Plumber License from Pennsylvania to Oregon: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Oregon accept a Pennsylvania plumbing license?
There is no Pennsylvania state license to carry to Oregon: Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. Oregon does license this work, so ask the Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD) — Department of Consumer and Business Services 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 Oregon to verify or endorse. Oregon does license plumbers, through the Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD) — Department of Consumer and Business Services, 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. Oregon waives its journeyman plumber (JP) exam only for applicants who hold an equivalent or higher journeyman plumber license, earned by testing, in a state Oregon has a JP reciprocity agreement with — currently only Idaho and Montana; every other out-of-state plumber must qualify through experience and training and pass the Oregon journeyman exam.
What's different between Pennsylvania and Oregon
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Oregon. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Pennsylvania to Oregon (this page): No state license to transfer.
Oregon 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 Oregon.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (39) and reciprocity agreement (2).
- Reciprocity agreements
Oregon's reciprocity agreement list names 2 states (Idaho and Montana), 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 Oregon's.
- Exam rules on record
Oregon and Pennsylvania carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Oregon (this move): Oregon waives its journeyman plumber (JP) exam only for applicants who hold an equivalent or higher journeyman plumber license, earned by testing, in a state Oregon has a JP reciprocity agreement with — currently only Idaho and Montana; every other out-of-state plumber must qualify through experience and training and pass the Oregon journeyman 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 → Oregon
| Pennsylvania (current) | Oregon (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 | $100 ($100 journeyman plumber license application fee (OAR 918-780-0030); biennial renewal $180 including a $30 continuing-education tracking fee. OAR 918-780-0030 lists no separate reciprocal-license fee, so the standard $100 application fee applies.) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality | No board-stated processing time for reciprocal license issuance (the two-week figure the division cites applies to exam results, which reciprocity applicants do not take) |
| 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) | Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD) — Department of Consumer and Business Services |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Oregon sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Oregon's requirements on the Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD) — Department of Consumer and Business Services website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD) — Department of Consumer and Business Services 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 Oregon'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 Oregon?
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 Oregon license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Oregon BCD — Reciprocal licenses (Journeyman Plumbers: Idaho and Montana) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Oregon BCD — Journeyman plumber license (application requirements) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- OAR 918-780-0030 — Plumbing License Fees ($100 journeyman application; $180 biennial renewal) ↗ (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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