Maine to Iowa: journeyman plumber license reciprocity
Iowa has no reciprocity agreement with Maine. A Maine 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 journeyman plumber (all states except South Dakota): Iowa exam required; licensure by verification for Iowa residents
The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.
Iowa has no plumbing reciprocity agreement with any state other than South Dakota, so a journeyman plumber from any other state must pass the Iowa journeyperson plumbing exam. An applicant who has established Iowa residency may apply for licensure by verification under Iowa Code 272C.12 and 481 IAC 430.4: the origin state sends a verification form directly to the board confirming the license is in good standing and was earned by meeting that state's experience requirements and exam, and the applicant supplies proof of residency and a criminal history statement; the board nevertheless requires proof of passing the applicable Iowa licensing exam and may issue a temporary license in the meantime. A non-resident applies through the ordinary exam route: the $35 Exam Approval Application, the Kirkwood-administered journeyperson plumbing exam ($119 per attempt, 75% to pass, approval valid one year), then the post-examination licensure application and a prorated three-year license fee ($180 for a full term). Exam eligibility on DIAL's page is either the U.S. DOL apprenticeship certificate of completion or a master-level plumbing license from another jurisdiction; a journeyman license alone is not listed as a substitute for the apprenticeship. An Iowa resident arriving from a jurisdiction that did not license plumbers may substitute three years of full-time plumbing work in the last four years under 481 IAC 430.5 and must still pass the exam.
The exam fee is set by Kirkwood Community College ($119 per attempt on Kirkwood's page; DIAL's license pages still show older figures of $99 and $95). DIAL's journey page lists an out-of-state master license as an alternative to the apprenticeship and offers a 'Journey by Master' application, but Iowa Code 105.18 requires every journeyperson to pass the state exam, so this path treats the exam as required; ask the board whether your master license lets you skip it. The board's published materials do not say whether an out-of-state journeyman license without a DOL apprenticeship certificate satisfies the apprenticeship requirement for a non-resident. DIAL publishes up to two weeks for exam approval and up to six weeks for application review, not counting exam scheduling.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your Maine license must be active and in good standing.
- You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.For licensure by verification: no revocation, voluntary surrender under investigation, unresolved discipline or pending complaint in any jurisdiction (272C.12; 481 IAC 430.4(3)).
- Your Maine license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
- Licensure by verification requires established Iowa residency or a military spouse's permanent change of station to Iowa (272C.12; 481 IAC 430.4); non-residents use the standard exam route
- Exam eligibility: four years as an apprentice in a U.S. DOL Office of Apprenticeship-registered program (certificate of completion), or a master-level plumbing license from another jurisdiction (DIAL journey page; Iowa Code 105.18)
- You must document at least 3 years of qualifying work experience.
What you'll do to get licensed in Iowa
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($35). Exam Approval Application fee, per trade discipline exam (DIAL fees page).
- 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Iowa Journeyperson Plumber with Gas examination administered through Kirkwood Community College at community college test centers in 16 Iowa cities; open book; 75% to pass; exam approval valid one year; also required of licensure-by-verification applicants under 481 IAC 430.4.
- 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($119). Kirkwood Community College examination fee, paid to Kirkwood for each attempt; non-refundable.
- 4License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($180). Journeyperson license fee for a full three-year term (July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2029), prorated by half-year for later issuance (e.g. $90 for Jan-Jun of year 2); same amount for a license by verification.
- 5Application fee. Pay the application fee ($25) (if applicable). Paper application fee if not filed through the DIAL online licensing portal.
- 6Background check. Complete a background check. Documentation of any criminal convictions (felony convictions reviewed by the board); licensure-by-verification applicants submit a complete criminal record and any disciplinary documents (481 IAC 430.4). Lawful presence is verified through SAVE..
- 7Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Eight classroom hours of board-approved continuing education per three-year term to renew (Iowa Code 105.20); not required for initial licensure.
Published fees on this path total $334, 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.
- Trade exam
- Exam fee · $119
Continuing education
Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.
- Continuing education
How Iowa licenses journeyman plumbers
Iowa journeyman plumber · “Journeyperson Plumber”
Statewide license
Issued by Iowa Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board, Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL)
Iowa issues a statewide, person-held Journeyperson Plumber license through the Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board (PMSB), now part of the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL); Iowa Code 105.17 preempts all city and county plumber licensing. A journeyperson works under the supervision of a master plumber. A new applicant must be 18, disclose any criminal convictions, complete four years as an apprentice in a U.S. Department of Labor-registered apprenticeship, and pass the Iowa journeyperson plumbing exam, which is approved by the board ($35 application) and administered through Kirkwood Community College ($119 per attempt, 75% to pass). Iowa's only reciprocity agreement is with the South Dakota State Plumbing Commission (May 2016) and covers journeyperson and master plumbers licensed by written examination; every other out-of-state journeyman must pass the Iowa exam, although a master plumber licensed in another jurisdiction may qualify for the Iowa journey license without the apprenticeship. Licenses run on a three-year cycle (current period ends June 30, 2029) with a full-term fee of $180, prorated for mid-cycle issuance, and renewal requires eight hours of board-approved continuing education per term.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Iowa journeyman plumber exam if I'm licensed in Maine?
- Yes. Iowa requires the trade exam on this path.
- What does it cost to get a Iowa journeyman plumber license from Maine?
- Published fees on this path total $334, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Maine work hours count in Iowa?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Iowa's eligibility requirements.
Sources
- Iowa Code Chapter 105 - Plumbers, Mechanical Professionals, and Contractors (2026) · Iowa Code 105.2, 105.17, 105.18, 105.19, 105.20, 105.21 · Iowa Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- Iowa Code §272C.12 - Licensure of persons licensed in other jurisdictions · Iowa Code §272C.12 · Iowa Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026
- DIAL - Plumbing & Mechanical Systems License Period & Fees · 481 IAC ch. 428 · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL), Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- DIAL - Journey Level License (plumbing, mechanical, HVAC, refrigeration, sheet metal, hydronic) · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL), Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- DIAL - Master Level License (plumbing, mechanical, HVAC, refrigeration, sheet metal, hydronic) · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL), Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Iowa Administrative Code 481 Chapter 429 - Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board Application, Licensure, and Examination · 481 IAC 429.2, 429.6 · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
- Iowa Administrative Code 481 Chapter 430 - Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board Alternative Licensure Pathways · 481 IAC 430.3, 430.4, 430.5 · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
- Kirkwood Community College - State Disciplines (Iowa plumbing and mechanical examinations) · Kirkwood Community College, the Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board's contracted exam provider · Form · verified September 23, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.