Pick your state
| State | Licensing authority | Statewide? |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board (PGFB) | Yes |
| Alaska | Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Labor Standards and Safety Division — Mechanical Inspection Section (Certificates of Fitness) | Yes |
| Arizona | Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) | Yes |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Department of Health — Plumbing and Natural Gas Section (Arkansas State Board of Health) | Yes |
| California | Contractors State License Board (CSLB), Department of Consumer Affairs | Yes |
| Colorado | Colorado State Plumbing Board, Division of Professions and Occupations (DPO), Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) | Yes |
| Connecticut | Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) — Plumbing and Piping Work Examining Board | Yes |
| Delaware | Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners, Division of Professional Regulation | Yes |
| District of Columbia | DC Board of Industrial Trades, Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Occupational and Professional Licensing | Yes |
| Florida | Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) — Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) | Yes |
| Georgia | Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (Office of Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division) | Yes |
| Hawaii | Hawaii Board of Electricians and Plumbers, Professional & Vocational Licensing Division, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) | Yes |
| Idaho | Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) — Idaho Plumbing Board | Yes |
| Illinois | Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) — Division of Environmental Health, Plumbing Program | Yes |
| Indiana | Indiana Plumbing Commission, Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) | Yes |
| Iowa | Iowa Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board (PMSB), Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) | Yes |
| Kansas | No statewide plumbing licensing board — plumbing licenses are issued by individual Kansas cities and counties | Local only |
| Kentucky | Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (DHBC) — Division of Plumbing, Public Protection Cabinet | Yes |
| Louisiana | State Plumbing Board of Louisiana (SPBLA) | Yes |
| Maine | Maine Plumbers' Examining Board, Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (OPOR) | Yes |
| Maryland | Maryland State Board of Plumbing, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (Maryland Department of Labor) | Yes |
| Massachusetts | Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters (Division of Occupational Licensure) | Yes |
| Michigan | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes — State Plumbing Board | Yes |
| Minnesota | Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) — Construction Codes and Licensing Division / Plumbing Board | Yes |
| Mississippi | Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) | Local only |
| Missouri | No statewide plumbing licensing board — licensing is handled by cities and counties under Mo. Rev. Stat. Chapter 341 | Local only |
| Montana | Montana Board of Plumbers, Business Standards Division, Montana Department of Labor & Industry | Yes |
| Nebraska | No statewide plumbing board — licensing is by city (e.g., City of Omaha Plumbing Board via the Omaha Planning Dept.; City of Lincoln Building & Safety Division) | Local only |
| Nevada | Nevada State Contractors Board | Yes |
| New Hampshire | NH Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) — Mechanical Safety and Licensing Board | Yes |
| New Jersey | New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers (Division of Consumer Affairs) | Yes |
| New Mexico | New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department — Construction Industries Division (Construction Industries Bureau) | Yes |
| New York | No statewide plumbing board — licensing is by city/county; in New York City it is the NYC Department of Buildings (Licensing Unit) | Local only |
| North Carolina | North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors | Yes |
| North Dakota | North Dakota State Plumbing Board | Yes |
| Ohio | Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB), Ohio Department of Commerce — Division of Industrial Compliance | Yes |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma Construction Industries Board (CIB) | Yes |
| Oregon | Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD), Department of Consumer and Business Services | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | No statewide plumbing license — PA Department of Labor & Industry administers the Uniform Construction Code; individual municipalities license plumbers; the PA Office of Attorney General runs Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration | Local only |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training — Division of Workforce Regulation and Safety, State Board of Examiners of Plumbers | Yes |
| South Carolina | South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) — Residential Builders Commission (residential) and Contractor's Licensing Board (commercial mechanical); trade cards via the Mechanical Trades Certification Program | Yes |
| South Dakota | South Dakota State Plumbing Commission (Department of Labor and Regulation) | Yes |
| Tennessee | Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Department of Commerce and Insurance | Yes |
| Texas | Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) | Yes |
| Utah | Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) — Plumbers Licensing Board | Yes |
| Vermont | Vermont Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire Safety — Plumbers' Examining Board | Yes |
| Virginia | Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), Board for Contractors — Tradesman Licensing | Yes |
| Washington | Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) | Yes |
| West Virginia | West Virginia Division of Labor — Plumber Certification | Yes |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) | Yes |
| Wyoming | No statewide plumbing licensing board — licensing is handled by individual cities and counties (e.g., City of Cheyenne Contractor Licensing Board; City of Casper Community Development / Chief Building Official) | Local only |
The states where there is no ordinary statewide plumbing license
This surprises a lot of plumbers who move. In Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, there is no single state-issued plumber card that covers you everywhere. Cities and counties do the licensing, and a card issued in one jurisdiction usually carries no standing in the next one — a Philadelphia license means nothing in Pittsburgh, and a Buffalo license will not let you pull a permit in New York City.
The detail differs by state, so read the individual page rather than assuming. Mississippi, for instance, does license contracting firms at state level through its Board of Contractors, but only above certain project dollar thresholds; below those, it is the local building official's rules that apply. If your service radius spans several municipalities, you may need more than one license to cover it legally.
Patterns worth knowing before you relocate
Individual license versus contractor license. Some states license the person — a journeyman or master card that says you are competent. Others, including several large ones, only license the business, with a qualifying individual attached to it. If you are moving from a journeyman state to a contractor-license state, the credential you hold may not have a direct equivalent.
The trade card is often not permission to contract. In a number of states you can hold a journeyman or master license and still not be allowed to bid or pull permits without a separate contractor registration, with its own bond and insurance. Check both before you plan a move.
Reciprocity rarely means what plumbers hope it means. Where it exists it usually waives the trade exam. You still file the application, pay the fees, meet the insurance requirement and satisfy the continuing-education rules. Almost no state simply honors another state's card.
Registered hours only count if they were registered. Several boards require apprentice registration before your hours begin accruing. Hours worked while unregistered are commonly disallowed, and there is usually no way to recover them years later.
Licensed and looking for work?
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