Plumber License from Pennsylvania to District of Columbia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does District of Columbia accept a Pennsylvania plumbing license?
There is no Pennsylvania state license to carry to District of Columbia: Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. District of Columbia does license this work, so ask the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades — Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Occupational and Professional Licensing 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: 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 District of Columbia to verify or endorse. District of Columbia does license plumbers, through the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades — Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Occupational and Professional Licensing, 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. The District has no state-to-state plumber reciprocity — the Maryland/Virginia trade reciprocity DLCP publishes applies to electricians, not plumbers. DC waives its journeyman plumber examination only for applicants who prove completion of a nationally-certified apprenticeship program; all other applicants qualify by documenting experience (journeyman: 4 years / 8,000 work hours) and must pass the DC journeyman plumbing exam (open-book on the 2012 International Plumbing Code and 2012 International Fuel Gas Code). The master tier requires 8 years / 16,000 hours and its own exam.
What's different between Pennsylvania and District of Columbia
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into District of Columbia. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Pennsylvania to District of Columbia (this page): No state license to transfer.
District of Columbia 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 50 states) get this result for a move into District of Columbia.
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 District of Columbia's.
- Exam rules on record
District of Columbia and Pennsylvania carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- District of Columbia (this move): The District has no state-to-state plumber reciprocity — the Maryland/Virginia trade reciprocity DLCP publishes applies to electricians, not plumbers. DC waives its journeyman plumber examination only for applicants who prove completion of a nationally-certified apprenticeship program; all other applicants qualify by documenting experience (journeyman: 4 years / 8,000 work hours) and must pass the DC journeyman plumbing exam (open-book on the 2012 International Plumbing Code and 2012 International Fuel Gas Code). The master tier requires 8 years / 16,000 hours and its own exam
- 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 → District of Columbia
| Pennsylvania (current) | District of Columbia (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 | $175 (Journeyman: $65 application + $110 initial license (up to 2 years) = $175. Master: $65 + $120 = $185. Apprentice license $110. Renewals: journeyman $110, master $155) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality | No board-stated processing time |
| 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) | District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades — Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Occupational and Professional Licensing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — District of Columbia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review District of Columbia's requirements on the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades — Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Occupational and Professional Licensing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades — Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Occupational and Professional Licensing 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 District of Columbia'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 Pennsylvania credential after I'm licensed in District of Columbia?
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 District of Columbia license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- DC DLCP Board of Industrial Trades — Plumbing/Gasfitting Application Instructions (license classes, experience, exam waiver) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- DC DLCP — Board of Industrial Trades (fees; reciprocity limited to electricians) ↗ (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
How we verify · All sources · Corrections log · spot an error? hello@licensereciprocity.com