Plumber License from Michigan to Alabama: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board (APGFEB) ↗
A plumbing license transfers from Michigan to Alabama by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board (APGFEB), verify your Michigan license, and meet Alabama's endorsement requirements. Alabama does not waive its journeyman plumber examination for any state. An out-of-state journeyman licensed BY EXAMINATION (minimum score 70%), active and in good standing, may use that license to sit the Alabama journeyman exam for the equivalent classification WITHOUT completing an Alabama apprenticeship, but must still pass the exam. The board's only formal reciprocity is at the MASTER tier — a reciprocal agreement recognizing Mississippi Board of Contractors master plumbers (effective January 1, 2026) plus a master gas fitter arrangement with the Alabama LP-Gas Board — neither waives the journeyman trade exam..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Michigan is not among the states Alabama names for an automatic exam waiver, so this move runs on the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board (APGFEB)'s individual endorsement or equivalency review rather than a guarantee. Alabama does not waive its journeyman plumber examination for any state. An out-of-state journeyman licensed BY EXAMINATION (minimum score 70%), active and in good standing, may use that license to sit the Alabama journeyman exam for the equivalent classification WITHOUT completing an Alabama apprenticeship, but must still pass the exam. The board's only formal reciprocity is at the MASTER tier — a reciprocal agreement recognizing Mississippi Board of Contractors master plumbers (effective January 1, 2026) plus a master gas fitter arrangement with the Alabama LP-Gas Board — neither waives the journeyman trade exam.. Bring your Michigan 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, Michigan → Alabama
| Michigan (current) | Alabama (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $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.) | $50–$235 (Journeyman out-of-state exam route (Ala. Admin. Code r. 720-X-4-.01): $50 initial application processing fee + $110 non-refundable journeyman examination fee + $75 initial certificate fee = $235. Master level: $50 application + $160 exam + $175 certificate. License verification request $15.) |
| Processing time | 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. | No board-stated application/exam processing time; after passing the exam the applicant has 90 days to pay all prescribed fees and be certified. |
| Licensing authority | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs — Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC), Plumbing | Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board (APGFEB) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Alabama sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Alabama's current requirements on the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board (APGFEB) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board (APGFEB) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold an out-of-state journeyman plumber license earned by examination (min 70%), active and in good standing, to qualify to sit the Alabama exam without an Alabama apprenticeship.
- Submit the Out-of-State Examination Packet: Application for Examination, Request for Verification of License/Certification, and Verification of US Citizenship.
- Pass the Alabama journeyman plumber examination for the equivalent classification (the exam is not waived).
- Pay all prescribed fees within 90 days of passing; register the business with the board if an owner or other responsible party.
- Pay the fees ($50–$235 (Journeyman out-of-state exam route (Ala. Admin. Code r. 720-X-4-.01): $50 initial application processing fee + $110 non-refundable journeyman examination fee + $75 initial certificate fee = $235. Master level: $50 application + $160 exam + $175 certificate. License verification request $15.)) and allow No board-stated application/exam processing time; after passing the exam the applicant has 90 days to pay all prescribed fees and be certified..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Alabama accept a Michigan plumbing license?
A plumbing license transfers from Michigan to Alabama by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board (APGFEB), verify your Michigan license, and meet Alabama's endorsement requirements. Alabama does not waive its journeyman plumber examination for any state. An out-of-state journeyman licensed BY EXAMINATION (minimum score 70%), active and in good standing, may use that license to sit the Alabama journeyman exam for the equivalent classification WITHOUT completing an Alabama apprenticeship, but must still pass the exam. The board's only formal reciprocity is at the MASTER tier — a reciprocal agreement recognizing Mississippi Board of Contractors master plumbers (effective January 1, 2026) plus a master gas fitter arrangement with the Alabama LP-Gas Board — neither waives the journeyman trade exam..
Which exam applies moving from Michigan to Alabama?
Alabama does not waive its journeyman plumber examination for any state. An out-of-state journeyman licensed BY EXAMINATION (minimum score 70%), active and in good standing, may use that license to sit the Alabama journeyman exam for the equivalent classification WITHOUT completing an Alabama apprenticeship, but must still pass the exam. The board's only formal reciprocity is at the MASTER tier — a reciprocal agreement recognizing Mississippi Board of Contractors master plumbers (effective January 1, 2026) plus a master gas fitter arrangement with the Alabama LP-Gas Board — neither waives the journeyman trade exam..
What does the Michigan-to-Alabama move cost and how long does it take?
$50–$235 (Journeyman out-of-state exam route (Ala. Admin. Code r. 720-X-4-.01): $50 initial application processing fee + $110 non-refundable journeyman examination fee + $75 initial certificate fee = $235. Master level: $50 application + $160 exam + $175 certificate. License verification request $15.); processing No board-stated application/exam processing time; after passing the exam the applicant has 90 days to pay all prescribed fees and be certified..
Can I keep my Michigan plumbing license after I'm licensed in Alabama?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Michigan 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.
- Alabama PGFB — Out of State Applicants ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Alabama PGFB — Reciprocation ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Alabama PGFB — How Do I Become Licensed? (out-of-state testing rule, 90-day fee window) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Ala. Admin. Code r. 720-X-4-.01 — Forms, Requirements, and Fee Schedule (LII reproduction of the official rule) ↗ (accessed 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)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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