Plumber License from New York to Kentucky: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction — Division of Plumbing ↗
No — Kentucky has no reciprocity or endorsement path for New York plumbing license holders. You must apply to the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction — Division of Plumbing as a new applicant and meet Kentucky's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Full re-application
Kentucky has no plumbing reciprocity or endorsement covering New York, so this is a full journeyman application either way. Kentucky has no plumbing reciprocity; every applicant, including out-of-state plumbers, must pass the Kentucky journeyman plumber examination (written, drawing, and practical sections, minimum 75% each). An out-of-state plumbing license may be submitted only as proof of the required experience, not as a substitute for the exam. The productive plan: gather proof of the apprenticeship or on-the-job hours you logged in New York, register for Kentucky's journeyman exam, and treat your experience as exam preparation and as credit toward Kentucky's experience requirement. Budget a new-applicant timeline and order your certified license history early — it is the long-lead item.
One thing to check first: because New York licenses plumbers only at the contractor level or through cities and counties, you may not hold the kind of state license earned by examination that some boards ask for. Document your hours and any local license or certification you do hold; the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction — Division of Plumbing will weigh them toward its experience requirement even though they do not trigger a waiver.
What changes, New York → Kentucky
| New York (current) | Kentucky (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | Set locally and varies by municipality; e.g., the New York City Master Plumber written-exam application (LIC41) fee is $525, with a separate practical-exam application (LIC42) — other cities/counties differ | $110 ($50 journeyman examination fee + $60 initial license fee (total $110 to become licensed); journeyman renewal is $60. Fees set by 815 KAR 20:030. Master plumber tier: $150 exam + $250 license.) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; timelines are set by each municipal licensing authority | No board-stated processing time; exam applications must reach the Frankfort office at least three weeks before the exam date. |
| Licensing authority | No New York State plumber licensing board — plumbing is licensed municipally (representative program: New York City Department of Buildings) | Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction — Division of Plumbing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Kentucky sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Kentucky's initial-licensure requirements on the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction — Division of Plumbing website (linked below).
- Expect to meet Kentucky's education/experience requirements and pass its required exams — prior out-of-state licensure may still count toward experience.
- Submit the standard (new applicant) application with fees ($110 ($50 journeyman examination fee + $60 initial license fee (total $110 to become licensed); journeyman renewal is $60. Fees set by 815 KAR 20:030. Master plumber tier: $150 exam + $250 license.)).
- Allow No board-stated processing time; exam applications must reach the Frankfort office at least three weeks before the exam date..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Kentucky accept a New York plumbing license?
No — Kentucky has no reciprocity or endorsement path for New York plumbing license holders. You must apply to the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction — Division of Plumbing as a new applicant and meet Kentucky's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
Which exam applies moving from New York to Kentucky?
Kentucky has no plumbing reciprocity; every applicant, including out-of-state plumbers, must pass the Kentucky journeyman plumber examination (written, drawing, and practical sections, minimum 75% each). An out-of-state plumbing license may be submitted only as proof of the required experience, not as a substitute for the exam.
What does the New York-to-Kentucky move cost and how long does it take?
$110 ($50 journeyman examination fee + $60 initial license fee (total $110 to become licensed); journeyman renewal is $60. Fees set by 815 KAR 20:030. Master plumber tier: $150 exam + $250 license.); processing No board-stated processing time; exam applications must reach the Frankfort office at least three weeks before the exam date., plus the exam and experience-documentation costs of qualifying as a new applicant.
Can I keep my New York plumbing license after I'm licensed in Kentucky?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the New York credential active on its own renewal and continuing-education schedule and you hold both, which is common for plumbers working near a state line.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- 815 KAR 20:030 Plumbing licenses — Kentucky Administrative Regulations (official LRC) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Kentucky DHBC — Division of Plumbing ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Kentucky DHBC — Plumbing Licensing Examination ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- 815 KAR 20:030 full text (Cornell LII copy; read for experience, exam, and fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Kentucky DHBC — public license search / verification (plumbing) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NYC Department of Buildings — Obtain a Master Plumber License (7-yr experience, written+practical exams, $525 LIC41 fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NYC Department of Buildings — Obtain a Journeyman Plumber Registration ↗ (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]