- Total application cost is $153.50 ($25 Board fee + $128.50 Pearson VUE fee); initial Master license adds $75.
- The exam has 308 items and a 360-minute clock, plus an optional 30-minute clock-stopped break.
- Passing score is 70%; personal books and notes are banned, but program-supplied references and calculation resources are provided.
- Candidates get five attempts within a one-year eligibility window, with 30/60/90-day waiting periods after failures.
What the TX-MP Actually Tests
The Texas Master Plumber License Exam (TX-MP) is administered through the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) and delivered at Pearson VUE test centers. Passing it is the gateway to holding a Master Plumber license in Texas - the credential required for business owners, supervising plumbers, and anyone who wants to hold the top field-level license in the state. This page is a condensed, one-page-style reference; if you need the full walkthrough of how to prepare, see the TX-MP Study Guide 2026, and if you want the deep dive on every content area, read the TX-MP Exam Domains 2026 guide.
Fees and Fast Facts
Before you schedule anything, confirm the money and paperwork. The Board application processing fee is $25, and Pearson VUE charges a separate $128.50 examination fee, for a combined $153.50 to sit for the exam. Passing does not finish the process - the initial Master license itself costs $75. For a complete breakdown of every fee across the licensing lifecycle, see TX-MP Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
| Item | Amount / Detail |
|---|---|
| Board application fee | $25 |
| Pearson VUE exam fee | $128.50 |
| Total to sit for exam | $153.50 |
| Initial Master license | $75 |
| Annual renewal | $75 plus six approved CPE hours |
| Exam length | 308 items, 360 minutes, optional 30-minute clock-stopped break |
| Passing score | 70% |
Always confirm current numbers against the January 2026 examination application before you pay anything, since fee schedules and forms can be updated by the Board.
The 12 Domains at a Glance
The TX-MP content structure is organized into 12 domains. Seven are knowledge subjects, four are sizing-chart tasks, and one is a hands-on design problem. Treat this list as your master index - every practice question you review should map back to one of these.
Domain 1 - Plumbing Codes
General code knowledge covering installation standards across residential and commercial plumbing systems.
- Know code intent, not just rule numbers
Domain 2 - Plumbing Codes, Specific to Water Heater Installation
A narrower slice of code focused entirely on water heater setup, venting, and safety requirements.
- Separate from general code domain - study it on its own
Domain 3 - OSHA Code Federal Regulations
Federal workplace safety rules as they apply to plumbing job sites and trade work.
- Focus on trench, ladder, and confined-space basics
Domain 4 - Texas Accessibility Standards (TAS)
How accessibility requirements govern the placement and installation of plumbing fixtures.
- Fixture heights, clearances, and accessible route logic
Domain 5 - Liquefied Petroleum Gas Piping Installation
LP gas-specific installation rules, distinct from natural gas piping practices.
- Don't confuse LP rules with standard fuel gas assumptions
Domain 6 - Plumbing Related Mathematics
Calculations that support sizing, slope, volume, and pressure problems throughout the exam.
- Practice math without relying on memorized shortcuts alone
Domain 7 - Plumbing License Law and Board Rules
TSBPE governance: what licensees can and cannot do, and how the Board regulates the trade.
- Read Board rule summaries directly, not secondhand notes
Domain 8 - Fuel Gas Pipe Sizing Chart
Reading and applying fuel gas sizing charts to real piping scenarios.
- Practice chart lookups under time pressure
Domain 9 - Water Pipe Sizing Chart
Sizing water distribution piping using provided reference charts.
- Understand fixture unit inputs before touching the chart
Domain 10 - Gas Fueled Appliance Vent Sizing Chart
Vent sizing for gas-fueled appliances, another chart-based task requiring careful input reading.
- Confirm appliance category before selecting a chart column
Domain 11 - Drainage System Pipe Sizing Chart
Sizing drainage piping correctly based on load and slope inputs.
- Slope and fixture-unit totals drive the correct answer
Domain 12 - Three-Story Sanitary Drainage and Vent Design (16 Fixtures)
A scenario-based design task requiring you to lay out a compliant drainage and vent system for sixteen fixtures across three stories.
- The most involved domain - practice full layouts, not isolated facts
Key Takeaway
Domains 8 through 12 are applied/skills-based rather than pure recall. Budget extra practice time for chart reading and the 16-fixture design task since they require multi-step reasoning under the 360-minute clock.
Format, Scoring, and Testing-Day Rules
The exam is computer-based and delivered only at authorized Pearson VUE test centers. It contains 308 items to be completed in 360 minutes, and candidates may take an optional additional 30-minute break that stops the clock rather than counting against total testing time. A score of 70% is required to pass.
Personal books, notes, and outside materials are prohibited inside the test center. Instead, the exam uses program-supplied references and calculation resources - meaning the sizing charts and similar tools you'll need for Domains 8 through 11 are provided rather than something you bring in or must memorize outright. For the exact scoring mechanics and what "70%" means across 308 items, see TX-MP Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
Eligibility Snapshot
Ordinary eligibility to sit for the TX-MP requires one of the following paths:
- A current qualifying journeyman license held for at least two years, or
- One year holding that journeyman license combined with a qualifying U.S. Department of Labor-approved apprenticeship, or
- An equivalent out-of-state Master license pathway, subject to Board review.
All paths require Board approval and fingerprint requirements before you're cleared to schedule at Pearson VUE. Because eligibility documentation and the application form itself change, always work from the January 2026 examination application for current procedures. A full eligibility walkthrough lives at TX-MP Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Retake Rules and License Timeline
Pearson permits up to five attempts within a one-year eligibility period. If you don't pass on the first try, the Board enforces waiting periods before you can retest:
- 30 days after a first failure
- 60 days after a second failure
- 90 days after any subsequent failure
Once you pass, your initial license expiration is assigned somewhere between 6 and 18 months out, after which you move to standard annual renewal. Renewal itself costs $75 and requires six approved continuing professional education (CPE) hours each year. If you plan to take on business-level responsibility rather than just field work, note that Responsible Master Plumber is a separate designation on top of an active Master license, requiring at least $300,000 in commercial liability insurance.
Key Takeaway
Failing isn't the end of the road, but each attempt costs time due to mandatory waiting periods - plan your first attempt as if it's your only shot. For context on how candidates typically perform, see TX-MP Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows and How Hard Is the TX-MP Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
Legacy Review Course Warning
The Board-linked Master Plumber Examination Review Course is a useful topic outline, but you need to read it correctly. This guide carries a February 2013 footer and references the 2018 IPC/IFGC and 2018 UPC codes. Its 210-question breakdown does not reflect the current 308-item exam, and it should not be treated as a current weighted blueprint.
That said, the guide still tracks the same structural components as today's 12 domains: seven knowledge subjects, four sizing-chart tasks, and the three-story sanitary drainage/vent design for 16 fixtures. Use it as a list of preparation topics - a study checklist - not as a source for how many questions come from each area or which code edition governs the current exam.
One-Week Cheat-Sheet Study Sprint
If you're using this page as a final-review anchor rather than a full study plan, here's how to sequence a short sprint across the domains that carry the most applied complexity.
Codes and Law Foundation
- Domain 1: Plumbing Codes
- Domain 2: Water heater-specific code
- Domain 7: License Law and Board Rules
Safety, Access, and Gas
- Domain 3: OSHA Federal Regulations
- Domain 4: Texas Accessibility Standards
- Domain 5: LP Gas piping installation
Math and Charts
- Domain 6: Plumbing Related Mathematics
- Domains 8-11: practice reading each sizing chart under time pressure
Design Task and Full Review
- Domain 12: full 16-fixture, three-story drainage/vent design run-throughs
- Timed practice sets mimicking the 360-minute, 308-item format
This sprint pairs well with a longer prep cycle outlined in the TX-MP Study Guide 2026. If you're still deciding whether to pursue the license at all, weigh the effort against career upside in Is the TX-MP Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and TX-MP Salary Guide 2026.
Scheduling and Documentation Notes
Once your application is approved and fingerprinting is cleared, you'll schedule your seat directly with Pearson VUE at an authorized center. Availability, blackout periods, and rescheduling policies are worth checking well ahead of your target date - see TX-MP Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling for the current process. Keep a copy of your approval paperwork and confirmation details; you'll need them for check-in, and they matter again if you need to document a retake under the 30/60/90-day waiting rules.
On the employment side, a passed exam and active Master license open doors with plumbing contractors, mechanical firms, and businesses that need a Responsible Master Plumber on record. If you're mapping out where the credential leads, browse TX-MP Jobs and consider structured prep through TX-MP Training alongside timed practice at our practice test platform.
FAQ
The current Pearson VUE handbook (August 2025) specifies 308 items with 360 minutes of testing time, plus an optional 30-minute clock-stopped break.
You need 70% to pass the TX-MP exam.
No. Personal books and notes are prohibited. The exam instead uses program-supplied references and calculation resources for tasks like the sizing-chart domains.
Pearson allows up to five attempts within a one-year eligibility window, but Board waiting periods apply: 30 days after a first failure, 60 days after a second, and 90 days after any further failure.
No. That breakdown comes from a legacy guide with a February 2013 footer referencing 2018 IPC/IFGC/UPC codes. It's useful for topic coverage but does not reflect the current 308-item exam or any current weighting.