Plumber License from Michigan to Maine: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Maine Plumbers' Examining Board (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation) ↗
A plumbing license transfers from Michigan to Maine by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Maine Plumbers' Examining Board (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation), verify your Michigan license, and meet Maine's endorsement requirements. Maine may issue a journeyman plumber license without its exam to an applicant licensed in another state whose licensing standards and experience requirements are at least equivalent to Maine's and that grants Maine plumbers the same privilege (Title 32 sec. 3504-A); no partner states are named, and an applicant who does not meet that equivalency/reciprocal test must pass the Maine journeyman exam.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Michigan is not among the states Maine names for an automatic exam waiver, so this move runs on the Maine Plumbers' Examining Board (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation)'s individual endorsement or equivalency review rather than a guarantee. Maine may issue a journeyman plumber license without its exam to an applicant licensed in another state whose licensing standards and experience requirements are at least equivalent to Maine's and that grants Maine plumbers the same privilege (Title 32 sec. 3504-A); no partner states are named, and an applicant who does not meet that equivalency/reciprocal test must pass the Maine journeyman 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 → Maine
| Michigan (current) | Maine (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.) | $200 ($200 journeyman plumber license fee (biennial renewal also $200); +$21 criminal background check fee (surcharge, not in the range). A separate examination fee applies on the exam track but was not listed on the official fee schedule.) |
| 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 processing time; since 2024 all applications, exams, and renewals are filed through Maine's online licensing system. |
| Licensing authority | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs — Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC), Plumbing | Maine Plumbers' Examining Board (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Maine sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Maine's current requirements on the Maine Plumbers' Examining Board (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Maine Plumbers' Examining Board (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- For reciprocity: hold a license in a state whose standards and experience requirements are at least equivalent to Maine's and that grants reciprocal privileges to Maine licensees, and file a sworn application with a certified statement verifying that licensure (Title 32 sec. 3504-A).
- Standard journeyman path: complete at least 4,000 hours (about two years) as a licensed trainee plumber, or at least 2,000 hours as a licensed journeyman-in-training, then pass the journeyman exam with at least 70%.
- Undergo a criminal background check.
- File the application, fee, and license fee through Maine's online licensing system (required since January 1, 2024).
- Pay the fees ($200 ($200 journeyman plumber license fee (biennial renewal also $200); +$21 criminal background check fee (surcharge, not in the range). A separate examination fee applies on the exam track but was not listed on the official fee schedule.)) and allow No board-stated processing time; since 2024 all applications, exams, and renewals are filed through Maine's online licensing system..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Maine accept a Michigan plumbing license?
A plumbing license transfers from Michigan to Maine by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Maine Plumbers' Examining Board (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation), verify your Michigan license, and meet Maine's endorsement requirements. Maine may issue a journeyman plumber license without its exam to an applicant licensed in another state whose licensing standards and experience requirements are at least equivalent to Maine's and that grants Maine plumbers the same privilege (Title 32 sec. 3504-A); no partner states are named, and an applicant who does not meet that equivalency/reciprocal test must pass the Maine journeyman exam.
Which exam applies moving from Michigan to Maine?
Maine may issue a journeyman plumber license without its exam to an applicant licensed in another state whose licensing standards and experience requirements are at least equivalent to Maine's and that grants Maine plumbers the same privilege (Title 32 sec. 3504-A); no partner states are named, and an applicant who does not meet that equivalency/reciprocal test must pass the Maine journeyman exam.
What does the Michigan-to-Maine move cost and how long does it take?
$200 ($200 journeyman plumber license fee (biennial renewal also $200); +$21 criminal background check fee (surcharge, not in the range). A separate examination fee applies on the exam track but was not listed on the official fee schedule.); processing No board-stated processing time; since 2024 all applications, exams, and renewals are filed through Maine's online licensing system..
Can I keep my Michigan plumbing license after I'm licensed in Maine?
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.
- Maine Revised Statutes Title 32 sec. 3504-A — Reciprocity (Plumbers' Examining Board) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Maine OPOR — Plumbers' Examining Board individual licenses (fees, experience hours) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Maine OPOR — Plumbers' Examining Board online license verification lookup (ALMS) ↗ (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
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]