Hawaii to Louisiana: journeyman plumber license reciprocity
Louisiana has no reciprocity agreement with Hawaii. A Hawaii journeyman plumber applies by endorsement.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Out-of-state plumbing license accepted as exam eligibility (all states other than Texas and Arkansas)
The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.
A plumber who holds a valid, unexpired plumbing license from any other state may use it to qualify for the Louisiana Journeyman Plumber exam in place of Louisiana apprentice registration and the 7,000/8,000-hour payroll documentation. The applicant attaches a copy of the out-of-state license to the standard journeyman application for Board approval; the journeyman application states that 'Only States that require at least 8,000 hours on-the-job training will be accepted', so a license from a state with a lower hour threshold will be refused. Nothing else is waived: the applicant files the notarized application at least 30 days before a quarterly exam with $135, passes the 80-question written exam on the 2021 International Plumbing Code and International Residential Code and the 1-hour practical (floor plan, screw pipe and copper projects) with 70% in each category, then pays $50 for the initial license. There is no separate law or business exam at the journeyman level. Once licensed, the journeyman must be employed by a licensed Louisiana master company to work and renews annually before December 31 with continuing education.
R.S. Act 908 of 2026 moves plumbing licensing to the LSLBC; requirements may change after the transfer.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your Hawaii license must be active and in good standing.
- The origin state must require at least 8,000 hours of on-the-job training for the license held; licenses obtained with fewer hours are not approvedJourneyman application, eligibility paragraph c, and the licenses page out-of-state note.
- You must document at least 8,000 hours of qualifying work experience.The out-of-state license stands in for the 8,000 hours (unindentured) or 7,000 hours (indentured) of Louisiana apprentice payroll documentation that in-state applicants must submit.
What you'll do to get licensed in Louisiana
- 1Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($125). Journeyman Plumber Exam Fee payable to SPBLA by check or money order with the notarized application (filed at least 30 days before the quarterly exam date; forfeited for no-show or cancellation under 30 days, 50% retained for earlier withdrawal).
- 2Application fee. Pay the application fee ($10). Processing Charge added to the exam fee ($135 total).
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Board-administered Journeyman Plumber exam in Baton Rouge or Shreveport: 80-question, 3-hour written exam on the 2021 International Plumbing Code and 2021 International Residential Code plus a 1-hour practical (floor plan, screw pipe and copper projects); minimum 70% in each category; a passed part is kept for one year.
- 4License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($50). Initial Journeyman License fee paid with the Initial Journeyman License form after passing; license expires December 31 each year (renewal fee not published on the pages reviewed).
- 5Other. Copy of the valid out-of-state plumbing license attached to the notarized application; applicants convicted of a plumbing-related felony must contact the Board.
- 6Other. Temporary Work Permit ($75, one per lifetime) allowing an approved candidate to work as a journeyman until the scheduled exam date (if applicable).
- 7Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Continuing education every year through an SPBLA-approved provider before the December 31 renewal (hour count for journeymen not stated on the pages reviewed).
Published fees on this path total $185, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.
What you'll need to buy or arrange
Exam preparation
Most boards contract PSI, Prov, or ICC for exams. Check which code edition the exam is written to before buying a prep course.
- Exam fee · $125
- Trade exam
Continuing education
Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.
- Continuing education
How Louisiana licenses journeyman plumbers
Louisiana journeyman plumber · “Journeyman Plumber”
Statewide license
Issued by State Plumbing Board of Louisiana (SPBLA)
Louisiana licenses Journeyman Plumbers statewide through the State Plumbing Board of Louisiana (SPBLA), which also registers apprentices and licenses Residential Plumbers, Master Plumbers, natural gas fitters and medical gas and WSPS endorsements. A new in-state applicant must be a registered apprentice with 7,000 hours (indentured, in a Louisiana Workforce Commission-approved program) or 8,000 hours (unindentured) of supervised plumbing work documented by payroll records or W-2s, file a notarized application with $135 ($125 exam + $10 processing), and pass a Board-administered 80-question, 3-hour written exam on the 2021 IPC/IRC plus a 1-hour practical, scoring at least 70% in each category. The first license costs $50; licenses expire December 31 each year and renewal requires annual continuing education (hours for journeymen are not stated on the pages reviewed). A journeyman works under a licensed Louisiana Master Plumber and must be employed by a licensed master company for the license to be 'workable'. The Board has signed journeyman reciprocity agreements only with Texas and Arkansas; a plumbing license from any other state qualifies the holder to sit the Louisiana journeyman exam without Louisiana apprentice registration, provided the origin state required at least 8,000 on-the-job hours. Act 908 of the 2026 session transfers plumbing licensing to the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors; the transition was under public discussion in late 2026 and no changed requirements had been published.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Louisiana journeyman plumber exam if I'm licensed in Hawaii?
- Yes. Louisiana requires the trade exam on this path.
- What does it cost to get a Louisiana journeyman plumber license from Hawaii?
- Published fees on this path total $185, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Hawaii work hours count in Louisiana?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Louisiana's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Louisiana to Hawaii?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Louisiana to Hawaii, the mechanism is experience credit.
Sources
- SPBLA home page - 'Open Discussion: Plumbing Licensing Transition' (Act 908 of the 2026 Legislative Session) · State Plumbing Board of Louisiana · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- SPBLA - Journeyman Plumber Exam Application and Candidate Bulletin · State Plumbing Board of Louisiana · Form · verified September 16, 2026
- State Plumbing Board of Louisiana - Licenses (Apprentice, Residential Plumber, Journeyman Plumber, Master Plumber, WSPS, Medical Gas, Natural Gas) · State Plumbing Board of Louisiana · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.