Plumber License from Texas to Tennessee: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Tennessee accept a Texas plumbing license?
No — Tennessee has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Texas 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 any exams it requires that you have not already passed.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Full re-application
Tennessee has no plumbing reciprocity or endorsement covering Texas, 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 Texas, 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.
What's different between Texas and Tennessee
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Tennessee. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Texas to Tennessee (this page): Full re-application.
Tennessee to Texas (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.
The two directions differ: Texas and Tennessee do not give each other's licensees the same route.
- Does coming from Texas matter?
Coming from Texas does not change the answer: every origin (the other 49 states and DC) gets the same result for a move into Tennessee.
- Reciprocity agreements
Tennessee's row names no reciprocity agreement states.
Texas's reciprocity agreement list names 2 states (Louisiana and Arkansas), not including Tennessee.
- Application fee
Tennessee lists $75 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; Tennessee has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.
- Exam rules on record
Tennessee and Texas carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Tennessee (this move): 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
- 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 → Tennessee
| Texas (current) | Tennessee (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $40 ($40 non-refundable out-of-state journeyman examination processing fee to TSBPE ($25 for master); a separate computer-based test fee is payable to Pearson VUE on approval, plus IdentoGO fingerprint costs and the license issuance fee once passed; Louisiana/Arkansas applicants use the Reciprocal License Verification pathway) | $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 | 4–6 weeks (TSBPE states typical processing of 30-45 days for straightforward applications; longer with criminal history or unclear immigration status) | 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 | Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) | 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 any required exams you have not already passed — a national exam you passed often still counts, as can prior out-of-state licensure toward experience.
- Submit the standard (new applicant) application with fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
- 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
What does the Texas-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), plus the exam and experience-documentation costs of qualifying as a new applicant. Processing time: 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).
Can I keep my Texas plumbing license after I'm licensed in Tennessee?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Texas 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)
- TSBPE — Out-of-State Examination Application (LA/AR reciprocity banner; 2-year license; $40 journeyman fee; fingerprints; written + practical exam), Rev. March 2026 ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- TSBPE — License Types (Tradesman, Journeyman, Master Plumber) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- TSBPE — Printable Forms (Reciprocal License Verification, Louisiana and Arkansas only) ↗ (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