Plumber License from Florida to Kentucky: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction — Division of Plumbing ↗
No — Kentucky has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Florida plumbing license holders. You must apply to the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction — Division of Plumbing as a new applicant and meet Kentucky's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
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Verdict
Full re-application
Kentucky has no plumbing reciprocity or endorsement covering Florida, so this is a full journeyman application either way. Kentucky has no plumbing reciprocity; every applicant, including out-of-state plumbers, must pass the Kentucky journeyman plumber examination (written, drawing, and practical sections, minimum 75% each). An out-of-state plumbing license may be submitted only as proof of the required experience, not as a substitute for the exam. The productive plan: gather proof of the apprenticeship or on-the-job hours you logged in Florida, register for Kentucky's journeyman exam, and treat your experience as exam preparation and as credit toward Kentucky's experience requirement. Budget a new-applicant timeline and order your certified license history early — it is the long-lead item.
What changes, Florida → Kentucky
| Florida (current) | Kentucky (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $350 ($350 certification-by-endorsement application fee (CILB 10). The standard exam-route Certified Plumbing Contractor application is $245 (May 1 even year–Aug 31 odd year) or $145 (Sep 1 odd year–Apr 30 even year). A separate electronic-fingerprint fee applies) | $110 ($50 journeyman examination fee + $60 initial license fee (total $110 to become licensed); journeyman renewal is $60. Fees set by 815 KAR 20:030. Master plumber tier: $150 exam + $250 license.) |
| Processing time | No board-stated processing time | No board-stated processing time; exam applications must reach the Frankfort office at least three weeks before the exam date. |
| Licensing authority | Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation — Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) | Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction — Division of Plumbing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Kentucky sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Kentucky's initial-licensure requirements on the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction — Division of Plumbing website (linked below).
- Expect to meet Kentucky's education/experience requirements and pass its required exams — prior out-of-state licensure may still count toward experience.
- Submit the standard (new applicant) application with fees ($110 ($50 journeyman examination fee + $60 initial license fee (total $110 to become licensed); journeyman renewal is $60. Fees set by 815 KAR 20:030. Master plumber tier: $150 exam + $250 license.)).
- Allow No board-stated processing time; exam applications must reach the Frankfort office at least three weeks before the exam date..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Kentucky accept a Florida plumbing license?
No — Kentucky has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Florida plumbing license holders. You must apply to the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction — Division of Plumbing as a new applicant and meet Kentucky's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
Which exam applies moving from Florida to Kentucky?
Kentucky has no plumbing reciprocity; every applicant, including out-of-state plumbers, must pass the Kentucky journeyman plumber examination (written, drawing, and practical sections, minimum 75% each). An out-of-state plumbing license may be submitted only as proof of the required experience, not as a substitute for the exam.
What does the Florida-to-Kentucky move cost and how long does it take?
$110 ($50 journeyman examination fee + $60 initial license fee (total $110 to become licensed); journeyman renewal is $60. Fees set by 815 KAR 20:030. Master plumber tier: $150 exam + $250 license.); processing No board-stated processing time; exam applications must reach the Frankfort office at least three weeks before the exam date., plus the exam and experience-documentation costs of qualifying as a new applicant.
Can I keep my Florida plumbing license after I'm licensed in Kentucky?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Florida credential active on its own renewal and continuing-education schedule and you hold both, which is common for plumbers working near a state line.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- 815 KAR 20:030 Plumbing licenses — Kentucky Administrative Regulations (official LRC) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Kentucky DHBC — Division of Plumbing ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Kentucky DHBC — Plumbing Licensing Examination ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- 815 KAR 20:030 full text (Cornell LII copy; read for experience, exam, and fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Kentucky DHBC — public license search / verification (plumbing) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Florida DBPR CILB 10 — Application for Certification by Endorsement (s.489.115(3); $350 fee; licensure without state exam) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Florida DBPR CILB 5-M — Application for Certified Plumbing Contractor as an Individual (contractor-level license; $145/$245 fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Florida Statutes 489.115 — certification and registration; endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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