North Carolina to West Virginia: journeyman plumber license reciprocity
North Carolina does not issue a statewide journeyman plumber license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is West Virginia's standard path for out-of-state applicants.
Your origin state does not issue a statewide license at this level, so there is no license to transfer. The destination's standard out-of-state path is shown; expect to meet it in full.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Out-of-state journeyman plumber: licensure without examination under the reciprocity rule and RECAP (no named partners)
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
West Virginia publishes no list of plumber reciprocity partner states. Under section 14 of the Division of Labor's plumbing rule (42CSR32), where another state licenses journeyman plumbers with requirements equivalent to West Virginia's, the Commissioner may grant a journeyman license without examination to a plumber from that state who proves compliance with every condition of the Review and Credential Acknowledgement Procedures Act (W. Va. Code 21-17-3(a)) and pays the $75 license fee. Those conditions are a current license in a similar occupation with comparable education, experience and exam requirements, held at least one year; having met that state's education and exam requirements; good standing everywhere licensed, with no revocation or surrender for negligence or misconduct and no pending complaint; no disqualifying criminal record; and established West Virginia residency. A plumber who worked for at least two years in a state that does not license plumbers may instead qualify on that work experience under W. Va. Code 21-17-4. Applicants who do not qualify take the Division's journeyman plumber exam through Prov ($59.95 per attempt, 70 percent to pass). The 2009 grandfather window in W. Va. Code 21-14-4(2) is closed.
Ohio's OCILB lists West Virginia Master Plumber for Ohio plumbing contractor reciprocity; that is Ohio inbound contractor licensing, not a WV journeyman agreement, so it is not listed under agreements.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your North Carolina license must be active and in good standing.
- You must have held your North Carolina license for at least 1 year.Required by W. Va. Code 21-17-3(a)(2), which 42CSR32 section 14.1 applies to plumbers licensed in other states.
- Your North Carolina license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
- You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.
- Established West Virginia residency (W. Va. Code 21-17-3(a)(5), applied through 42CSR32 section 14.1)
What you'll do to get licensed in West Virginia
- 1License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($75). Annual journeyman plumber license fee (42CSR32 section 9.1), paid to the West Virginia Division of Labor.
- 2Other. Review and Credential Acknowledgement Procedures (R.E.C.A.P.) forms, which the Division provides on request by email at [email protected] or by phone at (304) 356-3928 rather than as a download.
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam (if applicable). West Virginia journeyman plumber exam through Prov, required only if the Commissioner does not grant the license without examination: 80 questions in 3 hours, open book, 70 percent to pass (W. Va. Code 21-14-2(b); 42CSR32 section 10), with no waiting period to retake.
- 4Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($59.95) (if applicable). Prov exam fee per attempt when the exam is required, paid to Prov rather than the Division.
Published fees on this path total $75, 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 · if applicable
How West Virginia licenses journeyman plumbers
West Virginia journeyman plumber · “Journeyman plumber”
Statewide license
Issued by West Virginia Division of Labor, Licensing Section (Commissioner of Labor)
West Virginia issues a statewide Journeyman plumber license through the Division of Labor under W. Va. Code Chapter 21, Article 14 (Supervision of Plumbing Work). Since January 1, 2009 a person performing or offering to perform plumbing work in the state must hold a Commissioner of Labor license and carry it on the job; the statute defines a journeyman plumber as a person who has passed a written journeyman examination with a score of at least 70 percent and who is competent to instruct and supervise a plumber in training. A plumber-in-training registration (fee capped at $25) exists for persons who have not yet passed the journeyman exam. Out-of-state journeymen can apply under the reciprocity section of the Division's plumbing rule (42CSR32 section 14), which lets the Commissioner grant a license of the same classification without examination to a plumber licensed in a state with equivalent requirements who meets every condition of the Review and Credential Acknowledgement Procedures Act (W. Va. Code 21-17-3(a)), including holding the origin license for at least one year. The Division publishes no named plumber reciprocity partners. Plumbing contractor work is a separate Contractor Licensing Board license (W. Va. Code 30-42) and is not this credential.
Why North Carolina has nothing to transfer
North Carolina journeyman plumber · “Journeyman plumber (city or county card, where issued)”
Licensed by cities and counties
Issued by North Carolina cities and counties (no statewide journeyman plumber license)
North Carolina does not issue a statewide journeyman plumber license. The State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors licenses plumbing contractors (Class I for all structures and Class II for single-family detached dwellings) and optional Plumbing Technician classifications for employees of contractors or of state, local-government or private-educational employers; G.S. 87-21 never uses the word journeyman. A W-2 employee may perform plumbing work under a licensed plumbing contractor without holding a technician license, so the technician credential is not a true journeyman card and is not mapped here. Some cities and counties may still issue local journeyman or tradesman cards for work inside their inspection jurisdictions. An inbound journeyman should ask the local inspections department where the job is located; there is no state endorsement, reciprocity list or default path at this level.
How local licensing works in North Carolina
The municipalities listed are large inspection jurisdictions that historically have run local trades programs; confirm each city's current plumber/journeyman page before relying on a local card. Restricted Limited Plumbing Contractor (1,500 hours) and Plumbing Technician (2,500–3,000 hours) are state credentials of the contractor board, not municipal journeyman licenses.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the West Virginia journeyman plumber exam if I'm licensed in North Carolina?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
- How long do I need to have held my North Carolina license?
- At least 1 year before applying.
- What does it cost to get a West Virginia journeyman plumber license from North Carolina?
- Published fees on this path total $75, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my North Carolina work hours count in West Virginia?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward West Virginia's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from West Virginia to North Carolina?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from West Virginia to North Carolina, the mechanism is not applicable.
Sources
- W. Va. Code Chapter 21, Article 14 - Supervision of Plumbing Work (article index) · W. Va. Code 21-14 · West Virginia Legislature · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- W. Va. Code 21-14-2 - Definitions (journeyman plumber, master plumber, plumber in training, plumbing) · W. Va. Code 21-14-2 · West Virginia Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- W. Va. Code 21-14-3 - License required; exemptions · W. Va. Code 21-14-3 · West Virginia Legislature · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- W. Va. Code 21-14-4 - Rule-making authority (classifications, grandfathering, reciprocity provisions, fees) · W. Va. Code 21-14-4 · West Virginia Legislature · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- W. Va. Code 21-17-3 - Review and Credential Acknowledgement Procedures Act: occupational license or other authorization to practice · W. Va. Code 21-17-3(a) · West Virginia Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- W. Va. Code 21-17-4 - Review and Credential Acknowledgement Procedures Act: work experience · W. Va. Code 21-17-4 · West Virginia Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- West Virginia Division of Labor / Prov - Candidate Information Bulletin (HVAC Technician, HVAC Residential Technician, Plumbers, Elevator Mechanics) · West Virginia Division of Labor / Prov, Inc. · Other · verified September 23, 2026
- West Virginia Division of Labor - Licensing Section (HVAC, manufactured housing, plumbing certifications, Contractor Licensing Board administration) · West Virginia Division of Labor · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- West Virginia Division of Labor - Plumber Certification Fees · West Virginia Division of Labor · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- West Virginia Division of Labor - Plumber Certification Forms (application, candidate bulletin, R.E.C.A.P. forms) · West Virginia Division of Labor · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- 42CSR32 - Supervision of Plumbing Work (Division of Labor legislative rule, effective May 1, 2023) · W. Va. Code R. 42-32-4, 42-32-6, 42-32-8, 42-32-9, 42-32-10, 42-32-14 · West Virginia Division of Labor · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.