Transfer Your Plumber License to Minnesota: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)
Does my plumbing license transfer to Minnesota?
Minnesota has bilateral plumbing reciprocity with 2 states (North Dakota, South Dakota): a plumber originally licensed by examination in one of them can skip Minnesota's journeyman exam. Minnesota waives its journeyworker plumber exam only for applicants licensed by examination at the state level in North Dakota or South Dakota; every other out-of-state plumber must pass the Minnesota journeyworker exam. Everyone else applies as a new journeyman applicant. Fee: $50–$103 ($50 reciprocity/exam application fee; journeyworker license fee ~$53 (biennial) due within 180 days of approval; master renewal ~$93.).
Moving to Minnesota from a specific state?
Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.
Verdict
Reciprocity with 2 states
Read Minnesota's reciprocity as a named list, and the list is the rule: if you were licensed by examination in a state on it and your license is in good standing, the streamlined track below applies; if not, no amount of field experience substitutes for Minnesota's exam. Two cautions. The agreement is directional — it describes the states Minnesota recognizes, which tells you nothing about the reverse move — and it typically excludes licenses that were grandfathered in rather than earned by examination. Confirm both against the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry — Construction Codes and Licensing Division (CCLD) before you rely on the waiver.
Reciprocity is limited to North Dakota and South Dakota and only for licenses earned by examination at the state level; locally issued or waiver-based out-of-state licenses do not qualify. Master plumbers from those states transfer under the same by-examination rule. No national plumber verification database exists, so verification_system_url points to Minnesota's own DLI license lookup. Values re-verified against the DLI reciprocity page on 2026-07-21.
Minnesota requirements at a glance
| Fees | $50–$103 ($50 reciprocity/exam application fee; journeyworker license fee ~$53 (biennial) due within 180 days of approval; master renewal ~$93.) |
|---|---|
| Processing time | No board-stated processing time; the license fee must be paid within 180 days of approval |
Step by step
- Confirm Minnesota's current requirements on the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry — Construction Codes and Licensing Division (CCLD) website — rules change.
- Submit the reciprocity/endorsement application to the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry — Construction Codes and Licensing Division (CCLD) (application linked on this page).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold the same or higher class of license, obtained by state-level examination, in North Dakota or South Dakota.
- Have held that qualifying license for at least one year, current and in good standing.
- The qualifying license must not have been obtained through a reciprocal agreement with a city or other political subdivision.
- Not have previously failed the same or higher class Minnesota plumber examination.
- Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Coming from a specific state?
Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Minnesota:
Nearby states
Plumber license transfer into the states bordering Minnesota:
Minnesota for other professions
- Nursing in Minnesota
- Cosmetology / Barber in Minnesota
- Real Estate in Minnesota
- Contractor in Minnesota
- Teaching in Minnesota
- CPA / Accounting in Minnesota
- Electrician in Minnesota
- Engineering in Minnesota
- Pharmacy in Minnesota
- Physical Therapy in Minnesota
- Psychology in Minnesota
- Counseling in Minnesota
- Social Work in Minnesota
- Occupational Therapy in Minnesota
Frequently asked questions
Which states does Minnesota have plumbing reciprocity with?
North Dakota, South Dakota (2 states, verified 2026-07-21 against the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry — Construction Codes and Licensing Division (CCLD)). The waiver applies only if you were licensed by examination there; plumbers from every other state qualify as new applicants.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Minnesota DLI — Plumbing reciprocity ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Minnesota DLI — Plumbing license basics (fees, license types) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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