Plumber License from New York to Indiana: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Indiana accept a New York plumbing license?
There is no New York state license to carry to Indiana: New York issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. Indiana does license this work, so ask the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) — Indiana Plumbing Commission 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: New York issues no statewide journeyman plumber license — plumbing there is regulated at the contractor level or by cities and counties — so there is no New York state license for Indiana to verify or endorse. Indiana does license plumbers, through the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) — Indiana Plumbing Commission, 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 New York license, a contractor-level credential or your documented hours; otherwise plan to qualify as a new journeyman applicant. Indiana Code 25-28.5-1-19 (verified current as of 2026-01-01) provides that an out-of-state journeyman plumber 'shall without examination, be granted a license' by the Indiana Plumbing Commission IF the other jurisdiction's licensing requirements were substantially equal to Indiana's when the applicant was last licensed AND that jurisdiction grants Indiana licensees the same reciprocal privilege; the statute names no partner states and no official list of qualifying states was located, so an applicant must confirm eligibility with the Commission, and anyone who does not meet the substantial-equivalence/mutuality test must be approved by the Commission and pass the Indiana journeyman plumber examination.
What's different between New York and Indiana
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Indiana. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
New York to Indiana (this page): No state license to transfer.
Indiana to New York (the reverse move): No state license to transfer.
New York issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so neither direction is a state-license transfer.
- Does coming from New York matter?
Coming from New York matters here: only 9 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Indiana.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (41).
- Fee and processing
New York issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so there is no New York state license application fee or processing time to compare with Indiana's.
- Exam rules on record
Indiana and New York carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Indiana (this move): Indiana Code 25-28.5-1-19 (verified current as of 2026-01-01) provides that an out-of-state journeyman plumber 'shall without examination, be granted a license' by the Indiana Plumbing Commission IF the other jurisdiction's licensing requirements were substantially equal to Indiana's when the applicant was last licensed AND that jurisdiction grants Indiana licensees the same reciprocal privilege; the statute names no partner states and no official list of qualifying states was located, so an applicant must confirm eligibility with the Commission, and anyone who does not meet the substantial-equivalence/mutuality test must be approved by the Commission and pass the Indiana journeyman plumber examination
- New York (the reverse move): Not applicable at the state level — New York issues no statewide plumber license, so there is no state journeyman exam to waive or transfer. Each municipality (e.g., New York City) sets and administers its own plumber licensing and exams and generally does not recognize licenses issued by other jurisdictions.
What changes, New York → Indiana
| New York (current) | Indiana (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | Set locally and varies by municipality; e.g., New York City charges a $585 Master Plumber written-exam fee and a separate $530 practical-exam fee (both paid through DOB NOW; the practical is applied for only after passing the written exam), then a $500 background-investigation fee and a $200 license fee — other cities/counties differ | $15–$30 (Per 860 IAC 1-1-2.1: journeyman plumber initial license fee is $15 in odd-numbered years or $30 in even-numbered years (biennial cycle; renewal $30 due before Dec 1 of each odd-numbered year). A reciprocity applicant pays the license fee with no exam; a non-reciprocity applicant also pays a $30 Commission examination fee plus the separate exam-vendor (Prove/ICC) fee. All PLA fees are non-refundable) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; timelines are set by each municipal licensing authority | No board-stated processing time in weeks; a non-reciprocity application must be reviewed and approved for eligibility by the Indiana Plumbing Commission before the applicant may register for the exam. All in.gov hosts refused direct connections during research |
| Licensing authority | No New York State plumber licensing board — plumbing is licensed municipally (representative program: New York City Department of Buildings) | Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) — Indiana Plumbing Commission |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Indiana sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Indiana's requirements on the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) — Indiana Plumbing Commission website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) — Indiana Plumbing Commission whether it credits a local New York license or your documented experience: New York issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so there is no state license to verify.
- Otherwise apply as a new applicant: meet Indiana'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 New York credential after I'm licensed in Indiana?
Nothing changes it. New York issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so any local or contractor-level New York credential you hold runs on its own authority's renewal rules, independently of your Indiana license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified New York 2026-10-29, Indiana 2026-07-21.
- Indiana Code 25-28.5-1-19 — Reciprocity ('shall without examination be granted a license' under substantial-equivalence + mutuality; current as of 2026-01-01) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- 860 IAC 1-1-2.1 — Indiana Plumbing Commission fee schedule (Legal Information Institute) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Indiana PLA — Plumbing Licensing Information ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NYC Department of Buildings — Obtain a Master Plumber License (7-yr experience, written+practical exams, $585 written / $530 practical exam fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- NYC Department of Buildings — DOB NOW: Licensing Fees by License Type (Master Plumber: $585 written, $530 practical, $500 background, $200 license issuance) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- NYC Department of Buildings — Obtain a Journeyman Plumber Registration ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources New York 2026-10-29, Indiana 2026-07-21
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