Transfer Your Plumber License to Michigan: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs — Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC), Plumbing ↗
Michigan publishes no named partner list, but the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs — Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC), Plumbing evaluates out-of-state plumbers for endorsement individually, crediting a comparable exam or documented experience. 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.. 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.).
Moving to Michigan from a specific state?
Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Michigan works case-by-case rather than from a published partner list, so the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs — Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC), Plumbing's judgment on your specific license, exam history, and documented experience decides the outcome. Where the pathway is equivalency-based, the board is measuring your home state's standards and experience requirements against its own. Get any exam waiver or experience credit confirmed in writing before you rely on it — discretionary approvals are exactly the kind of thing that shifts between reviewers.
LARA states plainly that Michigan does not reciprocate with any state and that a license requires passing the examination. The endorsement flag is true only because out-of-state experience is credited toward exam eligibility (no fresh Michigan apprenticeship needed) — it does NOT mean the exam is waived. Fee figures ($40 license, $50 exam) are from MCL 339.6121; michigan.gov and legislature.mi.gov blocked direct WebFetch, so the LARA page and statutes were read via search extracts of those official domains. verification_system_url is Michigan's official license lookup (Accela Citizen Access); no national plumber database exists.
Michigan requirements at a glance
| Exam | 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. |
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| Additional requirements |
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| Fees | $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 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. |
Step by step
- Confirm Michigan's current requirements on the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs — Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC), Plumbing website — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs — Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC), Plumbing (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- At least 6,000 hours of plumbing experience gained over no less than 3 years as a registered plumbing apprentice under a licensed master or journey plumber (MCL 339.6115).
- Pass both the written and the practical (hands-on) journey plumber examinations.
- Out-of-state applicants: submit the BCC Out-of-State License Verification form to document experience and be approved to sit for the exam.
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Pay the fees ($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.)) and allow 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..
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Michigan:
All 50 origin states
Frequently asked questions
Does my plumbing license transfer to Michigan?
Michigan publishes no named partner list, but the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs — Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC), Plumbing evaluates out-of-state plumbers for endorsement individually, crediting a comparable exam or documented experience. 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.. 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.).
Will I have to take Michigan's plumbing exam?
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 will licensing in Michigan cost an out-of-state plumber, and how long does it take?
$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 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..
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)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]