Plumber License from Pennsylvania to Maryland: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Maryland State Board of Plumbing (Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing) ↗
A plumbing license transfers from Pennsylvania to Maryland by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Maryland State Board of Plumbing (Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing), verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Maryland's endorsement requirements. Maryland waives its journey plumber examination only for applicants already licensed by examination as a journey plumber/gas fitter in Washington, D.C. (and, at the master level only, in Delaware), plus its own intrastate jurisdictions of Baltimore County and the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC); reciprocity is granted only where that jurisdiction reciprocally waives its exam for Maryland licensees. Every other out-of-state plumber must pass the Maryland journey plumber/gas fitter examination as a new applicant..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Pennsylvania is not among the states Maryland names for an automatic exam waiver, so this move runs on the Maryland State Board of Plumbing (Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing)'s individual endorsement or equivalency review rather than a guarantee. Maryland waives its journey plumber examination only for applicants already licensed by examination as a journey plumber/gas fitter in Washington, D.C. (and, at the master level only, in Delaware), plus its own intrastate jurisdictions of Baltimore County and the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC); reciprocity is granted only where that jurisdiction reciprocally waives its exam for Maryland licensees. Every other out-of-state plumber must pass the Maryland journey plumber/gas fitter examination as a new applicant.. Bring your Pennsylvania license, proof that it is active and in good standing, and your apprenticeship and exam records — and get any discretionary exam or experience credit in writing before you rely on it.
What changes, Pennsylvania → Maryland
| Pennsylvania (current) | Maryland (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. | $43.5 (Journey Plumber/Gas Fitter original license fee is $43.50; the board publishes no separate reciprocity application fee, so reciprocal applicants pay the license fee. No fingerprint/background surcharge is listed.) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality. | ~2 weeks (Board FAQ states a license is mailed within about two weeks of applying; this is stated for original licenses and reciprocal processing time is not separately specified.) |
| 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) | Maryland State Board of Plumbing (Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Maryland sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Maryland's current requirements on the Maryland State Board of Plumbing (Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Maryland State Board of Plumbing (Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a current journey plumber/gas fitter license obtained by examination in Washington, D.C., Baltimore County, or WSSC, in good standing.
- For Baltimore County or WSSC reciprocity, hold BOTH the plumbing and the gas portion of the license.
- Submit a license verification letter from the issuing jurisdiction.
- Hold current backflow prevention device certification.
- New-applicant journey path (if no reciprocity): 4 years as a licensed apprentice, 7,500 hours OJT under a master plumber, 32-hour backflow course, and pass the exam.
- Pay the fees ($43.5 (Journey Plumber/Gas Fitter original license fee is $43.50; the board publishes no separate reciprocity application fee, so reciprocal applicants pay the license fee. No fingerprint/background surcharge is listed.)) and allow ~2 weeks (Board FAQ states a license is mailed within about two weeks of applying; this is stated for original licenses and reciprocal processing time is not separately specified.).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Maryland accept a Pennsylvania plumbing license?
A plumbing license transfers from Pennsylvania to Maryland by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Maryland State Board of Plumbing (Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing), verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Maryland's endorsement requirements. Maryland waives its journey plumber examination only for applicants already licensed by examination as a journey plumber/gas fitter in Washington, D.C. (and, at the master level only, in Delaware), plus its own intrastate jurisdictions of Baltimore County and the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC); reciprocity is granted only where that jurisdiction reciprocally waives its exam for Maryland licensees. Every other out-of-state plumber must pass the Maryland journey plumber/gas fitter examination as a new applicant..
Which exam applies moving from Pennsylvania to Maryland?
Maryland waives its journey plumber examination only for applicants already licensed by examination as a journey plumber/gas fitter in Washington, D.C. (and, at the master level only, in Delaware), plus its own intrastate jurisdictions of Baltimore County and the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC); reciprocity is granted only where that jurisdiction reciprocally waives its exam for Maryland licensees. Every other out-of-state plumber must pass the Maryland journey plumber/gas fitter examination as a new applicant..
What does the Pennsylvania-to-Maryland move cost and how long does it take?
$43.5 (Journey Plumber/Gas Fitter original license fee is $43.50; the board publishes no separate reciprocity application fee, so reciprocal applicants pay the license fee. No fingerprint/background surcharge is listed.); processing ~2 weeks (Board FAQ states a license is mailed within about two weeks of applying; this is stated for original licenses and reciprocal processing time is not separately specified.).
Can I keep my Pennsylvania plumbing license after I'm licensed in Maryland?
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.
- Maryland Board of Plumbing — Reciprocal Licensing ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Maryland Board of Plumbing — Forms and Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Maryland Board of Plumbing — License Requirements ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Maryland Board of Plumbing — Licensing FAQs (processing time, verification) ↗ (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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