Plumber License from Pennsylvania to Kansas: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: No state plumbing board — plumbing is licensed by Kansas cities and counties (e.g., Johnson County Contractor Licensing; Sedgwick County / City of Wichita Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department). The Kansas State Board of Technical Professions licenses engineers, architects, and surveyors, not plumbers. ↗
No — Kansas has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Pennsylvania plumbing license holders. You must apply to the No state plumbing board — plumbing is licensed by Kansas cities and counties (e.g., Johnson County Contractor Licensing; Sedgwick County / City of Wichita Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department). The Kansas State Board of Technical Professions licenses engineers, architects, and surveyors, not plumbers. as a new applicant and meet Kansas's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
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Verdict
Full re-application
There is nothing at the state level to transfer your Pennsylvania license into: Kansas issues no statewide plumbing license, so plumbers there are licensed at the contractor level or by cities and counties. Not applicable — Kansas issues no state-level plumbing license, so there is no state journeyman exam to waive or transfer; each city or county sets its own exam and licensing rules (e.g., Johnson County requires an ICC/IAPMO/Prometric-based journeyman exam). The move is a local or contractor-board application, not a reciprocity filing — identify the authority that governs your worksite and work from its exam, experience, and fee rules. Your Pennsylvania license may count toward a local experience requirement, but Kansas has no state credential for it to reciprocate into.
What changes, Pennsylvania → Kansas
| Pennsylvania (current) | Kansas (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. | No state fee exists; fees are set locally (e.g., the Wichita/Sedgwick County journeyman exam fee is about $125). Confirm with the specific city or county. |
| Processing time | No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality. | No state process; timelines are set by each local jurisdiction. |
| 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) | No state plumbing board — plumbing is licensed by Kansas cities and counties (e.g., Johnson County Contractor Licensing; Sedgwick County / City of Wichita Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department). The Kansas State Board of Technical Professions licenses engineers, architects, and surveyors, not plumbers. |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Kansas sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Kansas's initial-licensure requirements on the No state plumbing board — plumbing is licensed by Kansas cities and counties (e.g., Johnson County Contractor Licensing; Sedgwick County / City of Wichita Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department). The Kansas State Board of Technical Professions licenses engineers, architects, and surveyors, not plumbers. website (linked below).
- Expect to meet Kansas's education/experience requirements and pass its required exams — prior out-of-state licensure may still count toward experience.
- Submit the standard (new applicant) application with fees (No state fee exists; fees are set locally (e.g., the Wichita/Sedgwick County journeyman exam fee is about $125). Confirm with the specific city or county.).
- Allow No state process; timelines are set by each local jurisdiction..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Kansas accept a Pennsylvania plumbing license?
No — Kansas has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Pennsylvania plumbing license holders. You must apply to the No state plumbing board — plumbing is licensed by Kansas cities and counties (e.g., Johnson County Contractor Licensing; Sedgwick County / City of Wichita Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department). The Kansas State Board of Technical Professions licenses engineers, architects, and surveyors, not plumbers. as a new applicant and meet Kansas's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
Which exam applies moving from Pennsylvania to Kansas?
Not applicable — Kansas issues no state-level plumbing license, so there is no state journeyman exam to waive or transfer; each city or county sets its own exam and licensing rules (e.g., Johnson County requires an ICC/IAPMO/Prometric-based journeyman exam).
What does the Pennsylvania-to-Kansas move cost and how long does it take?
No state fee exists; fees are set locally (e.g., the Wichita/Sedgwick County journeyman exam fee is about $125). Confirm with the specific city or county.; processing No state process; timelines are set by each local jurisdiction..
Can I keep my Pennsylvania plumbing license after I'm licensed in Kansas?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Pennsylvania credential active on its own renewal and continuing-education schedule and you hold both, which is common for plumbers working near a state line.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Johnson County (KS) Contractor Licensing — license types incl. plumbing (Class DP) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Johnson County (KS) Contractor Licensing — department home & license search ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Sedgwick County (KS) — Master & Journeyman Trade Certificates (Wichita/MABCD) ↗ (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 Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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