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United States · Licensing exam

State board of plumbing: who licenses plumbers where

There's no national plumbing board. Each state names its own agency, and it isn't always called a state board of plumbing: in Washington it's the labor department, in Illinois the health department, in California the contractors board. New York City licenses its own master plumbers.

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Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

Which state board of plumbing licenses you?

WhereAgencyPlumbing licenses
TexasTexas State Board of Plumbing ExaminersApprentice, tradesman, journeyman, master, inspector
CaliforniaContractors State License BoardC-36 Plumbing Contractor
WashingtonDepartment of Labor and IndustriesTrainee, journey level, residential and specialty certificates
North CarolinaState Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler ContractorsPlumbing contractor and technician
IllinoisDepartment of Public HealthApprentice, plumber, contractor registration
VirginiaDPOR Board for ContractorsJourneyman, master and residential plumbing tradesman
IowaPlumbing and Mechanical Systems BoardApprentice, journeyperson, master, contractor
TennesseeBoard for Licensing ContractorsLimited Licensed Plumber, plumbing contractor
IndianaPlumbing CommissionApprentice, journeyman, plumbing contractor
New York CityDepartment of BuildingsMaster plumber license, journeyman registration
Texas →California →Washington →North Carolina →Illinois →Virginia →Iowa →New York City →

Plumbing license reciprocity by state

Each board decides for itself whether to accept another state's license. As of October 2026:

  • Texas: current Louisiana and Arkansas licensees can get a Texas license without an exam. Out-of-state journeymen and masters skip the 48-hour course but take the exam.
  • Washington: Idaho has reciprocal certification for journey-level plumbers.
  • North Carolina: the board has no reciprocity agreements, though state law lets it license an out-of-state contractor of the same class without the written exam if their qualifications are substantially equivalent. South Carolina plumbing contractors can have the technical exam waived but still take North Carolina's business and law exam.
  • Iowa: in May 2016 the board approved its first reciprocity agreement, with South Dakota's State Plumbing Commission, for journeyperson and master licenses earned by written exam. A master license from another state is also one route to an Iowa journeyperson license.
  • Virginia: a current journeyman or master license from outside Virginia is one way to qualify.
  • Illinois: plumbers licensed outside the state apply for the Illinois exam at $225.

When the city licenses plumbers

New York City runs its own master plumber license. Tennessee's board tells plumbers to check with their local government, which may have its own licensing for permits. If your state isn't listed here, its licensing agency is the place to start.

Sources: TSBPE · Pearson VUE · CSLB and 16 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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