Plumber License from Georgia to Tennessee: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Tennessee accept a Georgia plumbing license?
No — Tennessee has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Georgia plumbing license holders. You must apply to the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Department of Commerce and Insurance) as a new applicant and meet Tennessee's full licensing requirements, including any exams it requires that you have not already passed.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Full re-application
Tennessee has no plumbing reciprocity or endorsement covering Georgia, so this is a full journeyman application either way. Tennessee does not waive its Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP) trade exam for out-of-state plumbers; the LLP exam is expressly non-reciprocal and every applicant must pass it (the only exam waiver is for reinstating an expired Tennessee LLP). Tennessee licenses journeyman and master plumbers only at the local city/county level, not statewide. The productive plan: gather proof of the apprenticeship or on-the-job hours you logged in Georgia, register for Tennessee's journeyman exam, and treat your experience as exam preparation and as credit toward Tennessee's experience requirement. Budget a new-applicant timeline and order your certified license history early — it is the long-lead item.
What's different between Georgia and Tennessee
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Tennessee. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Georgia to Tennessee (this page): Full re-application.
Tennessee to Georgia (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.
The two directions differ: Georgia and Tennessee do not give each other's licensees the same route.
- Does coming from Georgia matter?
Coming from Georgia does not change the answer: every origin (the other 49 states and DC) gets the same result for a move into Tennessee.
- Application fee
Tennessee lists $75 for an out-of-state applicant and Georgia lists $80–$160 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Exam rules on record
Tennessee and Georgia carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Tennessee (this move): Tennessee does not waive its Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP) trade exam for out-of-state plumbers; the LLP exam is expressly non-reciprocal and every applicant must pass it (the only exam waiver is for reinstating an expired Tennessee LLP). Tennessee licenses journeyman and master plumbers only at the local city/county level, not statewide
- Georgia (the reverse move): Under Board Rule 121-2-.03 ('Statewide License by Reciprocity') Georgia may issue a journeyman or master plumber license WITHOUT its own examination to an applicant holding a current out-of-state license that was granted by passing an exam given by a board whose examination and requirements are substantially equal to Georgia's and that offers a reciprocal privilege to Georgia licensees; however, the Division's FAQ states Georgia currently has no reciprocity with any state, so in practice out-of-state applicants must pass the Georgia plumber examination (minimum score 70)
What changes, Georgia → Tennessee
| Georgia (current) | Tennessee (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $80–$160 (Journeyman ~$80 ($70 application + $10 processing); master ~$160 ($150 application + $10 processing) per the Division's plumbing exam/initial-application form. Examination administered by PSI with a separate exam fee paid to PSI; that exam is waived only for a qualifying reciprocity applicant under Rule 121-2-.03. Fee figures obtained via search extraction of the Division's official forms because the sos.ga.gov fee-schedule PDF returned HTTP 403 on direct load) | $75 ($75 two-year LLP license/application fee ($50 non-refundable); LLP exam fee ~$55 paid to PSI/Prov separately; a state Contractor license with a plumbing (CMC/MC) classification is a separate, higher fee for work of $25,000 or more) |
| Processing time | No board-stated processing time in weeks; the Division publishes exam dates and application deadlines and an application must be approved before the scheduled examination | No board-stated processing time; applications needing experience or felony review are heard at the Board's bi-monthly meetings (January, March, May, July, September, November) |
| Licensing authority | Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (Office of the Secretary of State) | Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Department of Commerce and Insurance) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Tennessee sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Tennessee's initial-licensure requirements on the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Department of Commerce and Insurance) website (linked below).
- Expect to meet Tennessee's education/experience requirements and pass any required exams you have not already passed — a national exam you passed often still counts, as can prior out-of-state licensure toward experience.
- Submit the standard (new applicant) application with fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
- Allow No board-stated processing time; applications needing experience or felony review are heard at the Board's bi-monthly meetings (January, March, May, July, September, November).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What does the Georgia-to-Tennessee move cost and how long does it take?
$75 ($75 two-year LLP license/application fee ($50 non-refundable); LLP exam fee ~$55 paid to PSI/Prov separately; a state Contractor license with a plumbing (CMC/MC) classification is a separate, higher fee for work of $25,000 or more), plus the exam and experience-documentation costs of qualifying as a new applicant. Processing time: No board-stated processing time; applications needing experience or felony review are heard at the Board's bi-monthly meetings (January, March, May, July, September, November).
Can I keep my Georgia plumbing license after I'm licensed in Tennessee?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Georgia 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.
- TN Commerce & Insurance — Limited Licensed Plumbers (LLP) program page ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- TN Board for Licensing Contractors — LLP Application ($75 fee, 1-year experience, 40-question exam, local-license exemptions, exam waiver only for reinstatement) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia Rules & Regulations 121-2 (Qualifications) incl. Rule 121-2-.03 Statewide License by Reciprocity ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia Rules & Regulations 121-3 (Application for Licensure — 1-yr journeyman / 5-yr master experience, exam minimum score 70) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia SOS — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (board page) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia SOS — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers FAQ (reciprocity statement) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · Corrections log · spot an error? hello@licensereciprocity.com