Hawaii to Virginia: journeyman plumber license reciprocity
Virginia 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.
Universal License Recognition or exam eligibility for out-of-state journeymen (no named origin states)
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 journeyman plumber licensed by any other state or governing body, with no DPOR-named state reciprocity partner for plumbing, has two routes. If the current license has been held for at least three years, was obtained by examination in a jurisdiction that also required education, training or experience, and there are no unresolved complaints or investigations, the applicant files the Tradesman Universal License Recognition form (A501-2710ULR) for a Licensed Journeyman Plumbing (PLB) license, which DPOR issues without the Virginia trade examination; every board that has licensed the applicant must send a Certification of Licensure/Letter of Good Standing dated within 90 days directly to the Tradesmen Program, and DPOR reserves the right to require an exam specific to Virginia law (Va. Code 54.1-205). If the license is younger than three years or was not obtained by exam, the out-of-state journeyman or master license still qualifies the applicant to sit the PSI Virginia journeyman plumbing exam ($100) through the Tradesman Exam & License Application ($171.75) without documenting years of experience. The form accepts a license from a 'governing body located outside the Commonwealth,' so city- or commission-issued plumber licenses (including WSSC) can be listed the same way. WSSC holders should ask the Board whether the unpublished WSSC examination-reciprocity terms apply instead of ULR.
No agreements[] rows: DPOR's reciprocal list does not name an origin state for plumbing. WSSC is not a state code. The ULR form (v2, 2023) prints $130 while the 2026 exam/license form charges $171.75 including the technology fee; DPOR had not republished the ULR form with the technology fee as of this verification. General ULR page says one year of licensure; the tradesman form requires three years. Whether DPOR actually imposes a Virginia-law exam on tradesman ULR applicants is not stated on the pages retrieved.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
- Typical processing
- About 30 days
What you must already have
- You must have held your Hawaii license for at least 3 years.ULR route only: current out-of-state journeyman or master plumber license held at least three years (form A501-2710ULR). DPOR's general ULR page states one year.
- Your Hawaii license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
- Your Hawaii license must be active and in good standing.
- You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.
What you'll do to get licensed in Virginia
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($130). Tradesman Universal License Recognition application fee as printed on form A501-2710ULR (2023); non-refundable. 18VAC50-30-90 lists original tradesman license without examination at $150; the 2026 Exam & License Application charges $171.75 including the technology fee..
- 2Other. Certification of Licensure/Letter of Good Standing from each board where licensed, sent directly to the Board for Contractors - Tradesmen Program and dated within 90 days.
- 3Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam (if applicable). DPOR may require an examination specific to Virginia law under Va. Code 54.1-205.
- 4Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam (if applicable). Only for applicants who do not meet the ULR criteria: PSI Virginia journeyman plumbing exam (published $100; cap $200 under 18VAC50-30-100) via the Tradesman Exam & License Application ($171.75), for which an out-of-state journeyman or master plumber license is itself the qualification.
- 5Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($100) (if applicable). PSI journeyman tradesman exam fee published on the Tradesmen program page; paid to the exam vendor when the exam is required..
- 6Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Three hours of board-approved continuing education relating to applicable plumbing building-code changes each three-year renewal cycle (18VAC50-30-120(C); Va. Code § 54.1-1133).
- 7License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($160). Tradesman license renewal fee (18VAC50-30-120(G)); licenses expire three years from the last day of the month of issuance; non-refundable.
- 8Contractor license. Hold or obtain a contractor license (if applicable). Class A, B or C Virginia contractor license from the Board for Contractors if contracting for work over $1,000.
Published fees on this path total $290, 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.
- Law / code exam · if applicable
- Trade exam · if applicable
Continuing education
Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.
- Continuing education
Business registration
If you plan to contract in your own name, budget for a business license or entity registration on top of the trade license.
- Contractor license · if applicable
How Virginia licenses journeyman plumbers
Virginia journeyman plumber · “Journeyman Plumbing Tradesman (PLB)”
Statewide license
Issued by Virginia Board for Contractors, Tradesmen Program (DPOR)
Virginia issues a statewide Journeyman Plumbing tradesman license to individuals (never to companies) through the Board for Contractors' Tradesmen Program at the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). A first-time applicant qualifies for the PSI journeyman plumbing exam under 18VAC50-30-39(B) with a combination of practical experience and vocational training (four years plus 240 hours down to seven years plus 40 hours), a related degree plus experience, or eight years of verified experience; a registered Virginia apprenticeship can exempt the exam. The application fee on the 2026 Tradesman Exam & License Application is $171.75, which includes the $7.25-per-year technology fee on top of the $150 fee in 18VAC50-30-90; the PSI journeyman exam fee published on the Tradesmen page is $100. A journeyman or master plumber license from another governing body outside Virginia is itself an accepted qualification to sit the Virginia exam without documenting hours, and a licensee who has held that out-of-state license for at least three years may instead apply through Universal License Recognition (ULR) and receive the license without the Virginia trade exam. DPOR's reciprocal-agreements list does not name any origin state for plumbing (the only plumbing-related partner is WSSC, a Maryland bi-county commission, not a state). Licenses expire three years from the last day of the month of issuance; renewal is $160 plus three hours of board-approved plumbing building-code continuing education. Anyone contracting for work over $1,000 also needs a Class A, B or C contractor license. A separate Residential Plumbing license (April 1, 2025) is a lower residential-only rung and is not this journeyman credential.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Virginia journeyman plumber exam if I'm licensed in Hawaii?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
- How long do I need to have held my Hawaii license?
- At least 3 years before applying.
- What does it cost to get a Virginia journeyman plumber license from Hawaii?
- Published fees on this path total $290, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Hawaii work hours count in Virginia?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Virginia's eligibility requirements.
- How long does the application take?
- The board's published or typical processing time is about 30 days.
- Does it work the other way, from Virginia to Hawaii?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Virginia to Hawaii, the mechanism is experience credit.
Sources
- 18VAC50-30-100 - Examination fees · 18VAC50-30-100 · Virginia Board for Contractors / Virginia Register · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
- 18VAC50-30-120 - Renewal · 18VAC50-30-120; Va. Code § 54.1-1133 · Virginia Board for Contractors / Virginia Register · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
- 18VAC50-30-39 - Qualifications for examination approval for a tradesman license · 18VAC50-30-39 · Virginia Board for Contractors / Virginia Register · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
- 18VAC50-30-90 - Fees for licensure and certification · 18VAC50-30-90 · Virginia Board for Contractors / Virginia Register · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
- Virginia Board for Contractors - Reciprocal Licensing/Examination Agreements with Other Jurisdictions · Virginia Board for Contractors (DPOR) · Agreement Document · verified September 16, 2026
- Form A501-2710EXLIC - Tradesman Exam & License Application (v8, 07/01/2026) · Virginia Board for Contractors (DPOR) · Form · verified September 16, 2026
- Form A501-2710ULR - Tradesman Universal License Recognition Application (v2, 08/14/2023) · Virginia Board for Contractors (DPOR) · Form · verified September 16, 2026
- DPOR Board for Contractors - Tradesmen Program · Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- DPOR - Universal License Recognition · Va. Code 54.1-204, 54.1-205 · Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation · 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.