Plumber License from Montana to Idaho: Does It Transfer? (2026)

What's different between Montana and Idaho

Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Idaho. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.

Route, each way

Montana to Idaho (this page): Reciprocity agreement.

Idaho to Montana (the reverse move): Reciprocity agreement.

The route is the same in both directions.

Does coming from Montana matter?

Coming from Montana matters here: only 3 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Idaho.

The others get: licensure by endorsement (38) and no state license to transfer (9).

Reciprocity agreements

Idaho's reciprocity agreement list names 3 states (Montana, Oregon, and Washington), including Montana.

Montana's reciprocity agreement list names 4 states (Oregon, Idaho, North Dakota, and South Dakota), including Idaho.

Application fee

Idaho lists $51.90 for an out-of-state applicant and Montana lists $400 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.

Processing time

Montana lists up to 4 weeks for the reverse move; Idaho has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.

Exam rules on record

Idaho and Montana carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.

• Idaho (this move): Idaho waives its journeyman plumber written examination for reciprocity applicants who hold an active journeyman license obtained BY EXAMINATION in Montana, Oregon, or Washington and who meet the experience and residency conditions ('No written examination shall be required for the reciprocal certificate when reciprocating from' these states); every other applicant must pass the IAPMO-based Idaho journeyman examination
• Montana (the reverse move): Montana waives its journeyman written and practical examinations for an applicant who took and passed both the written and practical journeyman exams in Oregon, Idaho, North Dakota, or South Dakota and holds an active license there with no complaints filed; every other out-of-state applicant must sit for the Montana journeyman written and practical exams

What changes, Montana → Idaho

The destination column is what you must satisfy — Idaho sets the rules for this move.

Step by step

1. Confirm Idaho's current requirements on the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) — State Plumbing Board website (linked below) — rules change.
2. Submit the reciprocity application to the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) — State Plumbing Board (application linked below).
3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
4. Reciprocity: hold an active out-of-state journeyman license obtained by examination in Montana, Oregon, or Washington, shown on a DOPL License Verification Form.
5. Reciprocity from Montana or Oregon: document completion of an apprenticeship program and 8,000 hours of work experience.
6. Reciprocity from Washington: document 8,000 or 16,000 hours of work experience.
7. Applicants reciprocating from Montana or Washington must be a resident of the state where they are licensed at the time of application.
8. Standard (non-reciprocity) applicants must document 8,000 hours of supervised experience and pass the IAPMO examination; specialty/appliance/pipe-fitting hours do not count toward journeyman experience.
9. Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.

Official links

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