Plumber License from Pennsylvania to Tennessee: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Department of Commerce and Insurance) ↗
No — Tennessee has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Pennsylvania plumbing license holders. You must apply to the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Department of Commerce and Insurance) as a new applicant and meet Tennessee's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
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Verdict
Full re-application
Tennessee has no plumbing reciprocity or endorsement covering Pennsylvania, so this is a full journeyman application either way. Tennessee does not waive its Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP) trade exam for out-of-state plumbers; the LLP exam is expressly non-reciprocal and every applicant must pass it (the only exam waiver is for reinstating an expired Tennessee LLP). Tennessee licenses journeyman and master plumbers only at the local city/county level, not statewide. The productive plan: gather proof of the apprenticeship or on-the-job hours you logged in Pennsylvania, register for Tennessee's journeyman exam, and treat your experience as exam preparation and as credit toward Tennessee's experience requirement. Budget a new-applicant timeline and order your certified license history early — it is the long-lead item.
One thing to check first: because Pennsylvania licenses plumbers only at the contractor level or through cities and counties, you may not hold the kind of state license earned by examination that some boards ask for. Document your hours and any local license or certification you do hold; the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Department of Commerce and Insurance) will weigh them toward its experience requirement even though they do not trigger a waiver.
What changes, Pennsylvania → Tennessee
| Pennsylvania (current) | Tennessee (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. | $75 ($75 two-year LLP license/application fee ($50 non-refundable); LLP exam fee ~$55 paid to PSI/Prov separately; a state Contractor license with a plumbing (CMC/MC) classification is a separate, higher fee for work of $25,000 or more) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality. | No board-stated processing time; applications needing experience or felony review are heard at the Board's bi-monthly meetings (January, March, May, July, September, November) |
| 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) | Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Department of Commerce and Insurance) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Tennessee sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Tennessee's initial-licensure requirements on the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Department of Commerce and Insurance) website (linked below).
- Expect to meet Tennessee's education/experience requirements and pass its required exams — prior out-of-state licensure may still count toward experience.
- Submit the standard (new applicant) application with fees ($75 ($75 two-year LLP license/application fee ($50 non-refundable); LLP exam fee ~$55 paid to PSI/Prov separately; a state Contractor license with a plumbing (CMC/MC) classification is a separate, higher fee for work of $25,000 or more)).
- Allow No board-stated processing time; applications needing experience or felony review are heard at the Board's bi-monthly meetings (January, March, May, July, September, November).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Tennessee accept a Pennsylvania plumbing license?
No — Tennessee has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Pennsylvania plumbing license holders. You must apply to the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Department of Commerce and Insurance) as a new applicant and meet Tennessee's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
Which exam applies moving from Pennsylvania to Tennessee?
Tennessee does not waive its Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP) trade exam for out-of-state plumbers; the LLP exam is expressly non-reciprocal and every applicant must pass it (the only exam waiver is for reinstating an expired Tennessee LLP). Tennessee licenses journeyman and master plumbers only at the local city/county level, not statewide.
What does the Pennsylvania-to-Tennessee move cost and how long does it take?
$75 ($75 two-year LLP license/application fee ($50 non-refundable); LLP exam fee ~$55 paid to PSI/Prov separately; a state Contractor license with a plumbing (CMC/MC) classification is a separate, higher fee for work of $25,000 or more); processing No board-stated processing time; applications needing experience or felony review are heard at the Board's bi-monthly meetings (January, March, May, July, September, November), plus the exam and experience-documentation costs of qualifying as a new applicant.
Can I keep my Pennsylvania plumbing license after I'm licensed in Tennessee?
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.
- TN Commerce & Insurance — Limited Licensed Plumbers (LLP) program page ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- TN Board for Licensing Contractors — LLP Application ($75 fee, 1-year experience, 40-question exam, local-license exemptions, exam waiver only for reinstatement) ↗ (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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