Plumber License from Pennsylvania to New Jersey: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does New Jersey accept a Pennsylvania plumbing license?
There is no Pennsylvania state license to carry to New Jersey: Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. New Jersey does license this work, so ask the New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers (Division of Consumer Affairs) 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 New Jersey to verify or endorse. New Jersey does license plumbers, through the New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers (Division of Consumer Affairs), 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. New Jersey's master-plumber licensure-by-reciprocity provision (N.J.S.A. 45:14C-19) can waive the NJ Master Plumber examination only for an applicant from a state whose standards the Board finds comparable AND that reciprocates with New Jersey; as of the Board's published reciprocity list (06/18/19) NO state qualifies (every state evaluated was denied, none granted), so in practice all out-of-state plumbers must pass the New Jersey Master Plumber exam. Journeyman applicants are not exam-waived.
What's different between Pennsylvania and New Jersey
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into New Jersey. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Pennsylvania to New Jersey (this page): No state license to transfer.
New Jersey 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 New Jersey.
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 New Jersey's.
- Exam rules on record
New Jersey and Pennsylvania carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- New Jersey (this move): New Jersey's master-plumber licensure-by-reciprocity provision (N.J.S.A. 45:14C-19) can waive the NJ Master Plumber examination only for an applicant from a state whose standards the Board finds comparable AND that reciprocates with New Jersey; as of the Board's published reciprocity list (06/18/19) NO state qualifies (every state evaluated was denied, none granted), so in practice all out-of-state plumbers must pass the New Jersey Master Plumber exam. Journeyman applicants are not exam-waived.
- 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 → New Jersey
| Pennsylvania (current) | New Jersey (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 | $75–$100 (Journeyman plumber application $75 ($50 with prior NJ apprentice registration); master plumber application $100; master renewal $160 biennial plus a required $3,000 surety bond; payable by check or money order only) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality | Board acknowledges receipt within 72 hours (weekends excluded) but publishes no total application-review time; approval is issued by letter after review |
| 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) | New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers (Division of Consumer Affairs) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — New Jersey sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review New Jersey's requirements on the New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers (Division of Consumer Affairs) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers (Division of Consumer Affairs) 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 New Jersey'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 does the Pennsylvania-to-New Jersey move cost and how long does it take?
$75–$100 (Journeyman plumber application $75 ($50 with prior NJ apprentice registration); master plumber application $100; master renewal $160 biennial plus a required $3,000 surety bond; payable by check or money order only), plus the exam and experience-documentation costs of qualifying as a new applicant. Processing time: Board acknowledges receipt within 72 hours (weekends excluded) but publishes no total application-review time; approval is issued by letter after review.
What happens to my Pennsylvania credential after I'm licensed in New Jersey?
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 New Jersey license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- NJ State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers (board home) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NJ Board of Master Plumbers — Reciprocity with Other States (as of 06/18/19) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NJ Board of Master Plumbers — Application Process Overview (fees, requirements) ↗ (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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