South Carolina to Connecticut: journeyman plumber license reciprocity
South Carolina does not issue a statewide journeyman plumber license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Connecticut'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.
Journeyperson (P-2) by equivalent out-of-state license (all states)
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
A plumber licensed in any other state applies under DCP's 'Plumbing Journeyperson - Equivalent Out of State License' path. DCP reviews one out-of-state license for equivalency: it must have required the same classroom hours (576 for the P-2), an equivalent classroom curriculum matching Exhibit A, and the same on-the-job training hours (8,000 for the P-2) as the Connecticut class applied for. Limited classes have lower hour tables (J-2 4,000/288, J-4 2,000/144, P-6 2,000/180, P-8 2,000/144). The applicant submits a copy of the license, official license verification, the laws and regulations that set the requirements met to obtain it, and that license's scope of work, with the non-refundable $90 application fee; only one origin license is reviewed. If the license is found equivalent, CGS 20-333 and 20-334a(a)(2) still require the Connecticut journeyperson examination before the $120 initial license is issued—the origin license does not waive the trade exam. If equivalency cannot be proven, DCP will not approve the application on this path (the applicant must instead document apprenticeship or equivalent experience and training). No named reciprocal partners appear on the plumbing out-of-state pages.
The out-of-state page does not itself restate that an exam is required; the exam follows from the scope page ('qualify for this license examination') and CGS 20-333 / 20-334a(a)(2)(A) (unlimited journeyman: apprenticeship of not less than four years and the state licensure examination). Typical processing time is not published.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your South Carolina license must be active and in good standing.
- The out-of-state license must be equivalent: same classroom hours (576 for P-2), equivalent curriculum matching Exhibit A, and same OJT hours (8,000 for P-2) as the Connecticut class applied forOnly one out-of-state license is reviewed for equivalency. Limited-class hour tables: J-2 4,000/288, J-4 2,000/144, P-6 2,000/180, P-8 2,000/144.
- You must document at least 8,000 hours of qualifying work experience.On-the-job training hours required for the P-2; demonstrated through the equivalent out-of-state license or, failing that, through a registered apprenticeship or equivalent experience and training (CGS 20-334a(a)(2)(A) also requires not less than four years' apprenticeship experience for an unlimited journeyman).
What you'll do to get licensed in Connecticut
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($90). Journeyperson application fee, non-refundable (CGS 20-333); DCP out-of-state page restates that application fees are nonrefundable.
- 2Other. Copy of the out-of-state license, official license verification, the laws/regulations listing the requirements met to obtain it, and the scope of work for that license (one origin license only).
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Connecticut P-2 Unlimited Journeyperson Plumber licensure examination after DCP determines eligibility (scope of work: qualify for this license examination; CGS 20-333 / 20-334a)..
- 4Exam fee. Pay the exam fee. Examination vendor fee per portion, due at exam registration..
- 5License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($120). Initial license fee for a journeyperson license after passing the exam (CGS 20-335); renews annually for $120. Plumbing expiration month not confirmed on pages retrieved..
Published fees on this path total $210, 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
How Connecticut licenses journeyman plumbers
Connecticut journeyman plumber · “P-2 Unlimited Journeyperson Plumber”
Statewide license
Issued by Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Occupational and Professional Licensing
Connecticut licenses plumbers statewide through the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) under CGS Chapter 393 (plumbing and piping work). The journeyman-level credential is the P-2 Unlimited Journeyperson Plumber, which covers all plumbing and piping work defined in CGS 20-330 while employed by a contractor licensed for that work. Narrower journeyperson classes exist (J-2 well pumps, J-4 lawn sprinkler, P-6 sewer/storm/water, P-8 gasoline tank piping, PP-2 process piping, SP-2 spa and pool). A new P-2 applicant qualifies through a registered apprenticeship, equivalent experience and training, or an equivalent out-of-state license (576 classroom hours matching Exhibit A and 8,000 on-the-job hours) and, under CGS 20-333 and 20-334a(a)(2), must pass the state licensure examination. CGS 20-333a would allow the Commissioner to waive the exam only if the origin state reciprocates for Connecticut licensees; DCP's P-1/P-2 out-of-state pages name no partner states. Application fee $90 (non-refundable) and initial/renewal license fee $120; licenses expire annually (plumbing expiration month not confirmed on the pages retrieved).
Why South Carolina has nothing to transfer
South Carolina journeyman plumber · “Journeyman plumber trade certification card (CAGC SC Trades Certification, formerly MASC) - not a state license”
Licensed by cities and counties
South Carolina has no state journeyman plumber license. The LLR Contractor's Licensing Board licenses mechanical contractors (entities qualified by an individual qualifying party) for mechanical contracting work over $10,000, including the Plumbing (PB) classification confirmed on the Board's Reciprocity/Waiver Agreements list, and the Residential Builders Commission licenses residential specialty contractors for residential work over $500; neither Chapter 11 nor Chapter 59 of Title 40 creates a journeyman or master plumber credential, so a plumber who is not a contractor works under one of those licensees with no state license. The journeyman-level credential that does exist is the trade certification card of the SC Mechanical Trades Certification Program, run since 1965 by the Municipal Association of South Carolina (the association of the state's cities) and, since January 1, 2026, by the Carolinas AGC Foundation; the program's own page says the card is not a license and must not be represented as one. Whether a card is needed depends on the city or county building department. No reciprocity or out-of-state acceptance is published for the journeyman card, so an arriving journeyman plumber should expect to apply to CAGC ($35 application, PROV exam) if a local jurisdiction or employer requires a card.
How local licensing works in South Carolina
How local licensing works. State law licenses contractors, not journeyman plumbers. S.C. Code § 40-11-30 requires a Contractor's Licensing Board license (Mechanical Contractor) for mechanical contracting work whose total cost exceeds $10,000. Chapter 59 requires a Residential Builders Commission license for residential specialty contracting work over $500. Employees of those licensees need no state plumber credential. The Contractor's Licensing Board home page lists no journeyman license.
The trades certification card. The SC Mechanical Trades Certification Program was created in 1965 by the Municipal Association of South Carolina to give municipalities a common examination and certification for the mechanical trades, including journeyman and master plumbers (as described on the electrical SC seed from the same official program pages). MASC handed the program to the Carolinas AGC Foundation on January 1, 2026; cards issued by MASC remain valid until the expiration printed on them. CAGC charges a $35 application fee ($35 to re-test), uses PROV as its exam provider, and states that the card should not be confused with the LLR mechanical contractor or residential specialty licenses and that a holder will not represent the card as evidence of a license. Journeyman plumber hours, exam outline and passing score are not published on the CAGC or MASC pages extracted. Do not assume a city-issued plumber card. Confirm with each building official whether a CAGC/MASC journeyman plumber card, a local registration, or only a licensed contractor is required to pull plumbing permits or to work as an employee. The 2026-09-15 electrical SC reading of Greenville County Building Safety and the City of Greenville Building & Permit Center did not state a journeyman card requirement for electricians; plumbing may differ.
Out-of-state journeymen. There is no state path, no defaultPath, and no agreements at this level. A city or employer that wants a CAGC card will typically require the PROV exam; out-of-state journeyman plumber licenses are not described as accepted on the official pages used here.
- City of Charleston (Building Inspections) - plumber card requirement UNCONFIRMED this session
- City of Columbia (Planning and Development Services) - plumber card requirement UNCONFIRMED this session
- City of Greenville (Building & Permit Center) - plumber card requirement UNCONFIRMED this session
- Greenville County (Building Safety) - plumber card requirement UNCONFIRMED this session
- Horry County (Code Enforcement / Building) - plumber card requirement UNCONFIRMED this session
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Connecticut journeyman plumber exam if I'm licensed in South Carolina?
- Yes. Connecticut requires the trade exam on this path.
- What does it cost to get a Connecticut journeyman plumber license from South Carolina?
- Published fees on this path total $210, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my South Carolina work hours count in Connecticut?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Connecticut's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Connecticut to South Carolina?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Connecticut to South Carolina, the mechanism is not applicable.
Sources
- Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 393 - Occupational Licensing (Electrical, Plumbing and Piping, Heating, Cooling...) · CGS §§ 20-330, 20-333, 20-333a, 20-334a, 20-335 · Connecticut General Assembly · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- Connecticut DCP Exhibit A - Required Courses for Plumbing License Types · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Form · verified September 16, 2026
- Connecticut DCP - Plumbing Journeyperson: Equivalent Out of State License · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Connecticut DCP - Plumbing and Pipefitting Licensing (renewal, reinstatement and CE hub linked from the contractor out-of-state page) · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Connecticut DCP - Plumbing Licenses and Scope of Work · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- RCSA § 20-332-2 (eRegulations link from DCP plumbing journeyperson out-of-state page) · RCSA § 20-332-2 · Connecticut eRegulations System · 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.