Plumbing License Reciprocity by State: 50-State Table

Plumbing license reciprocity by state is a patchwork. Only 17 states publish named agreements with specific partner states. Most of the rest either review you case by case, have no reciprocity at all, or don’t license plumbers at the state level. This table pulls the reciprocity rules from each of our 50 state guides, every one researched against the official board, so you can see where your license might travel before you pack the van.

Quick definitions so the table makes sense. Reciprocity means two states agree to accept each other’s licenses, usually without a new trade exam. Endorsement means a state will look at your license and decide whether your home state’s rules were tough enough. Exam waiver means you skip the trade exam but still apply, pay and usually take a business and law test. None of them are automatic.

The short version

• Named agreements (17 states): Alabama, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas.
• Endorsement or case by case (14): Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin.
• No reciprocity, or none advertised (7): Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico.
• No statewide license, so it’s local (6): Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania, Wyoming.
• Ask the board (6): Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Washington. Our guides for these states don’t cover reciprocity yet. We’re adding it as we upgrade those pages, and the notes below show what other states say about them.

Where the real agreements cluster

Reciprocity in plumbing is mostly regional. If you’re licensed in one of these groups, your odds are a lot better inside it.

• Pacific Northwest and Rockies: Idaho lists Oregon, Montana and Washington. Oregon lists Idaho and Montana. Montana lists Oregon, Idaho, North Dakota and South Dakota. All journeyman level only.
• Upper Midwest: Minnesota lists North and South Dakota. North Dakota lists South Dakota, Minnesota and Montana. Iowa lists only South Dakota.
• South Central: Arkansas lists Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana (journeyman) plus Ohio (master). Louisiana lists Texas and Arkansas. Oklahoma lists Arkansas.
• Southeast exam waivers: Mississippi waives trade exams for Alabama, Ohio, South Carolina and Tennessee licensees. South Carolina waives for North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Mississippi. Alabama added Mississippi (master) in 2026.
• Mid-Atlantic: Delaware treats Connecticut, Iowa and Maryland as substantially similar, and Maryland reciprocates with Delaware at the master level.

Five things that trip people up

1. Agreements don’t always match from both sides. Texas and Arkansas list each other, but Texas only takes an Arkansas journeyman license held 4+ years. Idaho lists Washington, but Montana’s list doesn’t. South Dakota publishes no partner list even though four states name it. Go by what the state you’re moving to says.
2. It’s almost always journeyman only. Idaho, Oregon, Montana and Louisiana only reciprocate at the journeyman level. If you want to run a shop as the master, plan on testing again.
3. You usually needed to earn it by exam. Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon and South Carolina all exclude licenses you got by grandfathering or through another reciprocity deal.
4. Business and law exams rarely get waived. Mississippi, Nevada and South Carolina waive the trade exam but still make you pass their business and law test.
5. Residency rules can bite. Idaho’s Washington and Montana deals require you to still live in that state when you apply. Move first and you lose the shortcut. West Virginia’s route requires West Virginia residency.

How to use reciprocity if you’re moving

1. Find your new state in the table and open its full guide.
2. Call or email the board before you send money. Our South Dakota, Vermont, Rhode Island and Montana guides all say to do this first, straight from the boards.
3. Order license verification from your current board. Most reciprocity and endorsement routes need it sent straight from the issuing board, not a copy.
4. Keep your home license active until the new one is in hand. Many routes require a current license in good standing.
5. Budget for a business and law exam and any contractor bond or insurance in the new state, even if the trade exam is waived. Our plumbing license cost by state table shows each state’s fees.

FAQ

Which states have plumbing license reciprocity?

17 states publish named agreements or exam waivers with specific states: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina and Texas. Another 14 offer endorsement or case-by-case review.

Which states have no plumbing reciprocity?

Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana and New Mexico say plainly that they don’t reciprocate plumbing licenses. Illinois, Massachusetts and New Jersey don’t advertise any blanket reciprocity either.

Does Texas have plumbing reciprocity?

Yes, with two states. The TSBPE reciprocates with Louisiana (journeyman plumbing plus journeyman gas fitter licenses held 2+ years, and 8,000 hours) and Arkansas (journeyman license held 4+ years). Everyone else applies to take the Texas exam. See our Texas plumbing license guide.

Is a master plumber license reciprocal?

Rarely. Most agreements are journeyman only. Arkansas and Ohio (master only), Alabama and Mississippi, Delaware and Maryland, and Minnesota and North Dakota are the exceptions we found.

Is reciprocity the same as a national plumbing license?

No. There is no national plumbing license in the US. Every license is issued by a state, county or city, and reciprocity is just an agreement between two of them.

Requirements change. Always confirm current rules with the board before you apply. This page is a guide, not legal advice. Last checked against our state guides on October 1, 2026.

Next steps

Pick your state from the plumbing license by state index, or start with the plumbing license guide if you’re new to the trade. Still working toward your hours? Our plumbing apprenticeship requirements page covers that part. Once the license is sorted, how to start a plumbing business walks through the rest, and the free pricing calculator helps you set rates in your new market.