Plumber License from South Carolina to Ohio: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Ohio accept a South Carolina plumbing license?
Yes — Ohio has a reciprocity arrangement covering South Carolina license holders. Apply to the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) — Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance under its reciprocity/endorsement track and complete Ohio's remaining requirements.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Reciprocity agreement
South Carolina is on Ohio's reciprocity list, which puts this move on the streamlined track — on two conditions. Your South Carolina license must have been earned by examination, not grandfathered in, and be active and in good standing; where it is, Ohio waives its journeyman exam and the requirements below are what it still insists on. Ohio waives its OCILB plumbing trade exam only for applicants who currently hold a South Carolina or West Virginia plumbing license obtained by examination (not by grandfathering or reciprocity); an out-of-state licensee who instead got their license by grandfathering or reciprocity must take both the Ohio plumbing exam and the Ohio Business and Law exam, and every other applicant must qualify with five years of trade experience and pass the Ohio plumbing exam. One caution: these agreements are directional and revocable. This page's verification date is when we last confirmed South Carolina on Ohio's list; the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) — Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance link is the live truth.
What's different between South Carolina and Ohio
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Ohio. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
South Carolina to Ohio (this page): Reciprocity agreement.
Ohio to South Carolina (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.
The two directions differ: South Carolina and Ohio do not give each other's licensees the same route.
- Does coming from South Carolina matter?
Coming from South Carolina matters here: only 2 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Ohio.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (39) and no state license to transfer (9).
- Reciprocity agreements
Ohio's reciprocity agreement list names 2 states (South Carolina and West Virginia), including South Carolina.
- Application fee
Ohio lists $25 for an out-of-state applicant and South Carolina lists $135–$355 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Processing time
South Carolina lists 3–6 weeks for the reverse move; Ohio has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.
- Exam rules on record
Ohio and South Carolina carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Ohio (this move): Ohio waives its OCILB plumbing trade exam only for applicants who currently hold a South Carolina or West Virginia plumbing license obtained by examination (not by grandfathering or reciprocity); an out-of-state licensee who instead got their license by grandfathering or reciprocity must take both the Ohio plumbing exam and the Ohio Business and Law exam, and every other applicant must qualify with five years of trade experience and pass the Ohio plumbing exam
- South Carolina (the reverse 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
What changes, South Carolina → Ohio
| South Carolina (current) | Ohio (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $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) | $25 ($25.00 non-refundable reciprocity application fee per trade; proof of at least $500,000 contractor liability insurance required. Non-reciprocal applicants pay a $25 exam application fee plus BCI and FBI background-check costs.) |
| Processing time | 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) | No board-stated processing time; reciprocity applications are approved or denied by board review |
| Licensing authority | South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation — Residential Builders Commission | Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) — Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Ohio sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Ohio's current requirements on the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) — Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the reciprocity application to the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) — Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a current South Carolina or West Virginia plumbing license issued by examination and in good standing (West Virginia applicants must hold both a WV Master Plumber and a WV Contractor license).
- Submit a Reciprocity Verification of Licensure form certified with the originating state board's seal and exam score.
- Carry contractor liability insurance of at least $500,000.
- Assign the Ohio license to a registered contracting company (ORC 4740.01).
- Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep my South Carolina plumbing license after I'm licensed in Ohio?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the South Carolina 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.
- OCILB Examination Application (state commercial plumbing contractor license; $25 fee; five-year experience; trades include Plumbing) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- OCILB South Carolina Reciprocity Application (PL trade; exam waived for tested SC licensees; $25 per trade) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- OCILB West Virginia Mechanical Reciprocity Application (PL trade; must hold WV Master Plumber + WV Contractor license, tested not grandfathered) ↗ (accessed 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)
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