Wyoming to Arkansas: journeyman plumber license reciprocity
Wyoming does not issue a statewide journeyman plumber license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Arkansas'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 without a reciprocity agreement (all states except Oklahoma)
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
A journeyman licensed in a state other than Oklahoma applies to the Plumbing and Natural Gas Section as a new journeyman candidate, documenting at least four years of plumbing experience; verified out-of-state apprenticeship and journeyman work counts toward that requirement, and the Section asks the origin licensing board to verify the license, exam history and any discipline. Absent an agreement the applicant sits the Arkansas journeyman plumbing examination, a written exam on the Arkansas Plumbing Code administered by the Section; Arkansas has no separate business-and-law exam for journeymen. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 17-1-108 the Section must grant automatic licensure to a holder of a substantially similar license in good standing who passed that state's exam, subject to any Arkansas-specific examination the Section still requires, so an applicant from a state with a comparable IPC-based exam should ask the Section whether the trade exam is waived. The applicant pays the Section's examination and license fees and thereafter renews annually.
Code Ann. § 17-38-30x and must be re-checked. Whether the Section treats § 17-1-108 automatic licensure as waiving the Arkansas journeyman exam is unknown; Oklahoma's statement that the 2024 agreement means eligible applicants 'will not have to take the journeymen test to be licensed in either state' implies the exam is otherwise required, so examTradeRequired is set true. Vendor hints of Arkansas plumbing reciprocity with Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi or Tennessee were not confirmed on any official page and are doubtful (Texas TSBPE and the Louisiana State Plumbing Board publish no agreements; Mississippi and Tennessee license plumbing contractors, not journeymen, at state level).
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- You must document at least 8,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Out-of-state experience counts when verified by the origin board or employer affidavits.
- Your Wyoming license must be active and in good standing.
- You must have passed a licensing exam in Wyoming that the destination considers comparable.
- You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.
What you'll do to get licensed in Arkansas
- 1Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Arkansas journeyman plumber examination, written, administered by the Plumbing and Natural Gas Section on the Arkansas Plumbing Code (IPC-based); pass mark not confirmed.
- 2Exam fee. Pay the exam fee. Section examination fee for the journeyman exam; amount not confirmed (Department of Health pages blocked at verification).
- 3License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee. Initial Journeyman Plumber license fee, renewed annually; amount not confirmed.
- 4Other. Journeyman application with verification of out-of-state license, exam scores and code basis completed by the origin licensing board, plus experience verification (apprentice registration records or notarized employer affidavits).
- 5Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Continuing education as required by the Committee of Plumbing Examiners for renewal; hours 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
- Exam fee
Continuing education
Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.
- Continuing education
How Arkansas licenses journeyman plumbers
Arkansas journeyman plumber · “Journeyman Plumber”
Statewide license
Issued by Arkansas Department of Health, Plumbing and Natural Gas Section (Committee of Plumbing Examiners)
Arkansas licenses plumbers statewide through the Department of Health's Plumbing and Natural Gas Section under the Arkansas Plumbing Law (Ark. Code Ann. § 17-38-101 et seq.), with the Committee of Plumbing Examiners setting qualifications and exams. The Journeyman Plumber license is issued to an individual who has completed four years as a registered apprentice under a licensed master plumber (or equivalent verified experience) and passed the Section's written journeyman examination, which is based on the Arkansas Plumbing Code (an IPC-based code); natural gas work is licensed separately. Licenses renew annually and out-of-state applicants are handled by the Section case by case, with one signed reciprocity agreement, covering journeymen only, in force with Oklahoma since October 21, 2024.
Why Wyoming has nothing to transfer
Wyoming journeyman plumber
Licensed by cities and counties
Wyoming has no statewide plumber license at any level. The only state construction-trade licensing program is the State Fire Marshal's electrician program, which lists no plumbing or mechanical credential, so a journeyman plumber license exists only where a city ordinance creates one. Cheyenne, Casper, Laramie, Gillette and Sheridan each license journeyman plumbers (and apprentices) individually, all requiring four years or a completed apprenticeship plus an ICC National Standard plumbing exam (G28-N journeyman or G27-N master), while Jackson has stopped issuing journeyman cards altogether and Rock Springs only registers contractors. No city accepts another state's journeyman license: Casper, Gillette and Jackson reciprocate only with other Wyoming jurisdictions, Sheridan expressly refuses licenses from other cities or states, Cheyenne's Board keeps discretion but cites a state statute limiting reciprocity to Wyoming jurisdictions, and Laramie's building official may waive the exam for a certificate from any governmental agency whose exam is judged at least equal. An out-of-state journeyman should expect to document their hours, present or sit the ICC exam through Pearson VUE, and apply separately in each city where they will work.
How local licensing works in Wyoming
How local licensing works. Wyoming licenses electricians through the State Fire Marshal but has no plumbing board, so plumber licensing is entirely a matter of city ordinance and each city sets its own classes, hours, exam and fees. The reciprocity statute the cities cite reaches only licenses issued by other Wyoming jurisdictions; none of the cities below publishes a path that recognizes another state's plumber license.
Cheyenne. The Contractor Licensing Board licenses Plumbing (Class C1, tested) contractors and requires every employee on a plumbing job site to hold a master, journeyman or apprentice license. A journeyman (12.1.9) documents 4 years/8,000 hours as a licensed apprentice (or certified equivalent training) and passes a current ICC, NICET or NASCLA exam from the Board's list, paid to the testing agency; a Residential Plumbing Journeyman (12.1.11) needs 2 years/4,000 hours and may work only on IRC residential structures at a 1:1 apprentice ratio. Fees: $50 application plus $30 initial and $15 renewal (apprentice $25 + $25, $15 renewal); licenses expire annually. Up to three apprentices may work under one journeyman or master. Trade employees registered for the exam can get a one-time 30-day temporary work authorization (60 days maximum). Reciprocity (3.3.2): the Board 'may grant reciprocity with other State jurisdictions and agencies as the Board determines appropriate', notes that Wyoming's statute allows reciprocity for Wyoming jurisdictions only, evaluates even those case by case, and may accept a test exceeding its published exams from someone holding a current equivalent license elsewhere - no partner list is published.
Casper. The Community Development Department issues Journeyman Plumber licenses ($25 new, $15 renewal) to applicants with a federally recognized plumbing apprenticeship or the equivalent of four years in a Casper-licensed plumbing shop plus proof of passing ICC G27-N or G28-N (or equivalent); apprentice licenses ($3) are issued to the contractor in the apprentice's name. Reciprocal Plumbing Master/Journeyman licenses ($50/$25) exist only for holders of a current, good-standing license from another Wyoming jurisdiction with comparable testing.
Laramie. A journeyman plumbing certificate of qualification requires four years' employment with a licensed plumbing contractor (Table 15.24.020-1) and the building official's examination; the application fee is $5 per exam attempt, and a failed exam bars retesting for 30 days (six months after a second failure). In lieu of the exam, the building official may issue the certificate to anyone presenting a valid certificate from 'any other governmental agency giving an examination' that the board of examiners considers at least equal - the only Wyoming city whose rule is not limited to Wyoming jurisdictions. Journeymen work only under a certified master, each journeyman or master may supervise two apprentices, certificates expire December 31 (renew by January 31), and applications go through the Civic Access portal.
Gillette. Journeyman Plumber ($25 new, $25 renewal) requires four years of approved experience and passing ICC examination results (5-III-21/22); the ICC computer-based exam is taken through Pearson VUE. Apprentices ($5) qualify after 30 days with a Gillette-licensed plumbing contractor, and one master or journeyman supervises up to three apprentices. Reciprocity (5-III-1(d), effective July 1, 2024) is granted without fee only to active, good-standing licenses of a similar class from another Wyoming city, county or town, with testing waived on proof of the ICC plumbing exam.
Sheridan. Journeyman Plumber ($50 new, $50 annual renewal) requires four years of journeyman plumber experience (Form JP) or a completed approved four-year apprenticeship and the 2018 ICC G28 Journeyman Plumber with Gas exam; one licensed contractor or journeyman is required per three apprentices. The City's FAQ states it 'does not accept licensing from other cities, towns, counties, or states as a means to obtain licensing locally'. Applications go through the OpenGov portal.
Jackson. The Town no longer issues or requires Apprentice or Journeyman Certificate of Qualification cards; only Master COQ cards are issued. A journeyman-level plumber works in Jackson as an employee of a Town-licensed plumbing contractor whose Master of Record holds a Master COQ, and needs no individual Town card.
Rock Springs. The Building Inspection Office registers contractors ($125 fee plus a certificate of insurance) and licenses no individual plumbers; no exam or hours are required.
- Cheyenne (Contractor Licensing Board / Building Safety Department)
- Casper (Community Development Department)
- Laramie (Code Administration)
- Gillette (Building Inspection Division / Board of Examiners)
- Sheridan (Building Division)
- Jackson (Planning & Building Department)
- Rock Springs (Building Inspection Office)
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Arkansas journeyman plumber exam if I'm licensed in Wyoming?
- Yes. Arkansas requires the trade exam on this path.
- Do my Wyoming work hours count in Arkansas?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Arkansas's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Arkansas to Wyoming?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Arkansas to Wyoming, the mechanism is not applicable.
Sources
- Arkansas Department of Health - Plumbing and Natural Gas Section (licensing, examinations, fees, reciprocity) · Arkansas Department of Health, Plumbing and Natural Gas Section (Protective Health Codes) · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Arkansas Code Annotated § 17-1-108 - Automatic licensure for individuals licensed in another state (Act 1011 of 2019, as amended) · Ark. Code Ann. §§ 17-1-106, 17-1-108 · Arkansas General Assembly · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- Arkansas Code Annotated Title 17, Chapter 38 - Plumbers (Arkansas Plumbing Law) · Ark. Code Ann. §§ 17-38-101 et seq., 17-38-201 (Committee of Plumbing Examiners), 17-38-301 et seq. (licensing) · Arkansas General Assembly / Arkansas Department of Health · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- Oklahoma CIB - Arkansas Plumbing Reciprocal License Application (Unlimited Plumbing Journeyman Reciprocity Application Instructions) · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Form · verified September 16, 2026
- Oklahoma CIB - Arkansas Plumbing Reciprocity Agreement (Guidelines for Plumbing Journeyman License through Arkansas Reciprocity) · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.