Plumber License from Florida to Pennsylvania: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Pennsylvania accept a Florida plumbing license?
There is no Pennsylvania state license to transfer into: Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. Any licensing for this work is handled below the state level (a city, county or contractor-level authority), so check with the authority where you will work.
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Verdict
No state license to transfer
There is nothing at the state level to transfer your Florida license into: Pennsylvania issues no statewide plumbing license, so plumbers there are licensed at the contractor level or by cities and counties. Not applicable — Pennsylvania has no state-level plumber license, so there is no statewide exam to waive or transfer; each municipality sets its own plumber licensing and exam rules (for example, Philadelphia requires passing the ICC-based Journeyman Plumber Examination on the Philadelphia Code). The move is a local or contractor-board application, not a reciprocity filing — identify the authority that governs your worksite and work from its exam, experience, and fee rules. Your Florida license may count toward a local experience requirement, but Pennsylvania has no state credential for it to reciprocate into.
What's different between Florida and Pennsylvania
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Pennsylvania. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Florida to Pennsylvania (this page): No state license to transfer.
Pennsylvania to Florida (the reverse move): No state license to transfer.
Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so neither direction is a state-license transfer.
- Does coming from Florida matter?
Coming from Florida does not change the answer: every origin (the other 49 states and DC) gets the same result for a move into Pennsylvania.
- Fee and processing
Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so there is no Pennsylvania state license application fee or processing time to compare with Florida's.
- Exam rules on record
Pennsylvania and Florida carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Pennsylvania (this move): Not applicable — Pennsylvania has no state-level plumber license, so there is no statewide exam to waive or transfer; each municipality sets its own plumber licensing and exam rules (for example, Philadelphia requires passing the ICC-based Journeyman Plumber Examination on the Philadelphia Code)
- Florida (the reverse move): Florida licenses plumbing CONTRACTORS, not journeymen (journeyman/tradesworker plumbers are licensed by county and municipal governments). Its Certified Plumbing Contractor examination is waived for out-of-state applicants who certify by endorsement under s. 489.115(3): by passing a national/regional/state exam the board deems substantially equivalent (Option A), holding a license issued under substantially equivalent criteria (Option B), or holding an active license for at least 10 years (Option C); the board warns endorsement based on comparing a state-specific exam is rarely approved. Applicants who do not qualify for endorsement must pass the Florida Certified Plumbing Contractor exam
What changes, Florida → Pennsylvania
| Florida (current) | Pennsylvania (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) | No statewide fee. Fees are set locally; for example, Philadelphia's journeyman plumber license is $126 initial (including a $25 non-refundable application fee) and $126 annual renewal |
| Processing time | No board-stated processing time | No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality |
| Licensing authority | Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation — Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) | No statewide board — plumber licensing is handled by Pennsylvania municipalities (e.g., Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections; Allegheny County Health Department for the Pittsburgh area) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Pennsylvania sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so there is no state license to transfer: confirm with the authority linked on this page who licenses the work where you will practice.
- Contact that city, county or contractor-level authority for its own requirements, exams and fees.
- Keep records of your current license, exams and documented experience — a local authority may credit them, but nothing transfers at state level.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep my Florida plumbing license while I work in Pennsylvania?
Yes — Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so nothing you obtain locally in Pennsylvania replaces your Florida license. Keep the Florida license active on its own renewal and continuing-education schedule, and meet the local requirements where you work in Pennsylvania.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- City of Philadelphia — Get a Journeyman Plumber License (representative municipal program; requirements and fees; no state license) ↗ (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 the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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