Plumber License from New York to Rhode Island: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Rhode Island accept a New York plumbing license?
There is no New York state license to carry to Rhode Island: New York issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. Rhode Island does license this work, so ask the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) — Division of Professional Regulation, State Board of Examiners of Plumbers 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 Rhode Island to verify or endorse. Rhode Island does license plumbers, through the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) — Division of Professional Regulation, State Board of Examiners of Plumbers, 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. Rhode Island waives its journeyperson plumber exam for an applicant duly licensed by examination in another state for the same classification, provided that state's requirements are the same as Rhode Island's; there is no fixed partner-state list, so eligibility is assessed case-by-case and any applicant who does not meet the equivalence test must pass the Rhode Island exam.
What's different between New York and Rhode Island
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Rhode Island. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
New York to Rhode Island (this page): No state license to transfer.
Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island.
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 Rhode Island's.
- Exam rules on record
Rhode Island and New York carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Rhode Island (this move): Rhode Island waives its journeyperson plumber exam for an applicant duly licensed by examination in another state for the same classification, provided that state's requirements are the same as Rhode Island's; there is no fixed partner-state list, so eligibility is assessed case-by-case and any applicant who does not meet the equivalence test must pass the Rhode Island 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 → Rhode Island
| New York (current) | Rhode Island (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 | $72 (Journeyperson plumber license fee $72.00 (plus a $6.00 processing fee) per the RI DLT licensing portal; master plumber is $240.00. A separate initial reciprocity application fee could not be confirmed on an official page because the DLT application PDF was inaccessible.) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; timelines are set by each municipal licensing authority | No board-stated processing time |
| Licensing authority | No New York State plumber licensing board — plumbing is licensed municipally (representative program: New York City Department of Buildings) | Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) — Division of Professional Regulation, State Board of Examiners of Plumbers |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Rhode Island sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Rhode Island's requirements on the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) — Division of Professional Regulation, State Board of Examiners of Plumbers website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) — Division of Professional Regulation, State Board of Examiners of Plumbers 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 Rhode Island'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 Rhode Island?
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 Rhode Island license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified New York 2026-10-29, Rhode Island 2026-07-21.
- RICR 260-30-15-9 — Licensing of Plumbers, Irrigators and Water System Installers (reciprocity-by-examination provision; journeyperson 8,000-hour path) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- RI.gov Licensing — Plumbers, Irrigators and Water Filtration fees (journeyperson $72, master $240, +$6 processing) ↗ (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, Rhode Island 2026-07-21
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