Plumber License from New York to Ohio: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Ohio accept a New York plumbing license?
There is no New York state license to carry to Ohio: New York issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. Ohio does license this work, so ask the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) — Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance 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 Ohio to verify or endorse. Ohio does license plumbers, through the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) — Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance, 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. Ohio waives its OCILB plumbing trade exam only for applicants who currently hold a South Carolina or West Virginia plumbing license obtained by examination (not by grandfathering or reciprocity); an out-of-state licensee who instead got their license by grandfathering or reciprocity must take both the Ohio plumbing exam and the Ohio Business and Law exam, and every other applicant must qualify with five years of trade experience and pass the Ohio plumbing exam.
What's different between New York and Ohio
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Ohio. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
New York to Ohio (this page): No state license to transfer.
Ohio 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 Ohio.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (39) and reciprocity agreement (2).
- Reciprocity agreements
Ohio's reciprocity agreement list names 2 states (South Carolina and West Virginia), not including New York.
- 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 Ohio's.
- Exam rules on record
Ohio and New York carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Ohio (this move): Ohio waives its OCILB plumbing trade exam only for applicants who currently hold a South Carolina or West Virginia plumbing license obtained by examination (not by grandfathering or reciprocity); an out-of-state licensee who instead got their license by grandfathering or reciprocity must take both the Ohio plumbing exam and the Ohio Business and Law exam, and every other applicant must qualify with five years of trade experience and pass the Ohio plumbing exam
- 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 → Ohio
| New York (current) | Ohio (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 | $25 ($25.00 non-refundable reciprocity application fee per trade; proof of at least $500,000 contractor liability insurance required. Non-reciprocal applicants pay a $25 exam application fee plus BCI and FBI background-check costs.) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; timelines are set by each municipal licensing authority | No board-stated processing time; reciprocity applications are approved or denied by board review |
| Licensing authority | No New York State plumber licensing board — plumbing is licensed municipally (representative program: New York City Department of Buildings) | Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) — Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Ohio sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Ohio's requirements on the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) — Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) — Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance 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 Ohio'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 Ohio?
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 Ohio license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified New York 2026-10-29, Ohio 2026-07-21.
- OCILB Examination Application (state commercial plumbing contractor license; $25 fee; five-year experience; trades include Plumbing) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- OCILB South Carolina Reciprocity Application (PL trade; exam waived for tested SC licensees; $25 per trade) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- OCILB West Virginia Mechanical Reciprocity Application (PL trade; must hold WV Master Plumber + WV Contractor license, tested not grandfathered) ↗ (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, Ohio 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · Corrections log · spot an error? hello@licensereciprocity.com