Arkansas to Oklahoma: master plumber license reciprocity
Oklahoma has a specific endorsement rule for Arkansas master plumbers.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Arkansas master plumber: journeyman by reciprocity, contractor by examination
The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.
The Arkansas Plumbing Reciprocity Agreement covers only the journeyman license. An Arkansas master plumber (a 'greater license class' that meets or exceeds the journeyman qualifications) who has held the Arkansas license for at least a year, obtained it by an Arkansas-sponsored exam and is in good standing may use the Arkansas Plumbing Reciprocal License Application to receive an Oklahoma Unlimited Plumbing Journeyman license for $75 without the journeyman exam. There is no written contractor agreement, so OAC 158:30-5-4(e)'s shortcut (journeyman by reciprocity, then only the Business and Law portion) does not apply; to become an Oklahoma Plumbing Contractor the Arkansas master files the Application for Plumbing Examination, documents four years of experience, pays $330, passes both the trade and Business and Law portions with 75% (unless the Board grants exam equivalency for the trade portion), and files the $5,000 bond and $50,000 liability insurance to activate the license.
Whether an Arkansas contractor-level applicant can use exam equivalency (OAC 158:30-9-1.4) is unclear, because that rule is written for states 'without an Oklahoma reciprocal agreement' and Arkansas has a journeyman agreement; CIB should be asked directly. The journeyman-by-reciprocity step is recorded at the journeyman level of this file.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
- Agreement
- Active since October 21, 2024
What you must already have
- You must have held your Arkansas license for at least 1 year.For the journeyman-by-reciprocity step.
- Your Arkansas license must be active and in good standing.
- Your Arkansas license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
- You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.
- You must document at least 8,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Four years of verifiable plumbing experience for the contractor license (journeyman three years plus one).
What you'll do to get licensed in Oklahoma
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($30). Contractor application processing fee (the journeyman-by-reciprocity step costs a separate $25 application plus $50 license).
- 2License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($300). Initial contractor license fee; annual renewal $200.
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Technical trade portion of the Oklahoma Plumbing Contractor exam (PSI), 75% to pass, unless the Board approves exam equivalency.
- 4Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Oklahoma Plumbing Contractor Business and Law portion (PSI), 75% to pass; never waived.
- 5Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($5,000). $5,000 corporate surety bond (or cash/CD) filed with CIB to activate the contractor license.
- 6Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($50,000). Minimum $50,000 commercial general liability insurance with CIB as certificate holder.
Published fees on this path total $330, 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
- Law / code exam
Surety bond
A license or contractor bond is bought from a surety, not the state. Price is a small percentage of the bond amount and depends on your credit.
- Surety bond · $5,000
Liability insurance
Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.
- Insurance · $50,000
How Oklahoma licenses master plumbers
Oklahoma master plumber · “Plumbing Contractor (Unlimited)”
Statewide license
Issued by Oklahoma Construction Industries Board (CIB), Plumbing Division
Oklahoma has no 'master plumber' title; its highest person-held plumbing credential is the Plumbing Contractor license, which CIB describes as 'the highest ranking plumbing license' and issues to an individual who passes the two-part contractor exam (technical trade and Plumbing Business and Law, 75% on each part, PSI, $92 per portion). This site maps the Unlimited Plumbing Contractor license to the master level. An applicant needs the journeyman qualifications plus one additional year, so four years (about 8,000 hours) of verifiable plumbing experience, and pays $330 ($30 application plus $300 initial license). After passing, the license is inactive until the contractor files a $5,000 corporate surety bond (or $5,000 cash or certificate of deposit) and a $50,000 commercial general liability certificate with CIB; only a licensed contractor may contract for plumbing work, and the licensee may operate as an individual, firm, LLC or corporation. CIB's Arkansas agreement covers journeymen only, so no state has contractor reciprocity with Oklahoma; out-of-state masters and contractors use exam equivalency where available or sit the full exam. Licenses renew annually ($200) with six hours of continuing education every 36 months.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Oklahoma master plumber exam if I'm licensed in Arkansas?
- Yes. Oklahoma requires the trade exam on this path, plus a law or code exam.
- How long do I need to have held my Arkansas license?
- At least 1 year before applying.
- What does it cost to get a Oklahoma master plumber license from Arkansas?
- Published fees on this path total $330, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Arkansas work hours count in Oklahoma?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Oklahoma's eligibility requirements.
Sources
- 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
- Oklahoma CIB - Plumbing Industry · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Oklahoma CIB - Plumbing Application Information and Application for Plumbing Examination (Contractor and Journeyman, 9/2023) · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Form · verified September 16, 2026
- Oklahoma CIB - Plumbing Contractor · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- OAC Title 158, Chapter 30 - Plumbing Industry Regulations (permanent rules effective 10/1/2024) · OAC 158:30-1-2, 158:30-5-1, 158:30-5-2, 158:30-5-4, 158:30-9-1, 158:30-9-1.4, 158:30-9-2, 158:30-9-4 · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
- Oklahoma Plumbing License Law of 1955, 59 O.S. §§ 1000.1 et seq. · 59 O.S. § 1000.5A · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- State of Oklahoma Electrical, Mechanical, Roofing and Plumbing Examinations Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI) · PSI Services for the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · 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.