Plumber License from Illinois to New Jersey: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers (Division of Consumer Affairs) ↗
A plumbing license transfers from Illinois to New Jersey by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers (Division of Consumer Affairs), verify your Illinois license, and meet New Jersey's endorsement requirements. New Jersey's master-plumber licensure-by-reciprocity provision (N.J.S.A. 45:14C-19) can waive the NJ Master Plumber examination only for an applicant from a state whose standards the Board finds comparable AND that reciprocates with New Jersey; as of the Board's published reciprocity list (06/18/19) NO state qualifies (every state evaluated was denied, none granted), so in practice all out-of-state plumbers must pass the New Jersey Master Plumber exam. Journeyman applicants are not exam-waived..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Illinois is not among the states New Jersey names for an automatic exam waiver, so this move runs on the New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers (Division of Consumer Affairs)'s individual endorsement or equivalency review rather than a guarantee. New Jersey's master-plumber licensure-by-reciprocity provision (N.J.S.A. 45:14C-19) can waive the NJ Master Plumber examination only for an applicant from a state whose standards the Board finds comparable AND that reciprocates with New Jersey; as of the Board's published reciprocity list (06/18/19) NO state qualifies (every state evaluated was denied, none granted), so in practice all out-of-state plumbers must pass the New Jersey Master Plumber exam. Journeyman applicants are not exam-waived.. Bring your Illinois license, proof that it is active and in good standing, and your apprenticeship and exam records — and get any discretionary exam or experience credit in writing before you rely on it.
What changes, Illinois → New Jersey
| Illinois (current) | New Jersey (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) | $75–$100 (Journeyman plumber application $75 ($50 with prior NJ apprentice registration); master plumber application $100; master renewal $160 biennial plus a required $3,000 surety bond; payable by check or money order only) |
| Processing time | No board-stated processing time; the examination application is due at least 30 days before the examination date | Board acknowledges receipt within 72 hours (weekends excluded) but publishes no total application-review time; approval is issued by letter after review |
| Licensing authority | Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) — Plumbing Program | New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers (Division of Consumer Affairs) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — New Jersey sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm New Jersey's current requirements on the New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers (Division of Consumer Affairs) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers (Division of Consumer Affairs) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- State-licensed tiers are apprentice, journeyman, and master plumber; the license required to practice or hold out as a plumber is the Master Plumber license.
- Master applicants must be at least 21 and complete a U.S. DOL formal apprenticeship (or a bachelor's in mechanical/plumbing/sanitary engineering) plus a journeyman year of 1,200 hours of hands-on experience.
- Pass the New Jersey Master Plumber written examination (no reciprocity exam waiver is currently available).
- Maintain a $3,000 surety bond concurrent with the license and complete 5 hours of continuing education each biennial renewal.
- Pay the fees ($75–$100 (Journeyman plumber application $75 ($50 with prior NJ apprentice registration); master plumber application $100; master renewal $160 biennial plus a required $3,000 surety bond; payable by check or money order only)) and allow Board acknowledges receipt within 72 hours (weekends excluded) but publishes no total application-review time; approval is issued by letter after review.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does New Jersey accept a Illinois plumbing license?
A plumbing license transfers from Illinois to New Jersey by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers (Division of Consumer Affairs), verify your Illinois license, and meet New Jersey's endorsement requirements. New Jersey's master-plumber licensure-by-reciprocity provision (N.J.S.A. 45:14C-19) can waive the NJ Master Plumber examination only for an applicant from a state whose standards the Board finds comparable AND that reciprocates with New Jersey; as of the Board's published reciprocity list (06/18/19) NO state qualifies (every state evaluated was denied, none granted), so in practice all out-of-state plumbers must pass the New Jersey Master Plumber exam. Journeyman applicants are not exam-waived..
Which exam applies moving from Illinois to New Jersey?
New Jersey's master-plumber licensure-by-reciprocity provision (N.J.S.A. 45:14C-19) can waive the NJ Master Plumber examination only for an applicant from a state whose standards the Board finds comparable AND that reciprocates with New Jersey; as of the Board's published reciprocity list (06/18/19) NO state qualifies (every state evaluated was denied, none granted), so in practice all out-of-state plumbers must pass the New Jersey Master Plumber exam. Journeyman applicants are not exam-waived..
What does the Illinois-to-New Jersey move cost and how long does it take?
$75–$100 (Journeyman plumber application $75 ($50 with prior NJ apprentice registration); master plumber application $100; master renewal $160 biennial plus a required $3,000 surety bond; payable by check or money order only); processing Board acknowledges receipt within 72 hours (weekends excluded) but publishes no total application-review time; approval is issued by letter after review.
Can I keep my Illinois plumbing license after I'm licensed in New Jersey?
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.
- NJ State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers (board home) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NJ Board of Master Plumbers — Reciprocity with Other States (as of 06/18/19) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NJ Board of Master Plumbers — Application Process Overview (fees, requirements) ↗ (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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