Plumber License from North Carolina to Kansas: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: No state plumbing board — plumbing is licensed by Kansas cities and counties (e.g., Johnson County Contractor Licensing; Sedgwick County / City of Wichita Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department). The Kansas State Board of Technical Professions licenses engineers, architects, and surveyors, not plumbers. ↗
No — Kansas has no reciprocity or endorsement path for North Carolina plumbing license holders. You must apply to the No state plumbing board — plumbing is licensed by Kansas cities and counties (e.g., Johnson County Contractor Licensing; Sedgwick County / City of Wichita Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department). The Kansas State Board of Technical Professions licenses engineers, architects, and surveyors, not plumbers. as a new applicant and meet Kansas's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
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Verdict
Full re-application
There is nothing at the state level to transfer your North Carolina license into: Kansas issues no statewide plumbing license, so plumbers there are licensed at the contractor level or by cities and counties. Not applicable — Kansas issues no state-level plumbing license, so there is no state journeyman exam to waive or transfer; each city or county sets its own exam and licensing rules (e.g., Johnson County requires an ICC/IAPMO/Prometric-based journeyman exam). The move is a local or contractor-board application, not a reciprocity filing — identify the authority that governs your worksite and work from its exam, experience, and fee rules. Your North Carolina license may count toward a local experience requirement, but Kansas has no state credential for it to reciprocate into.
What changes, North Carolina → Kansas
| North Carolina (current) | Kansas (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $30–$150 ($100 per examination section; $30 application fee and $150 annual license fee (Board fee schedule per its relocation/military provisions); South Carolina Technical Examination Waiver applicants still pay for and pass the NC business exam; CastleBranch background report is at the applicant's expense) | No state fee exists; fees are set locally (e.g., the Wichita/Sedgwick County journeyman exam fee is about $125). Confirm with the specific city or county. |
| Processing time | 4–6 weeks (Board-stated application-processing time; add time to schedule and pass the exam(s) with PSI) | No state process; timelines are set by each local jurisdiction. |
| Licensing authority | North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors | No state plumbing board — plumbing is licensed by Kansas cities and counties (e.g., Johnson County Contractor Licensing; Sedgwick County / City of Wichita Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department). The Kansas State Board of Technical Professions licenses engineers, architects, and surveyors, not plumbers. |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Kansas sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Kansas's initial-licensure requirements on the No state plumbing board — plumbing is licensed by Kansas cities and counties (e.g., Johnson County Contractor Licensing; Sedgwick County / City of Wichita Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department). The Kansas State Board of Technical Professions licenses engineers, architects, and surveyors, not plumbers. website (linked below).
- Expect to meet Kansas'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 (No state fee exists; fees are set locally (e.g., the Wichita/Sedgwick County journeyman exam fee is about $125). Confirm with the specific city or county.).
- Allow No state process; timelines are set by each local jurisdiction..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Kansas accept a North Carolina plumbing license?
No — Kansas has no reciprocity or endorsement path for North Carolina plumbing license holders. You must apply to the No state plumbing board — plumbing is licensed by Kansas cities and counties (e.g., Johnson County Contractor Licensing; Sedgwick County / City of Wichita Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department). The Kansas State Board of Technical Professions licenses engineers, architects, and surveyors, not plumbers. as a new applicant and meet Kansas's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
Which exam applies moving from North Carolina to Kansas?
Not applicable — Kansas issues no state-level plumbing license, so there is no state journeyman exam to waive or transfer; each city or county sets its own exam and licensing rules (e.g., Johnson County requires an ICC/IAPMO/Prometric-based journeyman exam).
What does the North Carolina-to-Kansas move cost and how long does it take?
No state fee exists; fees are set locally (e.g., the Wichita/Sedgwick County journeyman exam fee is about $125). Confirm with the specific city or county.; processing No state process; timelines are set by each local jurisdiction..
Can I keep my North Carolina plumbing license after I'm licensed in Kansas?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the North Carolina 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.
- Johnson County (KS) Contractor Licensing — license types incl. plumbing (Class DP) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Johnson County (KS) Contractor Licensing — department home & license search ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Sedgwick County (KS) — Master & Journeyman Trade Certificates (Wichita/MABCD) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NC Plumbing/Heating/Fire Sprinkler Board — Exam Application Packet 2026-01 (classes, 4,000-hr experience, $100/exam, SC technical waiver, G.S. 87-21(g), 4-6 wk processing) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating & Fire Sprinkler Contractors (board home) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NC Board — Applicant Information (license classifications; SC Technical Examination Waiver) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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