Plumber License from Pennsylvania to Indiana: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Indiana accept a Pennsylvania plumbing license?
There is no Pennsylvania state license to carry to Indiana: Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. Indiana does license this work, so ask the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) — Indiana Plumbing Commission 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 Indiana to verify or endorse. Indiana does license plumbers, through the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) — Indiana Plumbing Commission, 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. Indiana Code 25-28.5-1-19 (verified current as of 2026-01-01) provides that an out-of-state journeyman plumber 'shall without examination, be granted a license' by the Indiana Plumbing Commission IF the other jurisdiction's licensing requirements were substantially equal to Indiana's when the applicant was last licensed AND that jurisdiction grants Indiana licensees the same reciprocal privilege; the statute names no partner states and no official list of qualifying states was located, so an applicant must confirm eligibility with the Commission, and anyone who does not meet the substantial-equivalence/mutuality test must be approved by the Commission and pass the Indiana journeyman plumber examination.
What's different between Pennsylvania and Indiana
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Indiana. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Pennsylvania to Indiana (this page): No state license to transfer.
Indiana 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 Indiana.
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 Indiana's.
- Exam rules on record
Indiana and Pennsylvania carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Indiana (this move): Indiana Code 25-28.5-1-19 (verified current as of 2026-01-01) provides that an out-of-state journeyman plumber 'shall without examination, be granted a license' by the Indiana Plumbing Commission IF the other jurisdiction's licensing requirements were substantially equal to Indiana's when the applicant was last licensed AND that jurisdiction grants Indiana licensees the same reciprocal privilege; the statute names no partner states and no official list of qualifying states was located, so an applicant must confirm eligibility with the Commission, and anyone who does not meet the substantial-equivalence/mutuality test must be approved by the Commission and pass the Indiana journeyman plumber examination
- 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 → Indiana
| Pennsylvania (current) | Indiana (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 | $15–$30 (Per 860 IAC 1-1-2.1: journeyman plumber initial license fee is $15 in odd-numbered years or $30 in even-numbered years (biennial cycle; renewal $30 due before Dec 1 of each odd-numbered year). A reciprocity applicant pays the license fee with no exam; a non-reciprocity applicant also pays a $30 Commission examination fee plus the separate exam-vendor (Prove/ICC) fee. All PLA fees are non-refundable) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality | No board-stated processing time in weeks; a non-reciprocity application must be reviewed and approved for eligibility by the Indiana Plumbing Commission before the applicant may register for the exam. All in.gov hosts refused direct connections during research |
| 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) | Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) — Indiana Plumbing Commission |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Indiana sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Indiana's requirements on the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) — Indiana Plumbing Commission website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) — Indiana Plumbing Commission 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 Indiana'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 Indiana?
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 Indiana license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Indiana Code 25-28.5-1-19 — Reciprocity ('shall without examination be granted a license' under substantial-equivalence + mutuality; current as of 2026-01-01) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- 860 IAC 1-1-2.1 — Indiana Plumbing Commission fee schedule (Legal Information Institute) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Indiana PLA — Plumbing Licensing Information ↗ (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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