Plumber License from Pennsylvania to Alaska: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Alaska accept a Pennsylvania plumbing license?
There is no Pennsylvania state license to carry to Alaska: Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. Alaska does license this work, so ask the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development — Labor Standards and Safety Division, Mechanical Inspection Section whether it credits a local license or your documented experience; otherwise you qualify as a new applicant.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
No state license to transfer
The issue on this move is the starting point: Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license — plumbing there is regulated at the contractor level or by cities and counties — so there is no Pennsylvania state license for Alaska to verify or endorse. Alaska does license plumbers, through the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development — Labor Standards and Safety Division, Mechanical Inspection Section, 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 Pennsylvania license, a contractor-level credential or your documented hours; otherwise plan to qualify as a new journeyman applicant. Alaska waives its plumber journeyman exam for an applicant who holds a plumbing journeyman certificate or license from any U.S. jurisdiction the department finds has substantially similar requirements (judged on required work hours, a testing requirement, and registered-apprenticeship membership); an applicant from a jurisdiction that is not substantially similar must document 8,000 hours and pass the Alaska journeyman exam (70% to pass). No bilateral agreement is required — any qualifying jurisdiction is eligible (per 8 AAC 90.111/.112, effective Aug 8, 2025).
What's different between Pennsylvania and Alaska
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Alaska. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Pennsylvania to Alaska (this page): No state license to transfer.
Alaska to Pennsylvania (the reverse move): No state license to transfer.
Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so neither direction is a state-license transfer.
- Does coming from Pennsylvania matter?
Coming from Pennsylvania matters here: only 9 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Alaska.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (41).
- Fee and processing
Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so there is no Pennsylvania state license application fee or processing time to compare with Alaska's.
- Exam rules on record
Alaska and Pennsylvania carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Alaska (this move): Alaska waives its plumber journeyman exam for an applicant who holds a plumbing journeyman certificate or license from any U.S. jurisdiction the department finds has substantially similar requirements (judged on required work hours, a testing requirement, and registered-apprenticeship membership); an applicant from a jurisdiction that is not substantially similar must document 8,000 hours and pass the Alaska journeyman exam (70% to pass). No bilateral agreement is required — any qualifying jurisdiction is eligible (per 8 AAC 90.111/.112, effective Aug 8, 2025).
- Pennsylvania (the reverse move): Not applicable — Pennsylvania has no state-level plumber license, so there is no statewide exam to waive or transfer; each municipality sets its own plumber licensing and exam rules (for example, Philadelphia requires passing the ICC-based Journeyman Plumber Examination on the Philadelphia Code)
What changes, Pennsylvania → Alaska
| Pennsylvania (current) | Alaska (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | No statewide fee. Fees are set locally; for example, Philadelphia's journeyman plumber license is $126 initial (including a $25 non-refundable application fee) and $126 annual renewal | $50–$250 ($50 nonrefundable application fee + $200 journeyman certificate fee (2-year term) for a full reciprocal COF ($250 total); a one-year provisional COF is $50 application + $100 certificate ($150)) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality | Board states 7-10 business days for trainee certificates and renewals; no processing time stated for reciprocal/journeyman applications, and the division notes delays from an outdated system and limited staff |
| Licensing authority | No statewide board — plumber licensing is handled by Pennsylvania municipalities (e.g., Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections; Allegheny County Health Department for the Pittsburgh area) | Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development — Labor Standards and Safety Division, Mechanical Inspection Section |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Alaska sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Alaska's requirements on the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development — Labor Standards and Safety Division, Mechanical Inspection Section website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development — Labor Standards and Safety Division, Mechanical Inspection Section whether it credits a local Pennsylvania license or your documented experience: Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so there is no state license to verify.
- Otherwise apply as a new applicant: meet Alaska'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 does the Pennsylvania-to-Alaska move cost and how long does it take?
$50–$250 ($50 nonrefundable application fee + $200 journeyman certificate fee (2-year term) for a full reciprocal COF ($250 total); a one-year provisional COF is $50 application + $100 certificate ($150)), plus the exam and experience-documentation costs of qualifying as a new applicant. Processing time: Board states 7-10 business days for trainee certificates and renewals; no processing time stated for reciprocal/journeyman applications, and the division notes delays from an outdated system and limited staff.
What happens to my Pennsylvania credential after I'm licensed in Alaska?
Nothing changes it. Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license, so any local or contractor-level Pennsylvania credential you hold runs on its own authority's renewal rules, independently of your Alaska license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Alaska DOLWD Mechanical Inspection — Certificates of Fitness Statutes & Regulations, Aug 2025 (8 AAC 90.111 reciprocity; 90.112 provisional; 90.130 journeyman; AS 18.62.030 fees; FAQ) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Alaska DOLWD Mechanical Inspection — home page ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- City of Philadelphia — Get a Journeyman Plumber License (representative municipal program; requirements and fees; no state license) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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