  • You must provide a letter from an employer or reference confirming your experience as proof that you meet the experience requirements.

    Source
    “As part of your application, you must provide a letter from an employer or reference as a form of proof that you meet the experience requirements for your trade.”
    gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/apply-to-become-...

Already licensed in another province?

Direct transfer

If you have received Red Seal certification for a trade, it will continue to be recognized in Manitoba; certification that is not Red Seal in a compulsory certification trade is assessed case by case.

Source
“If you have received Red Seal certification for any trade (voluntary or compulsory certification), it will continue to be recognized in Manitoba. If you received certification that is not Red Seal in a compulsory certification trade, this will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.”
gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/trade-qualifier....

Processing time: Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship Manitoba

Check a move between two provinces

Credential assessment

Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship Manitoba

Exams

Language tests

Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship Manitoba

Compare scores across provinces and professions

Canadian experience

Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship Manitoba

Supervised practice

Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship Manitoba

Demand and pay

Job Bank figures for NOC 72300, Plumbers. Wages for 2023-2024 in Canadian dollars an hour; outlook for 2025-2027.

Job Bank wages and outlook in Manitoba and Canada
WhereLowMedianHighOutlook
Manitoba $21.00 $30.11 $43.00 Limited (2 of 5)
Canada $21.00 $34.00 $46.00 —

Wages by region and job outlook in Manitoba

Wages in every province and territory

Plumbers in other provinces and territories

Regulated in all 12 other jurisdictions checked so far. The rules differ from one place to the next.

Compare plumber licensing across Canada

Sources checked

Pages read on October 10, 2026.

  1. Apprenticeship Manitoba | Province of Manitoba gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/explore-trades/trade-profiles.html · fetched October 10, 2026
  2. Apprenticeship Manitoba | Province of Manitoba gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/discover-apprentice... · fetched October 10, 2026
  3. Apprenticeship Manitoba | Province of Manitoba gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/apprenticeship-program/apply-for-your-appr... · fetched October 10, 2026
  4. Apprenticeship Manitoba | Province of Manitoba gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/trade-qualifier.... · fetched October 10, 2026
  5. Regulated Occupations | Manitoba Immigration immigratemanitoba.com/life/regulated-occupations · fetched October 10, 2026
  6. Apprenticeship Manitoba | Province of Manitoba gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/experienced-tradespersons/apply-to-become-... · fetched October 10, 2026
  7. Apprenticeship Manitoba | Province of Manitoba gov.mb.ca/apprenticeship/explore-trades/newcomers.html · fetched October 10, 2026

Frequently asked questions

2

Do you need a licence to work as a plumber in Manitoba?

No. Certification is available, but it is not required to work in the trade in Manitoba. Certification is managed by Apprenticeship Manitoba.

Which exams are required?

practical exam, Level Placement Exam, Red Seal exam.

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