Plumber License from Pennsylvania to North Dakota: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does North Dakota accept a Pennsylvania plumbing license?
There is no Pennsylvania state license to carry to North Dakota: Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. North Dakota does license this work, so ask the North Dakota State Plumbing Board 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 North Dakota to verify or endorse. North Dakota does license plumbers, through the North Dakota State Plumbing Board, 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. North Dakota waives its journeyman (and master) plumber examination for applicants who hold a current, good-standing license issued under the substantially-equivalent laws of Minnesota, Montana, or South Dakota; reciprocity requires a Certificate of Endorsement from the home-state board (Minnesota licenses must have been held at least one year, and South Dakota journeyman reciprocity additionally requires state residency). All other out-of-state plumbers must pass the North Dakota journeyman written and practical examinations.
What's different between Pennsylvania and North Dakota
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into North Dakota. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Pennsylvania to North Dakota (this page): No state license to transfer.
North Dakota 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 North Dakota.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (38) and reciprocity agreement (3).
- Reciprocity agreements
North Dakota's reciprocity agreement list names 3 states (Minnesota, Montana, and 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 North Dakota's.
- Exam rules on record
North Dakota and Pennsylvania carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- North Dakota (this move): North Dakota waives its journeyman (and master) plumber examination for applicants who hold a current, good-standing license issued under the substantially-equivalent laws of Minnesota, Montana, or South Dakota; reciprocity requires a Certificate of Endorsement from the home-state board (Minnesota licenses must have been held at least one year, and South Dakota journeyman reciprocity additionally requires state residency). All other out-of-state plumbers must pass the North Dakota journeyman written and practical examinations.
- 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 → North Dakota
| Pennsylvania (current) | North Dakota (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 | $150–$250 ($50 application fee (N.D. Admin. Code 62-02-01-01) plus the license fee — journeyman $100 (total $150) or master $200 (total $250, statutory maximums under NDCC ch. 43-18); a separate $50 examination fee applies only to applicants who must test, so reciprocity (endorsement) applicants avoid it) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality | No board-stated processing time; examination applicants are tested at the next regular board meeting |
| 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) | North Dakota State Plumbing Board |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — North Dakota sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review North Dakota's requirements on the North Dakota State Plumbing Board website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the North Dakota State Plumbing Board 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 North Dakota'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 North Dakota?
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 North Dakota license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- ND State Plumbing Board — FAQ (reciprocity with MN/MT/SD; exam fees; experience) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- ND State Plumbing Board — Plumber Licensure (reciprocity statute; license fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- ND State Plumbing Board — License/Renewal Fees (journeyman $100, master $200) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- N.D. Admin. Code Article 62-02-01 Plumber Licensure ($50 application fee 62-02-01-01, $100 journeyman license fee, $50 examination fee 62-02-01-02) ↗ (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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