Plumber License from Missouri to Florida: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Florida accept a Missouri plumbing license?
There is no Missouri state license to carry to Florida: Missouri issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. Florida does license this work, so ask the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation — Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) whether it credits a local license or your documented experience; otherwise you qualify as a new applicant.
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Verdict
No state license to transfer
The issue on this move is the starting point: Missouri issues no statewide journeyman plumber license — plumbing there is regulated at the contractor level or by cities and counties — so there is no Missouri state license for Florida to verify or endorse. Florida does license plumbers, through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation — Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), and it reviews out-of-state plumbers for endorsement, but that route starts from a state license. Ask the board, in writing, whether it credits a local Missouri license, a contractor-level credential or your documented hours; otherwise plan to qualify as a new journeyman applicant. Florida licenses plumbing CONTRACTORS, not journeymen (journeyman/tradesworker plumbers are licensed by county and municipal governments). Its Certified Plumbing Contractor examination is waived for out-of-state applicants who certify by endorsement under s. 489.115(3): by passing a national/regional/state exam the board deems substantially equivalent (Option A), holding a license issued under substantially equivalent criteria (Option B), or holding an active license for at least 10 years (Option C); the board warns endorsement based on comparing a state-specific exam is rarely approved. Applicants who do not qualify for endorsement must pass the Florida Certified Plumbing Contractor exam.
What's different between Missouri and Florida
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Florida. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Missouri to Florida (this page): No state license to transfer.
Florida to Missouri (the reverse move): No state license to transfer.
Missouri issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so neither direction is a state-license transfer.
- Does coming from Missouri matter?
Coming from Missouri matters here: only 9 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Florida.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (41).
- Fee and processing
Missouri issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so there is no Missouri state license application fee or processing time to compare with Florida's.
- Exam rules on record
Florida and Missouri carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Florida (this move): Florida licenses plumbing CONTRACTORS, not journeymen (journeyman/tradesworker plumbers are licensed by county and municipal governments). Its Certified Plumbing Contractor examination is waived for out-of-state applicants who certify by endorsement under s. 489.115(3): by passing a national/regional/state exam the board deems substantially equivalent (Option A), holding a license issued under substantially equivalent criteria (Option B), or holding an active license for at least 10 years (Option C); the board warns endorsement based on comparing a state-specific exam is rarely approved. Applicants who do not qualify for endorsement must pass the Florida Certified Plumbing Contractor exam
- Missouri (the reverse move): Not applicable — Missouri issues no state-level plumber license; each city or county board of examiners sets its own examination, so there is no statewide credential to transfer and no state exam to waive
What changes, Missouri → Florida
| Missouri (current) | Florida (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | No state fee — plumber licensing fees are set by each local jurisdiction and vary; consult the specific city or county board | $350 ($350 certification-by-endorsement application fee (CILB 10). The standard exam-route Certified Plumbing Contractor application is $245 (May 1 even year–Aug 31 odd year) or $145 (Sep 1 odd year–Apr 30 even year). A separate electronic-fingerprint fee applies) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; timelines are set by each local board (e.g., the St. Louis Board of Examiners reviews applications at its monthly board meetings) | No board-stated processing time |
| Licensing authority | No state plumbing board — the Missouri Division of Professional Registration does not license plumbers; licensing is local (e.g., St. Louis Board of Examiners of Plumbers and Drainlayers) | Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation — Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Florida sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Florida's requirements on the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation — Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation — Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) whether it credits a local Missouri license or your documented experience: Missouri issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so there is no state license to verify.
- Otherwise apply as a new applicant: meet Florida's education/experience requirements and pass the exams it requires.
- Submit the application with fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What happens to my Missouri credential after I'm licensed in Florida?
Nothing changes it. Missouri issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so any local or contractor-level Missouri credential you hold runs on its own authority's renewal rules, independently of your Florida license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Florida DBPR CILB 10 — Application for Certification by Endorsement (s.489.115(3); $350 fee; licensure without state exam) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Florida DBPR CILB 5-M — Application for Certified Plumbing Contractor as an Individual (contractor-level license; $145/$245 fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Florida Statutes 489.115 — certification and registration; endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Missouri Division of Professional Registration — Listing of Professions (plumber is not among the state-licensed professions) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- City of St. Louis — Plumbers and Drainlayers, Board of Examiners (representative local licensing/examination) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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