Plumber License from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Wisconsin accept a Pennsylvania plumbing license?
There is no Pennsylvania state license to carry to Wisconsin: Pennsylvania issues no statewide journeyman plumber license. Wisconsin does license this work, so ask the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) — Division of Professional Credentialing whether it credits a local license or your documented experience; otherwise you qualify as a new applicant.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
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 Wisconsin to verify or endorse. Wisconsin does license plumbers, through the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) — Division of Professional Credentialing, 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. Wisconsin does NOT waive its journeyman plumber examination for any out-of-state applicant and has no reciprocity agreements; every applicant must pass the Wisconsin journeyman plumber exam. Out-of-state plumbers qualify to sit that exam by 'comity' — documenting an out-of-state 5-year apprenticeship (minimum 576 hours of related instruction), or having passed a journeyman exam in another state and practiced at least 5 years under a license the Department finds substantially similar to Wis. Stat. ch. 145 — so no fresh Wisconsin apprenticeship is required, but the Wisconsin exam is mandatory.
What's different between Pennsylvania and Wisconsin
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Wisconsin. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Pennsylvania to Wisconsin (this page): No state license to transfer.
Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin.
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 Wisconsin's.
- Exam rules on record
Wisconsin and Pennsylvania carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Wisconsin (this move): Wisconsin does NOT waive its journeyman plumber examination for any out-of-state applicant and has no reciprocity agreements; every applicant must pass the Wisconsin journeyman plumber exam. Out-of-state plumbers qualify to sit that exam by 'comity' — documenting an out-of-state 5-year apprenticeship (minimum 576 hours of related instruction), or having passed a journeyman exam in another state and practiced at least 5 years under a license the Department finds substantially similar to Wis. Stat. ch. 145 — so no fresh Wisconsin apprenticeship is required, but the Wisconsin exam is mandatory
- 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 → Wisconsin
| Pennsylvania (current) | Wisconsin (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 | $180 ($180 journeyman plumber credential fee (4-year term) per the DSPS Trades fee schedule; a nonrefundable application fee and a journeyman examination fee are also collected and are calculated within LicensE (not itemized on the fee schedule). Master plumber term fee is $500) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality | DSPS does not publish a fixed processing time; the applicant is made exam-eligible after DSPS reviews the submitted application and documents |
| 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) | Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) — Division of Professional Credentialing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Wisconsin sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Wisconsin's requirements on the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) — Division of Professional Credentialing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Ask the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) — Division of Professional Credentialing 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 Wisconsin'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 Wisconsin?
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 Wisconsin license.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Wisconsin DSPS Form #3126 — Journeyman Plumber Application Information (comity / out-of-state pathways; every pathway still requires passing the Wisconsin exam) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Wisconsin DSPS — Trades Renewal Dates and Fees (Journeyman Plumber $180, 4-year term) ↗ (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
How we verify · All sources · Corrections log · spot an error? hello@licensereciprocity.com