Plumber License from Kansas to Michigan: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Michigan accept a Kansas plumbing license?
There is no Kansas state license to carry to Michigan: Kansas issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. Michigan does license this work, so ask the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs — Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC), Plumbing whether it credits a local license or your documented experience; otherwise you qualify as a new applicant.
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Verdict
No state license to transfer
The issue on this move is the starting point: Kansas issues no statewide journeyman plumber license — plumbing there is regulated at the contractor level or by cities and counties — so there is no Kansas state license for Michigan to verify or endorse. Michigan does license plumbers, through the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs — Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC), Plumbing, and it reviews out-of-state plumbers for endorsement, but that route starts from a state license. Ask the board, in writing, whether it credits a local Kansas license, a contractor-level credential or your documented hours; otherwise plan to qualify as a new journeyman applicant. Michigan does not reciprocate with any state and waives its journey plumber exam for no one: every applicant, in-state or out, must pass Michigan's written AND practical (hands-on) journey plumber examinations. An out-of-state plumber may receive credit for out-of-state experience — documented on the BCC Out-of-State License Verification form — toward the 6,000-hour eligibility requirement to be approved to sit for the exam, but the examination is mandatory.
What's different between Kansas and Michigan
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Michigan. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Kansas to Michigan (this page): No state license to transfer.
Michigan to Kansas (the reverse move): No state license to transfer.
Kansas issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so neither direction is a state-license transfer.
- Does coming from Kansas matter?
Coming from Kansas matters here: only 9 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Michigan.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (41).
- Fee and processing
Kansas issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so there is no Kansas state license application fee or processing time to compare with Michigan's.
- Exam rules on record
Michigan and Kansas carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Michigan (this move): Michigan does not reciprocate with any state and waives its journey plumber exam for no one: every applicant, in-state or out, must pass Michigan's written AND practical (hands-on) journey plumber examinations. An out-of-state plumber may receive credit for out-of-state experience — documented on the BCC Out-of-State License Verification form — toward the 6,000-hour eligibility requirement to be approved to sit for the exam, but the examination is mandatory.
- Kansas (the reverse move): 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 changes, Kansas → Michigan
| Kansas (current) | Michigan (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | 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 | $40–$90 ($40 journey plumber license/application fee plus $50 examination fee (MCL 339.6121, Skilled Trades Regulation Act, 2016 PA 407). The same fees apply to out-of-state applicants; the exam is administered by PSI.) |
| Processing time | No state process; timelines are set by each local jurisdiction | No board-stated processing time; the application, out-of-state verification, and license fee are mailed to LARA BCC and the exam is scheduled through PSI |
| Licensing authority | 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. | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs — Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC), Plumbing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Michigan sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Michigan's requirements on the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs — Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC), Plumbing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs — Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC), Plumbing whether it credits a local Kansas license or your documented experience: Kansas issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so there is no state license to verify.
- Otherwise apply as a new applicant: meet Michigan's education/experience requirements and pass the exams it requires.
- Submit the application with fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What happens to my Kansas credential after I'm licensed in Michigan?
Nothing changes it. Kansas issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so any local or contractor-level Kansas credential you hold runs on its own authority's renewal rules, independently of your Michigan license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Michigan LARA BCC — Plumbing Examination, Licensing/Registration & Application Information ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- MCL 339.6115 — Journey plumber's license requirements (6,000 hours / 3 years) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- MCL 339.6121 — License and registration fees ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Michigan LARA BCC — Out of State License Verification form ↗ (accessed 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)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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