Plumber License from Illinois to Kansas: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: No state plumbing board — plumbing is licensed by Kansas cities and counties (e.g., Johnson County Contractor Licensing; Sedgwick County / City of Wichita Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department). The Kansas State Board of Technical Professions licenses engineers, architects, and surveyors, not plumbers. ↗
No — Kansas has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Illinois plumbing license holders. You must apply to the No state plumbing board — plumbing is licensed by Kansas cities and counties (e.g., Johnson County Contractor Licensing; Sedgwick County / City of Wichita Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department). The Kansas State Board of Technical Professions licenses engineers, architects, and surveyors, not plumbers. as a new applicant and meet Kansas's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
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Verdict
Full re-application
There is nothing at the state level to transfer your Illinois license into: Kansas issues no statewide plumbing license, so plumbers there are licensed at the contractor level or by cities and counties. Not applicable — Kansas issues no state-level plumbing license, so there is no state journeyman exam to waive or transfer; each city or county sets its own exam and licensing rules (e.g., Johnson County requires an ICC/IAPMO/Prometric-based journeyman exam). 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 Illinois license may count toward a local experience requirement, but Kansas has no state credential for it to reciprocate into.
What changes, Illinois → Kansas
| Illinois (current) | Kansas (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $225 (Application fee for a plumber registered or licensed in Chicago or outside Illinois is $225 (an in-state Illinois licensed-apprentice applicant pays $175); a separate $150 plumber's license fee applies on issuance (68 Ill. Adm. Code 750.1100). The City-of-Chicago reciprocity (license without exam) carries a $150 license fee. Returned-check fee $100) | No state fee exists; fees are set locally (e.g., the Wichita/Sedgwick County journeyman exam fee is about $125). Confirm with the specific city or county. |
| Processing time | No board-stated processing time; the examination application is due at least 30 days before the examination date | No state process; timelines are set by each local jurisdiction. |
| Licensing authority | Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) — Plumbing Program | No state plumbing board — plumbing is licensed by Kansas cities and counties (e.g., Johnson County Contractor Licensing; Sedgwick County / City of Wichita Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department). The Kansas State Board of Technical Professions licenses engineers, architects, and surveyors, not plumbers. |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Kansas sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Kansas's initial-licensure requirements on the No state plumbing board — plumbing is licensed by Kansas cities and counties (e.g., Johnson County Contractor Licensing; Sedgwick County / City of Wichita Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department). The Kansas State Board of Technical Professions licenses engineers, architects, and surveyors, not plumbers. website (linked below).
- Expect to meet Kansas'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 (No state fee exists; fees are set locally (e.g., the Wichita/Sedgwick County journeyman exam fee is about $125). Confirm with the specific city or county.).
- Allow No state process; timelines are set by each local jurisdiction..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Kansas accept a Illinois plumbing license?
No — Kansas has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Illinois plumbing license holders. You must apply to the No state plumbing board — plumbing is licensed by Kansas cities and counties (e.g., Johnson County Contractor Licensing; Sedgwick County / City of Wichita Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department). The Kansas State Board of Technical Professions licenses engineers, architects, and surveyors, not plumbers. as a new applicant and meet Kansas's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
Which exam applies moving from Illinois to Kansas?
Not applicable — Kansas issues no state-level plumbing license, so there is no state journeyman exam to waive or transfer; each city or county sets its own exam and licensing rules (e.g., Johnson County requires an ICC/IAPMO/Prometric-based journeyman exam).
What does the Illinois-to-Kansas move cost and how long does it take?
No state fee exists; fees are set locally (e.g., the Wichita/Sedgwick County journeyman exam fee is about $125). Confirm with the specific city or county.; processing No state process; timelines are set by each local jurisdiction..
Can I keep my Illinois plumbing license after I'm licensed in Kansas?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Illinois 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.
- Johnson County (KS) Contractor Licensing — license types incl. plumbing (Class DP) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Johnson County (KS) Contractor Licensing — department home & license search ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Sedgwick County (KS) — Master & Journeyman Trade Certificates (Wichita/MABCD) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Illinois DPH — Application for Examination for Plumber's License (fees $175 in-state / $225 out-of-state; out-of-state section; 4-year 225 ILCS 320/10(d) requirement) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Illinois DPH — Application for Plumber's License Reciprocity with the City of Chicago License Without Examination ($150 fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- 68 Ill. Adm. Code 750.1100 — Plumbers' and Apprentice Plumbers' Examination and Licensure Fees (Legal Information Institute) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Illinois DPH — Plumbing program (license types, license verification link) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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