Plumber License from Texas to Alaska: Does It Transfer? (2026)

What's different between Texas and Alaska

Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Alaska. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.

Route, each way

Texas to Alaska (this page): Licensure by endorsement.

Alaska to Texas (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.

The route is the same in both directions.

Does coming from Texas matter?

Texas gets Alaska's most common result: 41 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get the same one, so for most movers the origin does not change the answer.

The others get: no state license to transfer (9).

Reciprocity agreements

Alaska's row names no reciprocity agreement states.

Texas's reciprocity agreement list names 2 states (Louisiana and Arkansas), not including Alaska.

Application fee

Alaska lists $50–$250 for an out-of-state applicant and Texas lists $40 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.

Processing time

Texas lists 4–6 weeks for the reverse move; Alaska has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.

Exam rules on record

Alaska and Texas carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.

• Alaska (this move): Alaska waives its plumber journeyman exam for an applicant who holds a plumbing journeyman certificate or license from any U.S. jurisdiction the department finds has substantially similar requirements (judged on required work hours, a testing requirement, and registered-apprenticeship membership); an applicant from a jurisdiction that is not substantially similar must document 8,000 hours and pass the Alaska journeyman exam (70% to pass). No bilateral agreement is required — any qualifying jurisdiction is eligible (per 8 AAC 90.111/.112, effective Aug 8, 2025).
• Texas (the reverse move): Texas waives its journeyman plumber examination only for plumbers currently licensed in Louisiana or Arkansas, who may qualify for a reciprocal Texas license; every other out-of-state journeyman or master plumber (currently licensed and having held that license at least two years) must apply for an Out-of-State Examination and pass the Texas computer-based (Pearson VUE) written exam plus the practical journeyman exam

What changes, Texas → Alaska

The destination column is what you must satisfy — Alaska sets the rules for this move.

Step by step

1. Confirm Alaska's current requirements on the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development — Labor Standards and Safety Division, Mechanical Inspection Section website (linked below) — rules change.
2. Submit the endorsement application to the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development — Labor Standards and Safety Division, Mechanical Inspection Section (application linked below).
3. Arrange license verification from your current state.
4. Hold a current plumbing journeyman certificate/license from another U.S. jurisdiction, held at least one full year (for a provisional certificate and for reciprocity).
5. Document 8,000 hours of legally obtained plumbing work experience if applying by examination (up to 1,000 classroom hours may substitute).
6. Pass the Alaska plumber journeyman examination (70%) unless licensed in a substantially similar jurisdiction.
7. Provisional (1-year) certificate holders may not perform fuel gas work.
8. Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.

Official links

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