Connecticut to West Virginia: master plumber license reciprocity
West Virginia has no reciprocity agreement with Connecticut. A Connecticut master plumber applies by endorsement.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Out-of-state master plumber: licensure without examination under the reciprocity rule and RECAP (no named partners)
The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.
West Virginia publishes no list of master-plumber reciprocity partners. Under 42CSR32 section 14, where another state licenses master plumbers with equivalent requirements, the Commissioner may grant a master license without examination to a plumber from that state who proves compliance with every condition of W. Va. Code 21-17-3(a) (a comparable license held at least one year, that state's education and exam requirements met, good standing, no disqualifying criminal record, established West Virginia residency) and pays the $75 license fee. A plumber who worked for at least two years in a state that does not license plumbers may instead qualify on that work experience under W. Va. Code 21-17-4. An applicant who does not qualify must pass the West Virginia master plumber exam, which may not be taken until 12 months after passing the West Virginia journeyman plumber exam (W. Va. Code 21-14-2(c); 42CSR32 section 10.4). A master who wants to contract in West Virginia also needs the separate Contractor Licensing Board plumbing classification when project value meets W. Va. Code 30-42 thresholds.
The 12-month wait after the journeyman exam belongs to the West Virginia examination route; it does not affect a master plumber licensed in another state who is granted a license without examination under 42CSR32 section 14. Ohio's Construction Industry Licensing Board lists a West Virginia Master Plumber among credentials it accepts toward an Ohio plumbing contractor license; that is Ohio's rule for inbound contractors, not a West Virginia agreement. Whether a West Virginia contractor license is needed in addition to the master plumber license depends on the Contractor Licensing Act (W. Va. Code 30-42), not on this personal license.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your Connecticut license must be active and in good standing.
- You must have held your Connecticut license for at least 1 year.RECAP holding period (W. Va. Code 21-17-3(a)), not the 21-14-2(c) one-year wait after the WV journeyman exam.
- Your Connecticut license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
- You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.
- Established West Virginia residency (W. Va. Code 21-17-3(a)(5), applied through 42CSR32 section 14.1)
- Examination route only (not RECAP): the master plumber written examination may not be taken until one year after passage of the journeyman plumber examination (W. Va. Code 21-14-2(c))
What you'll do to get licensed in West Virginia
- 1License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($75). Annual master plumber license fee (42CSR32 section 9.1), paid to the West Virginia Division of Labor.
- 2Other. Review and Credential Acknowledgement Procedures (R.E.C.A.P.) forms, which the Division provides on request by email at [email protected] or by phone at (304) 356-3928 rather than as a download.
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam (if applicable). West Virginia master plumber exam through Prov, required only if the Commissioner does not grant the license without examination: 100 questions in 3 hours, open book, 70 percent to pass, and not until 12 months after passing the journeyman plumber exam (W. Va. Code 21-14-2(c); 42CSR32 section 10).
- 4Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($59.95) (if applicable). Prov exam fee per attempt when the exam is required, paid to Prov rather than the Division.
- 5Contractor license. Hold or obtain a contractor license (if applicable). Separate West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board plumbing-contractor classification if contracting (not working as an employee) at or above W. Va. Code 30-42 thresholds; not a substitute for the Division of Labor master plumber license.
Published fees on this path total $75, 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 · if applicable
How West Virginia licenses master plumbers
West Virginia master plumber · “Master plumber”
Statewide license
Issued by West Virginia Division of Labor, Licensing Section (Commissioner of Labor)
West Virginia issues a statewide Master plumber license through the Division of Labor under W. Va. Code 21-14. The statute defines a master plumber as a person who has passed a written master examination with a score of at least 70 percent and who is competent to design plumbing systems and to instruct and supervise journeyman plumbers and plumbers in training; the master written examination may not be taken until one year after passage of the journeyman plumber examination. This is a personal license, distinct from a Plumbing contractor license issued by the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board under W. Va. Code 30-42 (the Licensing Section administers that board as well). Since January 1, 2009 plumbing work for others requires a Commissioner of Labor plumber license. Out-of-state master plumbers can apply under the reciprocity section of the Division's plumbing rule (42CSR32 section 14), which ties licensure without examination to the conditions of the Review and Credential Acknowledgement Procedures Act (W. Va. Code 21-17-3(a)), including holding a comparable origin license for at least one year. The Division publishes no named plumber partners. Ohio's Construction Industry Licensing Board lists a West Virginia Master Plumber (exam-issued) among credentials that can reciprocate into an Ohio plumbing contractor license; that is Ohio's inbound contractor rule, not a West Virginia master-plumber agreement.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the West Virginia master plumber exam if I'm licensed in Connecticut?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
- How long do I need to have held my Connecticut license?
- At least 1 year before applying.
- What does it cost to get a West Virginia master plumber license from Connecticut?
- Published fees on this path total $75, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Connecticut work hours count in West Virginia?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward West Virginia's eligibility requirements.
Sources
- W. Va. Code Chapter 21, Article 14 - Supervision of Plumbing Work (article index) · W. Va. Code 21-14 · West Virginia Legislature · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- W. Va. Code 21-14-2 - Definitions (journeyman plumber, master plumber, plumber in training, plumbing) · W. Va. Code 21-14-2 · West Virginia Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- W. Va. Code 21-14-3 - License required; exemptions · W. Va. Code 21-14-3 · West Virginia Legislature · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- W. Va. Code 21-14-4 - Rule-making authority (classifications, grandfathering, reciprocity provisions, fees) · W. Va. Code 21-14-4 · West Virginia Legislature · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- W. Va. Code 21-17-3 - Review and Credential Acknowledgement Procedures Act: occupational license or other authorization to practice · W. Va. Code 21-17-3(a) · West Virginia Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- W. Va. Code 21-17-4 - Review and Credential Acknowledgement Procedures Act: work experience · W. Va. Code 21-17-4 · West Virginia Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- West Virginia Division of Labor / Prov - Candidate Information Bulletin (HVAC Technician, HVAC Residential Technician, Plumbers, Elevator Mechanics) · West Virginia Division of Labor / Prov, Inc. · Other · verified September 23, 2026
- West Virginia Division of Labor - Licensing Section (HVAC, manufactured housing, plumbing certifications, Contractor Licensing Board administration) · West Virginia Division of Labor · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- West Virginia Division of Labor - Plumber Certification Fees · West Virginia Division of Labor · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- West Virginia Division of Labor - Plumber Certification Forms (application, candidate bulletin, R.E.C.A.P. forms) · West Virginia Division of Labor · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- 42CSR32 - Supervision of Plumbing Work (Division of Labor legislative rule, effective May 1, 2023) · W. Va. Code R. 42-32-4, 42-32-6, 42-32-8, 42-32-9, 42-32-10, 42-32-14 · West Virginia Division of Labor · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.