Plumber License from Pennsylvania to Utah: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Utah accept a Pennsylvania plumbing license?
There is no Pennsylvania state license to carry to Utah: Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. Utah does license this work, so ask the Utah Department of Commerce — Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) 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 Utah to verify or endorse. Utah does license plumbers, through the Utah Department of Commerce — Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL), 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. Utah waives its Journeyman Plumber Theory and Practical examinations for an applicant who holds an equivalent state- or territory-wide journeyman plumber license (per DOPL's published endorsement map) that has been active and in good standing for at least one year; applicants from jurisdictions with no equivalent statewide license, or that DOPL deems non-equivalent, must document Utah's required apprenticeship experience and pass the Utah Plumbers Theory and Practical exams.
What's different between Pennsylvania and Utah
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Utah. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Pennsylvania to Utah (this page): No state license to transfer.
Utah 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 Utah.
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 Utah's.
- Exam rules on record
Utah and Pennsylvania carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Utah (this move): Utah waives its Journeyman Plumber Theory and Practical examinations for an applicant who holds an equivalent state- or territory-wide journeyman plumber license (per DOPL's published endorsement map) that has been active and in good standing for at least one year; applicants from jurisdictions with no equivalent statewide license, or that DOPL deems non-equivalent, must document Utah's required apprenticeship experience and pass the Utah Plumbers Theory and Practical exams
- 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 → Utah
| Pennsylvania (current) | Utah (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 | $110–$116 ($110 journeyman plumber application fee (all plumber classifications) plus $5 education-fund and $1 e-library surcharges; $68 biennial renewal; no fingerprint requirement for plumber applicants; optional $75 priority processing) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality | No board-stated standard processing time; DOPL offers a $75 priority application processing fee to expedite |
| 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) | Utah Department of Commerce — Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Utah sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Utah's requirements on the Utah Department of Commerce — Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the Utah Department of Commerce — Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) 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 Utah'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-Utah move cost and how long does it take?
$110–$116 ($110 journeyman plumber application fee (all plumber classifications) plus $5 education-fund and $1 e-library surcharges; $68 biennial renewal; no fingerprint requirement for plumber applicants; optional $75 priority processing), plus the exam and experience-documentation costs of qualifying as a new applicant. Processing time: No board-stated standard processing time; DOPL offers a $75 priority application processing fee to expedite.
What happens to my Pennsylvania credential after I'm licensed in Utah?
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 Utah license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Utah DOPL — Endorsement to Utah: Journeyman Plumber (equivalency map; Utah Code 58-55 qualifications; 1-year/good-standing rule) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Utah DOPL — Apply for a Journeyman Plumber License (8,000 hours; theory & practical exams; endorsement pathway) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Utah DOPL — Fee Schedule FY 2025-2026 (Plumber, all classifications: $110 application / $68 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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