Plumber License from Pennsylvania to Georgia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Georgia accept a Pennsylvania plumbing license?
There is no Pennsylvania state license to carry to Georgia: Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. Georgia does license this work, so ask the Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (Office of the Secretary of State) whether it credits a local license or your documented experience; otherwise you qualify as a new applicant.
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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 Georgia to verify or endorse. Georgia does license plumbers, through the Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (Office of the Secretary of State), 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. Under Board Rule 121-2-.03 ('Statewide License by Reciprocity') Georgia may issue a journeyman or master plumber license WITHOUT its own examination to an applicant holding a current out-of-state license that was granted by passing an exam given by a board whose examination and requirements are substantially equal to Georgia's and that offers a reciprocal privilege to Georgia licensees; however, the Division's FAQ states Georgia currently has no reciprocity with any state, so in practice out-of-state applicants must pass the Georgia plumber examination (minimum score 70).
What's different between Pennsylvania and Georgia
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Georgia. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Pennsylvania to Georgia (this page): No state license to transfer.
Georgia 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 Georgia.
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 Georgia's.
- Exam rules on record
Georgia and Pennsylvania carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Georgia (this move): Under Board Rule 121-2-.03 ('Statewide License by Reciprocity') Georgia may issue a journeyman or master plumber license WITHOUT its own examination to an applicant holding a current out-of-state license that was granted by passing an exam given by a board whose examination and requirements are substantially equal to Georgia's and that offers a reciprocal privilege to Georgia licensees; however, the Division's FAQ states Georgia currently has no reciprocity with any state, so in practice out-of-state applicants must pass the Georgia plumber examination (minimum score 70)
- 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 → Georgia
| Pennsylvania (current) | Georgia (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 | $80–$160 (Journeyman ~$80 ($70 application + $10 processing); master ~$160 ($150 application + $10 processing) per the Division's plumbing exam/initial-application form. Examination administered by PSI with a separate exam fee paid to PSI; that exam is waived only for a qualifying reciprocity applicant under Rule 121-2-.03. Fee figures obtained via search extraction of the Division's official forms because the sos.ga.gov fee-schedule PDF returned HTTP 403 on direct load) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality | No board-stated processing time in weeks; the Division publishes exam dates and application deadlines and an application must be approved before the scheduled examination |
| 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) | Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (Office of the Secretary of State) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Georgia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Georgia's requirements on the Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (Office of the Secretary of State) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (Office of the Secretary of State) 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 Georgia'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 Georgia?
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 Georgia license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Georgia Rules & Regulations 121-2 (Qualifications) incl. Rule 121-2-.03 Statewide License by Reciprocity ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia Rules & Regulations 121-3 (Application for Licensure — 1-yr journeyman / 5-yr master experience, exam minimum score 70) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia SOS — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (board page) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia SOS — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers FAQ (reciprocity statement) ↗ (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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