WI-JP Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass

The 70% Passing Standard on Both Parts

The Wisconsin Journeyman Plumber License Exam (WI-JP), administered by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) under credential class code 7630, uses a single passing standard applied consistently to each part of the exam: 70%. That number is the entire story of "how many questions can I miss," but it's easy to misapply if you don't separate the two parts correctly.

Part 1 contains 87 questions administered over three hours. Part 2 contains 120 questions administered over its own three-hour block. That's 207 questions and six hours of total seat time - but DSPS's credential checklist is explicit that this is two distinct examinations, not one long test with a combined score. You need to clear 70% on Part 1 and 70% on Part 2 independently. A strong Part 2 score cannot offset a weak Part 1 score, and vice versa.

Part 1 vs. Part 2: Two Separate Scores, One Credential

Because Part 1 and Part 2 are graded independently, candidates should think of the WI-JP not as one 207-question marathon but as two shorter, separately timed sessions that each carry their own pass/fail outcome. This structural detail changes how you should plan study sessions, practice tests, and even the day you sit for the exam.

• Part 1: 87 questions, 3 hours.
• Part 2: 120 questions, 3 hours.
• Combined: 207 questions, 6 hours - but scored, scheduled, and passed as two separate parts.

If you're building a question bank or practice-test routine, simulate each part on its own timer rather than running a single 207-question block. That mirrors the actual testing conditions and gives you an honest read on whether you're hitting 70% on each part individually. For a broader breakdown of what each part actually covers topically, see the WI-JP Exam Domains Guide.

What "Open Book" Actually Means for Your Score

Both Part 1 and Part 2 of the WI-JP are open book. That single fact changes exam strategy more than almost anything else on this page. Passing at 70% doesn't require memorizing every code section verbatim - it requires knowing where the answer lives inside your binder and how fast you can locate it under a three-hour clock.

Open book does not mean easy. With 87 or 120 questions to work through in three hours, you don't have time to flip through unfamiliar material question by question. Candidates who treat "open book" as a reason to skip real study consistently run out of time before finishing the section, which is functionally the same as missing every unanswered question. The difficulty breakdown for the WI-JP goes deeper into why the open-book format is a double-edged sword.

The Nine Permitted References and How They Shape Performance

DSPS permits exactly nine reference items into the exam room, and the rules for how they must be organized are specific enough to trip up unprepared candidates before they even answer a question.

• One binder containing Wisconsin Statutes chapters 145 and 106, SPS 305, SPS 381-387, SPS 302, SPS 325, and printed notes
• NFPA 13D (2019)
• NFPA 24 (2019)
• At-Grade Pressure Distribution Component Manual
• Holding Tank Component Manual
• In-Ground Soil Absorption Component Manual
• Mound Component Manual
• Pressure Distribution Component Manual
• Multi-Purpose Piping Systems Design Manual

Printed notes must be three-hole-punched and placed inside the binder - loose papers are not allowed. Practice exams, previous exams, removable tabs, sticky notes, and paperclips are all prohibited. However, tabs that come pre-installed with a bound code book and three-ring paper dividers with tabs are permitted, and architect/engineer scale rulers are allowed for POWTS-related layout questions.

For a condensed version of these rules you can review the week of your exam, bookmark the WI-JP Cheat Sheet.

Fees, Retakes, and the One-Year Validity Window

Passing score conversations inevitably run into cost and logistics, so here's the mechanical side. Pearson VUE charges $90 per part, meaning $180 total in examination fees if you take both parts through Pearson. Application and credential fees are handled separately through LicensE and are not part of that $180 figure. A full accounting of every fee category - application, exam, renewal - is broken down in the WI-JP Certification Cost guide.

Passing results are valid for one year. If you pass Part 1 but not Part 2 (or vice versa), you don't have unlimited time to retake the outstanding part - plan your two sessions close enough together that a failed part can be retested inside that one-year window.

Pearson VUE vs. DSPS Testing Locations

Candidates approved for eligibility through LicensE can sit for the WI-JP at DSPS examination locations or through Pearson VUE's computer-based testing network. Pearson-administered plumbing exams in Wisconsin are restricted to a fixed list of testing centers: Eau Claire, Madison, Brookfield, Kenosha, Ashwaubenon, and Milwaukee.

One decision here is effectively irreversible: once you select the Pearson VUE route on your application, you cannot revert that application back to a DSPS examination location. Choose deliberately based on which of the six Pearson centers is realistically reachable, or confirm you'd rather stick with a DSPS-administered sitting before submitting your choice.

Scheduling Your Prep Around Part 1 and Part 2

Since Part 1 and Part 2 are scored independently, the most efficient prep sequence treats them as two separate study projects that happen to share a reference binder. Rather than generic weekly templates, anchor your calendar to the actual structure of the exam.

This sequencing mirrors a broader roadmap covered in the WI-JP Study Guide, and it pairs well with a full practice-test run at wijpexam.com to check readiness against realistic question formats before scheduling your actual sitting.

After You Pass: Renewal and Ongoing Requirements

Clearing 70% on both parts gets you the credential, but the passing score itself is only the entry point. Journeyman plumber licenses renew every four years on March 31, requiring a $180 renewal fee and 24 hours of approved continuing education per renewal term. Journeyman work also remains subject to applicable master-plumber or other authorized supervision requirements - passing the exam doesn't remove those oversight rules.

If you're still weighing whether the time investment for a 207-question, six-hour exam pays off long-term, the ROI analysis and earnings guide lay out the practical upside once you're credentialed and searching for journeyman plumbing jobs in Wisconsin.

FAQ