Plumber License from Louisiana to Texas: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Texas accept a Louisiana plumbing license?
Yes — Texas has a reciprocity arrangement covering Louisiana license holders. Apply to the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) under its reciprocity/endorsement track; it typically waives the journeyman exam and complete Texas's remaining requirements.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Reciprocity agreement
Louisiana is on Texas's reciprocity list, which puts this move on the streamlined track — on two conditions. Your Louisiana license must have been earned by examination, not grandfathered in, and be active and in good standing; where it is, Texas waives its journeyman exam and the requirements below are what it still insists on. 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. One caution: these agreements are directional and revocable. This page's verification date is when we last confirmed Louisiana on Texas's list; the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) link is the live truth.
What's different between Louisiana 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
Louisiana to Texas (this page): Reciprocity agreement.
Texas to Louisiana (the reverse move): Reciprocity agreement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Louisiana matter?
Coming from Louisiana matters here: only 2 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 no state license to transfer (9).
- Reciprocity agreements
Texas's reciprocity agreement list names 2 states (Louisiana and Arkansas), including Louisiana.
Louisiana's reciprocity agreement list names 2 states (Arkansas and Texas), including Texas.
- Application fee
Texas lists $40 for an out-of-state applicant and Louisiana lists $40–$165 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Processing time
Texas lists 4–6 weeks; Louisiana has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.
- Exam rules on record
Texas and Louisiana 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
- Louisiana (the reverse move): Louisiana waives its journeyman plumber examination only for applicants licensed as journeyman plumbers in Arkansas or Texas under the State Plumbing Board's bilateral reciprocity agreements (license held in good standing and obtained by examination); every other out-of-state plumber must pass the Louisiana written and manual journeyman exam, though a valid out-of-state plumbing license may be submitted to qualify to sit for it
What changes, Louisiana → Texas
| Louisiana (current) | Texas (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $40–$165 (Exam track: $125 examination fee plus $40 initial license fee (about $165 total) per La. Admin. Code tit. 46 Pt. LV §312. Reciprocal Arkansas/Texas applicants are exam-exempt and pay the board's reciprocal application fee (reported around $100 for the Arkansas journeyman-plumber/natural-gas-fitter application), which could not be confirmed on a reachable official page.) | $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 board-stated processing time published in the LAC or reachable board pages | 4–6 weeks (TSBPE states typical processing of 30-45 days for straightforward applications; longer with criminal history or unclear immigration status) |
| Licensing authority | State Plumbing Board of Louisiana (SPBLA) | 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
- Confirm Texas's current requirements on the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the reciprocity application to the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a current out-of-state Journeyman or Master Plumber license held for at least two years (or a Louisiana/Arkansas license for the reciprocal pathway).
- Submit fingerprints through IdentoGO — required for all out-of-state examinees before the application is approved.
- Provide proof of lawful authorization to work in the United States and a current government-issued photo ID.
- Pass the Texas journeyman computer-based written exam and the practical exam (both waived only for Louisiana/Arkansas reciprocal applicants).
- Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep my Louisiana plumbing license after I'm licensed in Texas?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Louisiana 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.
- 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)
- La. Admin. Code tit. 46 Pt. LV §312 — Fees (journeyman exam $125, initial license $40) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- La. Admin. Code tit. 46 Pt. LV §301 — Licenses required / journeyman exam and out-of-state temporary permits ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners — Reciprocal License Agreement with Louisiana ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Arkansas Department of Health — Plumbing & Natural Gas (Arkansas/Louisiana reciprocity agreement) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Louisiana Division of Administration — State Plumbing Board of Louisiana board record ↗ (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