Plumber License from Pennsylvania to Florida: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Florida accept a Pennsylvania plumbing license?
There is no Pennsylvania state license to carry to Florida: Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. Florida does license this work, so ask the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation — Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) 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 Florida to verify or endorse. Florida does license plumbers, through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation — Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), 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. Florida licenses plumbing CONTRACTORS, not journeymen (journeyman/tradesworker plumbers are licensed by county and municipal governments). Its Certified Plumbing Contractor examination is waived for out-of-state applicants who certify by endorsement under s. 489.115(3): by passing a national/regional/state exam the board deems substantially equivalent (Option A), holding a license issued under substantially equivalent criteria (Option B), or holding an active license for at least 10 years (Option C); the board warns endorsement based on comparing a state-specific exam is rarely approved. Applicants who do not qualify for endorsement must pass the Florida Certified Plumbing Contractor exam.
What's different between Pennsylvania and Florida
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Florida. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Pennsylvania to Florida (this page): No state license to transfer.
Florida 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 Florida.
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 Florida's.
- Exam rules on record
Florida and Pennsylvania carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Florida (this move): Florida licenses plumbing CONTRACTORS, not journeymen (journeyman/tradesworker plumbers are licensed by county and municipal governments). Its Certified Plumbing Contractor examination is waived for out-of-state applicants who certify by endorsement under s. 489.115(3): by passing a national/regional/state exam the board deems substantially equivalent (Option A), holding a license issued under substantially equivalent criteria (Option B), or holding an active license for at least 10 years (Option C); the board warns endorsement based on comparing a state-specific exam is rarely approved. Applicants who do not qualify for endorsement must pass the Florida Certified Plumbing Contractor 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 → Florida
| Pennsylvania (current) | Florida (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 | $350 ($350 certification-by-endorsement application fee (CILB 10). The standard exam-route Certified Plumbing Contractor application is $245 (May 1 even year–Aug 31 odd year) or $145 (Sep 1 odd year–Apr 30 even year). A separate electronic-fingerprint fee applies) |
| 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) | Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation — Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Florida sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Florida's requirements on the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation — Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation — Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) 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 Florida'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 Florida?
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 Florida license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Florida DBPR CILB 10 — Application for Certification by Endorsement (s.489.115(3); $350 fee; licensure without state exam) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Florida DBPR CILB 5-M — Application for Certified Plumbing Contractor as an Individual (contractor-level license; $145/$245 fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Florida Statutes 489.115 — certification and registration; endorsement ↗ (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