Pennsylvania to Indiana: journeyman plumber license reciprocity
Pennsylvania does not issue a statewide journeyman plumber license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Indiana'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.
Commission review of out-of-state journeyman credentials (IC 25-28.5-1-19; no named partner states)
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
Indiana publishes no list of reciprocal partner states for plumbing, so every out-of-state journeyman is handled under the same Commission review (Endorsement, not Reciprocity). IC 25-28.5-1-19 provides that a journeyman plumber licensed in another state shall without examination be granted an Indiana journeyman license of the same category if the applicant is at least 18, the origin requirements were substantially equal at the time of last licensing, and the same privilege is accorded to Indiana licensees. The applicant files a Journeyman Plumber application in MyLicense One with origin-licence verification. If mutual privilege is not shown, the Commission may still require the Indiana journeyman examination administered by PROV. Licence issuance fees depend on whether the licence is issued in an odd or even year.
Mechanism stays Endorsement because no named partner states were published; Reciprocity is reserved for exam-waived named origins. examTradeRequired is false because IC 25-28.5-1-19 is an exam waiver conditioned on substantial equality and mutual privilege, not an automatic partner list. Do not invent partner states.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your Pennsylvania license must be active and in good standing.
- Applicant is at least 18 years of age (IC 25-28.5-1-19)
- Origin state's licensing requirements were substantially equal to Indiana's at the time of the applicant's last licensing, and the same privilege is accorded to Indiana licensees (IC 25-28.5-1-19). If mutual privilege is not shown, the Commission may require the PROV exam.
What you'll do to get licensed in Indiana
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee. Journeyman Plumber application/licence issuance fee paid in MyLicense One; amount not captured (PLA fee schedule accordion was collapsed). Initial fee is prorated by whether the licence is issued in an odd or even year..
- 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam (if applicable). Indiana Journeyman Plumber examination administered by PROV. Waived under IC 25-28.5-1-19 when origin requirements were substantially equal and Indiana licensees receive the same privilege; otherwise required after Commission review. Fee and passing score not captured..
- 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee. PROV examination fee, paid to the vendor; amount not captured.
- 4Other. Verification of the out-of-state licence from the issuing state authority and documentation of apprenticeship completion or equivalent experience, uploaded in MyLicense One.
- 5Background check. Complete a background check (if applicable). PLA FAQs describe a criminal background check step for applications; whether it applies to plumbing applicants was not confirmed.
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 Indiana licenses journeyman plumbers
Indiana journeyman plumber · “Journeyman Plumber”
Statewide license
Issued by Indiana Plumbing Commission (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency)
Indiana licenses plumbers statewide through the Indiana Plumbing Commission, which is administered by the Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) under IC 25-28.5-1. The Commission registers Plumbing Apprentices and approves apprenticeship programs and schools, and it issues Journeyman Plumber and Plumbing Contractor licences to individuals, a Temporary Plumbing Contractor licence, and a Corporate Plumbing Business registration for entities. Applications, renewals and licence verification are handled online in MyLicense One with an Access Indiana account. The Indiana journeyman examination is administered by the testing vendor PROV, and initial licence fees are prorated by whether the licence is issued in an odd or even year of the two-year cycle. Indiana's statute contains a reciprocity section (IC 25-28.5-1-19) and a nonresident provision (IC 25-28.5-1-12), so an out-of-state journeyman applies to the Commission rather than to any city or county.
Why Pennsylvania has nothing to transfer
Pennsylvania journeyman plumber · “Journeyman Plumber (city-issued; no state licence)”
Licensed by cities and counties
Pennsylvania has no statewide plumber licence at the journeyman level: none of the Department of State's 29 professional licensing boards covers plumbers or plumbing contractors (the only construction-related board is Crane Operators), and there is no Commonwealth journeyman or master plumber credential. Individual licensing exists only where a city ordinance creates it. Philadelphia's Department of Licenses and Inspections, advised by the Plumbing Advisory Board, issues a Journeyman Plumber License (Philadelphia Code Title 9-1003) that authorises plumbing work under a licensed master plumber but not running a business: four years as a Philadelphia-registered apprentice (or a similar authorisation from another state or local jurisdiction with equal or greater requirements, subject to L&I approval), the ICC Journeyman Plumber Examination referencing the current Philadelphia Code or applied within 12 months of passing, and a $126 annual fee ($25 of that is the non-refundable application fee). Allentown posts 2026 journeyman and master plumber exam applications and licenses the plumbing trade separately from a business licence. Scranton's published form is a master electrical/mechanical/plumbing/general contractor application with no journeyman plumber form on that page. There is no state-level reciprocity; Philadelphia's other-jurisdiction clause substitutes for local apprentice registration only and does not waive the ICC exam.
How local licensing works in Pennsylvania
How local licensing works. Pennsylvania does not license plumbers. Each city that licenses the trade does so under its own ordinance through L&I, a plumbing board, or a codes office. Residential plumbing contractors doing $5,000 or more of home-improvement work in a year must also register with the Pennsylvania Attorney General under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act; that registration is not a trade licence and involves no exam.
Philadelphia (verified). L&I issues Plumber Apprentice, Journeyman Plumber and Master Plumber licences (trade-licence list). The journeyman page, last updated with the Plumbing Advisory Board, is the only plumbing service page opened in full. Scope: drainage, cesspools, traps, waste vents, water piping, and fixtures attached to plumbing elements, excluding gas or electric heaters; work must be under a licensed master plumber; the card does not authorise operating a business. Experience: registered Philadelphia apprentice for a minimum of four years, or proof of a similar authorisation from any other state or local jurisdiction with equal or greater qualification requirements, subject to L&I approval. Exam: ICC Journeyman Plumber Examination; must reference the current Philadelphia Code and associated standards, or the application must be filed within 12 months of passing. Photo: 2 in. × 2 in. colour. Fees: $126 licence ($25 non-refundable application fee applied to that amount; balance due on approval); $126 annual renewal; 1.5% of the licence fee per month if more than 60 days late. Apply via eCLIPSE or in person at 1401 JFK Blvd. (Permit and License Center). PLI issues person-held trade licences in other trades; plumbing exam, fee, experience and whether a journeyman tier exists were not verified. Do not assume Pittsburgh waives a plumber exam.
Allentown. Building Standards and Safety licenses electrical, plumbing and sheet metal trades. Operating a contracting company requires both a trades licence and a city business licence. No reciprocity language appears on the trades-licensing page. In Philadelphia, document four years (local apprentice or equivalent out-of-jurisdiction authorisation) and pass the ICC Journeyman Plumber Examination on the Philadelphia Code (or apply within 12 months of that exam). Elsewhere, expect a separate city application and usually a local or ICC exam. Statewide reciprocity: none.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Indiana journeyman plumber exam if I'm licensed in Pennsylvania?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
- Do my Pennsylvania work hours count in Indiana?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Indiana's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Indiana to Pennsylvania?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Indiana to Pennsylvania, the mechanism is not applicable.
Sources
- Indiana Code Title 25, Article 28.5 (Plumbers), Chapter 1 - Regulation of Plumbers; Creation of Commission; Licensing · IC 25-28.5-1-12, -15, -17, -18.1, -18.3, -18.5, -19, -20, -22, -23, -33 · Indiana General Assembly · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- Indiana Professional Licensing Agency - Plumbing Home (Indiana Plumbing Commission) · Indiana Professional Licensing Agency · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Indiana Professional Licensing Agency - Plumbing Licensing Information (application instructions, renewal, fee schedule) · Indiana Professional Licensing Agency · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Wayback Machine snapshot (2025-09-02) of PLA Plumbing Licensing Information · Internet Archive (capture of in.gov) · Other · verified September 16, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.