North Dakota to Washington: journeyman plumber license reciprocity
Washington has no reciprocity agreement with North Dakota. Your North Dakota experience counts toward eligibility, but you must pass the Washington exam.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Out-of-state license review, then the Washington journey level exam (all states except Idaho)
Nothing is waived, but your documented out-of-state hours count toward eligibility to sit the exam.
A plumber licensed in any state other than Idaho emails L&I a copy of their active out-of-state plumbing license and government photo ID (or documentation of U.S. military plumbing experience) for review by the Plumber Certification Program. If L&I finds the license comparable to the Washington journey level certificate, the applicant is approved to apply for the Washington exam; the out-of-state license substitutes for the 8,000 trainee hours, but hours worked for out-of-state employers or in another state's apprenticeship program are never credited on their own. The applicant then files the exam application with the non-refundable $202.10 fee (online or form F627-008-000), schedules with PSI and pays PSI's scheduling fee, and passes the closed-book journey level exam (100 Uniform Plumbing Code questions plus waste-and-vent and water-pipe sizing exercises). After passing, the $242.70 certificate fee must be paid within 90 days. Once credentials are approved, a plumber with a current, unexpired out-of-state license may buy a one-time, nonrenewable 120-day temporary permit for $100.30 to work at their level while waiting to test.
experienceCreditsTransfer is true only in the sense that a comparable out-of-state license is accepted in place of Washington trainee hours; raw out-of-state hours are not credited (L&I exam page, trainee page). L&I does not publish the criteria it uses to judge a 'comparable license'. The Washington exam is a single closed-book trade exam that includes code questions; no separate law exam exists.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your North Dakota license must be active and in good standing.
- L&I must find the out-of-state license comparable to the Washington journey level plumber certificate (or accept documented equivalent U.S. military plumbing experience) before the applicant may apply for the examination
- Hours worked for out-of-state employers and hours from out-of-state trainee or apprenticeship programs are not eligible for Washington certification; a plumber who lacks a comparable license must start as a Washington plumber trainee ($60/year) and accumulate 8,000 supervised hours
What you'll do to get licensed in Washington
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($202.10). Journey level plumber examination application fee, non-refundable; approved application valid one year; a failed exam requires a new application and fee plus a 14-day wait.
- 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Washington Journey Level Plumber (PL01) examination administered by PSI after L&I approval: closed book, based on the Uniform Plumbing Code with Washington amendments, three parts (100 code questions, waste and vent sizing, water pipe sizing).
- 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee. PSI examination scheduling fee, paid directly to PSI; amount set by contract and not published on L&I pages; non-refundable and valid one year from payment.
- 4Continuing education. Complete continuing education. 16 hours of L&I-approved classroom continuing education, including at least 4 hours of industry-related electrical training, before testing (WAC 296-400A-121(6)); confirm applicability with L&I for out-of-state applicants.
- 5License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($242.70). Journey level plumber certificate fee, invoiced after passing the exam and payable within 90 days; certificate valid 25-37 months then renews every three years for $242.70.
- 6Other. Optional one-time 120-day temporary permit for out-of-state plumbers whose credentials have been approved, allowing work at the journey level while waiting to take the Washington exam; not available to anyone who has held a Washington plumber or trainee certificate or a prior temporary permit ($100.30) (if applicable).
Published fees on this path total $444.80, 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
Continuing education
Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.
- Continuing education
How Washington licenses journeyman plumbers
Washington journeyman plumber · “Journey Level Plumber (PL01)”
Statewide license
Issued by Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, Plumber Certification Program
Washington issues a statewide Journey Level Plumber (PL01) certificate of competency through the Department of Labor & Industries; anyone working in the plumbing trade must hold a journey level, specialty, residential service, trainee or temporary permit credential. A new applicant needs four years and at least 8,000 hours as a Washington plumber trainee (4,000 in commercial or industrial work), 16 hours of approved classroom education, and must pass the closed-book Washington journey level exam administered by PSI ($202.10 application fee plus PSI's scheduling fee, then a $242.70 certificate fee). Washington's only plumber reciprocity agreement is with Idaho for journey level plumbers: holders of an active Idaho journey level card receive the PL01 certificate without examination. Every other out-of-state plumber submits a copy of an active state license for L&I review; if L&I finds it comparable, the applicant is approved to sit the Washington exam and may buy a one-time 120-day temporary permit ($100.30) to work while waiting to test. Hours worked for out-of-state employers or in out-of-state apprenticeships are not credited. Certificates renew every three years on the holder's birthdate for $242.70 with 24 hours of continuing education (at least 12 hours of plumbing code and 4 hours of electrical).
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Washington journeyman plumber exam if I'm licensed in North Dakota?
- Yes. Washington requires the trade exam on this path.
- What does it cost to get a Washington journeyman plumber license from North Dakota?
- Published fees on this path total $444.80, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my North Dakota work hours count in Washington?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Washington's eligibility requirements.
Sources
- L&I - Get or Renew Your Plumber Certification · Washington State Department of Labor & Industries · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- L&I - Plumber Certification (becoming a plumber, certification requirements) · Washington State Department of Labor & Industries · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- L&I - Plumber Examination (in-state and out-of-state applicants, temporary permit) · Washington State Department of Labor & Industries · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- L&I - Plumber Trainee · Washington State Department of Labor & Industries · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- RCW 18.106.040 - Examinations - Eligibility requirements - Determination · RCW 18.106.040 · Washington State Legislature · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- WAC 296-400A-030 through -033 - Temporary permits for out-of-state plumbers · WAC 296-400A-030, -031, -032, -033; RCW 18.106.090 · Washington State Legislature · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
- WAC 296-400A-045 - Plumber certification and plumbing contractor fees · WAC 296-400A-045 · Washington State Legislature · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
- WAC 296-400A-121 - Trainee experience and plumber examination requirements for the journey level and specialty plumber · WAC 296-400A-121 · Washington State Legislature · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.