- The only published figure is 44% (329 of 750 passes), covering November 2021-November 2022, before Prov, Inc. became the testing provider.
- Today's exam is 75 questions in 2.92 hours, open book, computer-based, with a 70% passing score.
- General Knowledge carries the most weight at 10 of 75 questions, followed by Sizing and Design at 9.
- Total cost to sit and certify is $235 ($110 exam fee plus $50 processing and $75 certificate) before any books or prep.
The Only Published AL-JP Pass Rate Data
If you search for how many people pass the Alabama Journeyman Plumber Exam, you will find exactly one publicly documented figure: 44%, covering the period from November 1, 2021 through November 9, 2022. During that window, the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board recorded 329 passes out of 750 journeyman plumbing examinations administered.
That number is real, but it comes with an important caveat that most secondhand summaries leave out: it predates the Board's current testing arrangement with Prov, Inc. The exam format, question bank, and administration process in place today are not the same system that produced that 44% figure. Treating it as a current-year benchmark would be misleading.
Why the Historical Number Isn't a 2026 Benchmark
Prov, Inc. now administers the AL-JP exam, and the current bulletin (dated December 15, 2025) describes a specific, well-defined format: 75 questions, a testing window of exactly 2.92 hours, computer-based multiple choice, open book, with a 70% passing score required. That structure - especially the open-book allowance, permanent tabs, highlighting, and pen-only marginal notes - is a meaningfully different testing experience than whatever produced the 2021-2022 numbers.
Because the Board has not published a pass rate specific to the current Prov-administered exam, anyone quoting a precise 2026 pass percentage is guessing. What you can rely on instead are the concrete mechanics of the exam itself: the domain list, the question count per domain, the scoring threshold, and the reference materials you're permitted to bring. For a full breakdown of exactly what a passing performance requires, see AL-JP Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
| Attribute | Pre-Prov Data (2021-2022) | Current AL-JP Exam (2025 Bulletin) |
|---|---|---|
| Testing provider | Not Prov, Inc. | Prov, Inc. |
| Reported pass rate | 44% (329 of 750) | Not published |
| Format | Not specified in available records | 75 questions, 2.92 hours, computer-based, open book |
| Passing score | Not specified in available records | 70% |
Key Takeaway
Don't anchor your prep expectations to the 44% figure. Anchor them to the 70% passing threshold and the 75-question format that Prov currently administers - that's what you'll actually face.
Domain Weighting and Where Points Concentrate
Understanding pass rates in the abstract matters less than understanding where the 75 scored questions actually come from. The Board's official allocation puts General Knowledge at the top with 10 of 75 questions, followed by Sizing and Design at 9. Alabama Plumbing and Gas Law contributes 5 questions - a smaller slice, but one that's entirely state-specific and can't be studied from generic plumbing references alone.
The remaining questions are spread across the other nine domains: Drawings and Plan Reading, Trade Math, Tools, Fixtures and Fittings, Drain Waste and Vents, Roof Drain Systems, System Installation, Water Heaters, and Safety. A candidate who ignores any one of these twelve areas is leaving points on the table in a 75-question exam where every question counts toward the same 70% threshold.
General Knowledge (Domain 1 - 10 of 75 questions)
The largest single domain draws heavily on the 2021 IPC and 2021 IFGC. Candidates should be comfortable navigating code sections quickly, since this is an open-book exam and speed with your references matters as much as memorization.
- Practice locating specific code sections under time pressure
- Know the structure and index of the IPC well enough to flip to it fast
Sizing and Design (Domain 5 - 9 of 75 questions)
This domain leans on trade math and reference charts, often pulling from Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipefitters, 8th edition. Pipe sizing, fixture unit calculations, and load determination show up repeatedly.
- Work sizing problems by hand until the process is automatic
- Bring a four-function calculator - that's the permitted device
Alabama Plumbing and Gas Law (Domain 12 - 5 of 75 questions)
Drawn from the 2022 Code of Alabama Title 34 Chapter 37 and Administrative Code Chapter 720 (2018). This is the one domain that generic national plumbing prep won't cover, since it's Alabama-specific statute and rule.
- Read the licensing, renewal, and enforcement provisions directly
- Don't assume another state's plumbing law applies here
For the complete breakdown of all twelve domains with their relative weight and typical question style, see AL-JP Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 12 Content Areas.
Registration Mechanics That Affect Your Odds
Pass rates aren't only about knowledge - administrative missteps sink candidates too. The AL-JP process has firm windows that are easy to miss if you're not paying attention.
- Exam fee: $110, nonrefundable, paid to the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board.
- Eligibility window: Once approved, your Prov eligibility lasts only 30 days - you must schedule and sit within that period.
- Certificate deadline: After passing, you have 90 calendar days to obtain your certificate.
- Post-pass costs: $50 initial processing plus $75 for the certificate itself, bringing total examination and initial-certification charges to $235 before books or training.
- Eligibility to sit: Two years of current apprentice-plumber experience, or completion of a Board-approved apprentice training program, plus required experience and lawful-presence documentation.
Missing the 30-day eligibility window or the 90-day certificate deadline doesn't just cost time - it can mean paying the $110 fee again. For a full eligibility checklist, see AL-JP Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify, and for a complete accounting of every dollar involved, see AL-JP Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown. Scheduling logistics and testing windows are covered separately in AL-JP Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
What the Open-Book Format Means for Your Score
The AL-JP exam is open book, which changes the nature of failure. You're not typically failing because you forgot a fact - you're failing because you couldn't find or apply the right reference fast enough inside 2.92 hours across 75 questions. Prov permits highlighting, permanent tabs, and pen-only marginal notes (no calculations written in the margins), plus a four-function calculator. Test-center appointments and at-home Examroom proctoring are both available.
The reference list is fixed: the 2021 IPC, 2021 IFGC, Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipefitters (8th edition), Modern Plumbing (8th edition), the 2022 Code of Alabama Title 34 Chapter 37, and Administrative Code Chapter 720 (2018). Candidates who tab and organize these books before test day consistently move faster than those who show up with clean, unmarked copies.
A Domain-Ordered Study Timeline
Rather than studying all twelve domains evenly, sequence your prep around question weight and complexity. A practical approach:
General Knowledge and Sizing and Design
- Tab your 2021 IPC and 2021 IFGC by chapter
- Drill sizing problems from Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipefitters until calculations are fast, not just correct
Drain Waste and Vents, Fixtures and Fittings, System Installation
- Cross-reference Modern Plumbing for installation sequencing
- Work through venting and trap arrangement scenarios
Alabama Plumbing and Gas Law
- Read Title 34 Chapter 37 and Administrative Code Chapter 720 directly
- Note licensing, renewal, and CE requirements specific to Alabama
Remaining domains and timed practice
- Cover Drawings and Plan Reading, Tools, Roof Drain Systems, Water Heaters, and Safety
- Run full-length timed practice sessions under the 2.92-hour limit
This sequencing puts the heaviest-weighted domains - General Knowledge and Sizing and Design, together worth 19 of 75 questions - early, when your energy and time budget are largest. A more detailed week-by-week study plan with practice question recommendations is available in AL-JP Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt, and a quick-reference summary of must-know facts is in AL-JP Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts.
Who Sits for the AL-JP Exam
Candidates for the AL-JP exam are almost always apprentice plumbers who've either logged two years of current apprentice experience or completed a Board-approved apprentice training program. Employers hiring journeyman plumbers in Alabama - residential contractors, commercial mechanical firms, and municipal utilities - generally require this certificate before extending journeyman-level pay and responsibility. If you're weighing whether the credential is worth pursuing given the cost and time involved, Is the AL-JP Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 walks through the tradeoffs, and AL-JP Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis covers earnings context. For openings specifically seeking journeyman-certified plumbers, see AL-JP Jobs.
New to the credential entirely? Start with What Is AL-JP? or the broader overview at AL-JP Certification before diving into pass-rate specifics.
Whatever your current comfort level with the material, running full-length timed drills against realistic questions is the closest substitute for sitting the actual Prov exam. Practicing under the same 2.92-hour, 75-question structure on our AL-JP practice test platform helps you calibrate pacing before test day rather than discovering it live. If you haven't assessed your baseline yet, start with a diagnostic practice set to see which domains need the most work, and revisit How Hard Is the AL-JP Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 for an honest read on where most candidates struggle.
FAQ
The Board has not published a pass rate for the current Prov-administered exam. The only documented figure - 44%, or 329 passes out of 750 exams - covers November 2021 through November 2022 and predates Prov's involvement, so it should not be treated as a 2026 benchmark.
The Board's public records include the pre-Prov figure from 2021-2022, but no equivalent statistic has been published for the exam under its current 75-question, open-book, Prov-administered format described in the December 15, 2025 bulletin.
You need 70% correct across the 75 scored, computer-based multiple-choice questions, completed within the 2.92-hour testing window.
It changes the challenge rather than removing it. You can bring the 2021 IPC, 2021 IFGC, Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipefitters, Modern Plumbing, and the relevant Alabama code chapters, plus use tabs, highlighting, and a four-function calculator - but with roughly 75 questions to answer in 2.92 hours, slow reference lookups still cost you time and points.
You must obtain your certificate within 90 calendar days of passing. Beyond fee and eligibility mechanics, missing Board deadlines can complicate certification, so track this date as closely as your exam appointment.
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