Plumber License from Pennsylvania to South Carolina: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does South Carolina accept a Pennsylvania plumbing license?
There is no Pennsylvania state license to carry to South Carolina: Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. South Carolina does license this work, so ask the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation — Residential Builders Commission 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 South Carolina to verify or endorse. South Carolina does license plumbers, through the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation — Residential Builders Commission, 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. South Carolina waives only the technical (Residential Plumbing) portion of its exam for an applicant who holds a residential plumbing license obtained BY EXAMINATION, current and in good standing, in North Carolina or Mississippi — the only two states with a residential-plumbing Exam Waiver Agreement (grandfathered or waived-in licensees do not qualify); every applicant, including waiver applicants, must still pass the South Carolina Business Management and Law exam, and all others must pass both the Residential Plumbing technical exam and the Business/Law exam.
What's different between Pennsylvania and South Carolina
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into South Carolina. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Pennsylvania to South Carolina (this page): No state license to transfer.
South Carolina 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 South Carolina.
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 South Carolina's.
- Exam rules on record
South Carolina and Pennsylvania carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- South Carolina (this move): South Carolina waives only the technical (Residential Plumbing) portion of its exam for an applicant who holds a residential plumbing license obtained BY EXAMINATION, current and in good standing, in North Carolina or Mississippi — the only two states with a residential-plumbing Exam Waiver Agreement (grandfathered or waived-in licensees do not qualify); every applicant, including waiver applicants, must still pass the South Carolina Business Management and Law exam, and all others must pass both the Residential Plumbing technical exam and the Business/Law 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 → South Carolina
| Pennsylvania (current) | South Carolina (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 | $135–$355 ($135 application processing fee plus a $220 license fee due after passing the exam(s), both payable to LLR-Residential Builders Commission; PSI exam fees paid separately to PSI; $10,000 surety bond required if work exceeds $5,000; renews biennially by June 30 of odd years) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality | 3–6 weeks (Commission staff review applications within 15 business days; allow another 15 business days if additional information is requested; license issued within 3 business days after approval) |
| 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) | South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation — Residential Builders Commission |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — South Carolina sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review South Carolina's requirements on the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation — Residential Builders Commission website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation — Residential Builders Commission 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 South Carolina'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-South Carolina move cost and how long does it take?
$135–$355 ($135 application processing fee plus a $220 license fee due after passing the exam(s), both payable to LLR-Residential Builders Commission; PSI exam fees paid separately to PSI; $10,000 surety bond required if work exceeds $5,000; renews biennially by June 30 of odd years), plus the exam and experience-documentation costs of qualifying as a new applicant. Processing: 3–6 weeks (Commission staff review applications within 15 business days; allow another 15 business days if additional information is requested; license issued within 3 business days after approval).
What happens to my Pennsylvania credential after I'm licensed in South Carolina?
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 South Carolina license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- SC Residential Builders Commission — Residential Plumbing Contractor FAQ (fees, NC/MS technical-exam waiver, bond, renewal) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- SC Contractor's Licensing Board — Reciprocity/Waiver Agreements (commercial plumbing PB: Ohio, Tennessee CMC/CMC-A, MASC Master Plumbing) ↗ (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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