Plumber License from Pennsylvania to Rhode Island: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Rhode Island accept a Pennsylvania plumbing license?
There is no Pennsylvania state license to carry to Rhode Island: Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. Rhode Island does license this work, so ask the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) — Division of Professional Regulation, State Board of Examiners of Plumbers 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 Rhode Island to verify or endorse. Rhode Island does license plumbers, through the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) — Division of Professional Regulation, State Board of Examiners of Plumbers, 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. 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's different between Pennsylvania and Rhode Island
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Rhode Island. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Pennsylvania to Rhode Island (this page): No state license to transfer.
Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island.
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 Rhode Island's.
- Exam rules on record
Rhode Island and Pennsylvania carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Rhode Island (this move): 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
- 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 → 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
- Review Rhode Island's 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.
- Ask the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) — Division of Professional Regulation, State Board of Examiners of Plumbers 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 Rhode Island'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 Rhode Island?
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 Rhode Island license.
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 the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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