Plumber License from Kansas to Texas: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Texas accept a Kansas plumbing license?
There is no Kansas state license to carry to Texas: Kansas issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. Texas does license this work, so ask the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) 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 Texas to verify or endorse. Texas does license plumbers, through the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE), 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. Texas waives its journeyman plumber examination only for plumbers currently licensed in Louisiana or Arkansas, who may qualify for a reciprocal Texas license; every other out-of-state journeyman or master plumber (currently licensed and having held that license at least two years) must apply for an Out-of-State Examination and pass the Texas computer-based (Pearson VUE) written exam plus the practical journeyman exam.
What's different between Kansas and Texas
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Texas. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Kansas to Texas (this page): No state license to transfer.
Texas 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 Texas.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (39) and reciprocity agreement (2).
- Reciprocity agreements
Texas's reciprocity agreement list names 2 states (Louisiana and Arkansas), not including Kansas.
- 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 Texas's.
- Exam rules on record
Texas and Kansas carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Texas (this move): Texas waives its journeyman plumber examination only for plumbers currently licensed in Louisiana or Arkansas, who may qualify for a reciprocal Texas license; every other out-of-state journeyman or master plumber (currently licensed and having held that license at least two years) must apply for an Out-of-State Examination and pass the Texas computer-based (Pearson VUE) written exam plus the practical journeyman exam
- 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 → Texas
| Kansas (current) | Texas (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 ($40 non-refundable out-of-state journeyman examination processing fee to TSBPE ($25 for master); a separate computer-based test fee is payable to Pearson VUE on approval, plus IdentoGO fingerprint costs and the license issuance fee once passed; Louisiana/Arkansas applicants use the Reciprocal License Verification pathway) |
| Processing time | No state process; timelines are set by each local jurisdiction | 4–6 weeks (TSBPE states typical processing of 30-45 days for straightforward applications; longer with criminal history or unclear immigration status) |
| 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. | Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Texas sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Texas's requirements on the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) 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 Texas'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 does the Kansas-to-Texas move cost and how long does it take?
$40 ($40 non-refundable out-of-state journeyman examination processing fee to TSBPE ($25 for master); a separate computer-based test fee is payable to Pearson VUE on approval, plus IdentoGO fingerprint costs and the license issuance fee once passed; Louisiana/Arkansas applicants use the Reciprocal License Verification pathway), plus the exam and experience-documentation costs of qualifying as a new applicant. Processing: 4–6 weeks (TSBPE states typical processing of 30-45 days for straightforward applications; longer with criminal history or unclear immigration status).
What happens to my Kansas credential after I'm licensed in Texas?
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 Texas license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- TSBPE — Out-of-State Examination Application (LA/AR reciprocity banner; 2-year license; $40 journeyman fee; fingerprints; written + practical exam), Rev. March 2026 ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- TSBPE — License Types (Tradesman, Journeyman, Master Plumber) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- TSBPE — Printable Forms (Reciprocal License Verification, Louisiana and Arkansas only) ↗ (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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