Plumber License from Arkansas to Texas: Does It Transfer? (2026)

What's different between Arkansas and Texas

Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Texas. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.

Route, each way

Arkansas to Texas (this page): Reciprocity agreement.

Texas to Arkansas (the reverse move): Reciprocity agreement.

The route is the same in both directions.

Does coming from Arkansas matter?

Coming from Arkansas matters here: only 2 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Texas.

The others get: licensure by endorsement (39) and no state license to transfer (9).

Reciprocity agreements

Texas's reciprocity agreement list names 2 states (Louisiana and Arkansas), including Arkansas.

Arkansas's reciprocity agreement list names 4 states (Ohio, Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma), including Texas.

Application fee

Texas lists $40 for an out-of-state applicant and Arkansas lists $75–$150 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.

Processing time

Texas lists 4–6 weeks; Arkansas has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.

Exam rules on record

Texas and Arkansas carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.

• Texas (this move): Texas waives its journeyman plumber examination only for plumbers currently licensed in Louisiana or Arkansas, who may qualify for a reciprocal Texas license; every other out-of-state journeyman or master plumber (currently licensed and having held that license at least two years) must apply for an Out-of-State Examination and pass the Texas computer-based (Pearson VUE) written exam plus the practical journeyman exam
• Arkansas (the reverse move): Arkansas waives its journeyman plumber examination for applicants licensed under one of its formal reciprocal agreements — the Department of Health publishes agreements with Ohio, Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma — who hold a substantially similar license in good standing (Rules Sec. II(j)(iii): examinations shall not be required, and no apprenticeship/education/training may be imposed). An out-of-state journeyman from a state WITHOUT an agreement whose plumbing laws/codes are substantially similar may sit for the Arkansas journeyman exam without redoing an apprenticeship but must pass it. New residents may instead use Act 457 of 2023 automatic occupational licensure (residency + one year in good standing on a substantially-similar license, or 3 years' experience in a non-licensing state), subject to an Arkansas state-law exam the Department may waive.

What changes, Arkansas → Texas

The destination column is what you must satisfy — Texas sets the rules for this move.

Step by step

1. Confirm Texas's current requirements on the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) website (linked below) — rules change.
2. Submit the reciprocity application to the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) (application linked below).
3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
4. Hold a current out-of-state Journeyman or Master Plumber license held for at least two years (or a Louisiana/Arkansas license for the reciprocal pathway).
5. Submit fingerprints through IdentoGO — required for all out-of-state examinees before the application is approved.
6. Provide proof of lawful authorization to work in the United States and a current government-issued photo ID.
7. Pass the Texas journeyman computer-based written exam and the practical exam (both waived only for Louisiana/Arkansas reciprocal applicants).
8. Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.

Official links

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