Plumber License from Pennsylvania to Iowa: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Iowa accept a Pennsylvania plumbing license?
There is no Pennsylvania state license to carry to Iowa: Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. Iowa does license this work, so ask the Iowa Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) 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 Iowa to verify or endorse. Iowa does license plumbers, through the Iowa Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and 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. Iowa waives its journeyperson plumber exam only for applicants who hold a South Dakota plumbing license obtained on the basis of written examination (its sole reciprocity agreement, approved May 2016); every other out-of-state plumber must pass the Iowa journeyperson exam.
What's different between Pennsylvania and Iowa
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Iowa. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Pennsylvania to Iowa (this page): No state license to transfer.
Iowa 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 Iowa.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (40) and reciprocity agreement (1).
- Reciprocity agreements
Iowa's reciprocity agreement list names 1 state (South Dakota), not including Pennsylvania.
- 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 Iowa's.
- Exam rules on record
Iowa and Pennsylvania carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Iowa (this move): Iowa waives its journeyperson plumber exam only for applicants who hold a South Dakota plumbing license obtained on the basis of written examination (its sole reciprocity agreement, approved May 2016); every other out-of-state plumber must pass the Iowa journeyperson 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 → Iowa
| Pennsylvania (current) | Iowa (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 | $30–$180 (Journeyperson license fee is $180 for a full three-year period and is prorated down to roughly $30 depending on issue date; +$25 paper-application fee if not filed online. Reciprocity applicants are not charged the $35-per-trade exam-approval fee or the $99 Kirkwood Community College exam fee because the exam is waived.) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality | up to 2 weeks (Board indicates it reviews an application/exam-approval submission in up to about two weeks; no reciprocity-specific timeline is published.) |
| 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) | Iowa Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Iowa sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Iowa's requirements on the Iowa Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the Iowa Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and 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 Iowa'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 Iowa?
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 Iowa license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Iowa DIAL — Journey Level (journeyperson) plumber license & South Dakota reciprocity ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Iowa DIAL — Plumbing & Mechanical Systems license fees (journeyperson $180, $25 paper fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Iowa DIAL — Find a record or license (public lookup) ↗ (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