Plumber License from Pennsylvania to Rhode Island: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) — Division of Professional Regulation, State Board of Examiners of Plumbers ↗
A plumbing license transfers from Pennsylvania to Rhode Island by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) — Division of Professional Regulation, State Board of Examiners of Plumbers, verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Rhode Island's endorsement requirements. Rhode Island waives its journeyperson plumber exam for an applicant duly licensed by examination in another state for the same classification, provided that state's requirements are the same as Rhode Island's; there is no fixed partner-state list, so eligibility is assessed case-by-case and any applicant who does not meet the equivalence test must pass the Rhode Island exam.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Pennsylvania is not among the states Rhode Island names for an automatic exam waiver, so this move runs on the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) — Division of Professional Regulation, State Board of Examiners of Plumbers's individual endorsement or equivalency review rather than a guarantee. Rhode Island waives its journeyperson plumber exam for an applicant duly licensed by examination in another state for the same classification, provided that state's requirements are the same as Rhode Island's; there is no fixed partner-state list, so eligibility is assessed case-by-case and any applicant who does not meet the equivalence test must pass the Rhode Island exam. 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 → Rhode Island
| Pennsylvania (current) | Rhode Island (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. | $72 (Journeyperson plumber license fee $72.00 (plus a $6.00 processing fee) per the RI DLT licensing portal; master plumber is $240.00. A separate initial reciprocity application fee could not be confirmed on an official page because the DLT application PDF was inaccessible.) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality. | No board-stated processing time. |
| 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) | Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) — Division of Professional Regulation, State Board of Examiners of Plumbers |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Rhode Island sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Rhode Island's current requirements on the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) — Division of Professional Regulation, State Board of Examiners of Plumbers website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) — Division of Professional Regulation, State Board of Examiners of Plumbers (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a current out-of-state journeyperson (or master) plumber license obtained by written examination for the same classification sought.
- Provide a statement from the issuing state's plumbing board attesting to licensure status, plus an affidavit that the applicant passed a written examination.
- Demonstrate requirements equivalent to Rhode Island's (the RI journeyperson path is 8,000 hours of on-the-job training under a master plumber plus related classroom instruction).
- Pay the fees ($72 (Journeyperson plumber license fee $72.00 (plus a $6.00 processing fee) per the RI DLT licensing portal; master plumber is $240.00. A separate initial reciprocity application fee could not be confirmed on an official page because the DLT application PDF was inaccessible.)) and allow No board-stated processing time..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Rhode Island accept a Pennsylvania plumbing license?
A plumbing license transfers from Pennsylvania to Rhode Island by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) — Division of Professional Regulation, State Board of Examiners of Plumbers, verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Rhode Island's endorsement requirements. Rhode Island waives its journeyperson plumber exam for an applicant duly licensed by examination in another state for the same classification, provided that state's requirements are the same as Rhode Island's; there is no fixed partner-state list, so eligibility is assessed case-by-case and any applicant who does not meet the equivalence test must pass the Rhode Island exam.
Which exam applies moving from Pennsylvania to Rhode Island?
Rhode Island waives its journeyperson plumber exam for an applicant duly licensed by examination in another state for the same classification, provided that state's requirements are the same as Rhode Island's; there is no fixed partner-state list, so eligibility is assessed case-by-case and any applicant who does not meet the equivalence test must pass the Rhode Island exam.
What does the Pennsylvania-to-Rhode Island move cost and how long does it take?
$72 (Journeyperson plumber license fee $72.00 (plus a $6.00 processing fee) per the RI DLT licensing portal; master plumber is $240.00. A separate initial reciprocity application fee could not be confirmed on an official page because the DLT application PDF was inaccessible.); processing No board-stated processing time..
Can I keep my Pennsylvania plumbing license after I'm licensed in Rhode Island?
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.
- RICR 260-30-15-9 — Licensing of Plumbers, Irrigators and Water System Installers (reciprocity-by-examination provision; journeyperson 8,000-hour path) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- RI.gov Licensing — Plumbers, Irrigators and Water Filtration fees (journeyperson $72, master $240, +$6 processing) ↗ (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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