Missouri to Georgia: master plumber license reciprocity

Georgia issues statewide Master Plumber licenses in two classes through the Construction Industry Licensing Board's Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers. Class I is limited to single-family dwellings, one-level dwellings designed for not more than two families, and commercial structures not exceeding 10,000 square feet; Class II is unrestricted and is the master-level equivalent used here. A master applicant must document five years of plumbing work covered by the Georgia State Plumbing Code, including at least two years licensed as a Journeyman Plumber; Class II also requires commercial or industrial plumbing experience. The applicant scores at least 70 on the appropriate master examination, names three licensed-plumber references (Class I: at least one master; Class II: at least two masters), and pays the Board's published fee. Rule 121-2-.03 authorizes the Division to issue a master license by reciprocity or endorsement under a formal written agreement with another state board whose exam is substantially equal and who offer a similar privilege to Georgia licensees; the rules pages name no partner states (unlike the Electrical Division's published AL/LA/NC/SC/TN list, and unlike conditioned-air's 2022 form that listed LA and suspended SC/TX). Everyone else applies by examination, with out-of-state journeyman time counting toward the two licensed years and other plumbing work counting toward the five-year total.

Missouri issues no statewide master plumber or plumbing contractor license. RSMo chapter 341 leaves plumber licensing to cities over 15,000 and first-classification counties, whose boards examine master plumbers, set fees and license terms and (in counties) require master plumber and master drainlayer surety bonds; no state agency licenses the trade and the voluntary statewide contractor license that exists for electrical work has no plumbing counterpart. The master credential therefore exists only locally: Springfield's Master Plumber certification (4 years as a certified journeyman or 10 years' experience, ICC exam, $50), Kansas City's plumbing contractor license qualified by a supervisor holding a certificate of qualification (Prometric or ICC exam, $60 application, $181 four-year renewal; contractor license $55 application, $181 issuance), St. Louis County's Master Plumber license and certified contractor list, and the City of St. Louis Plumbers and Drainlayers Board of Examiners' master plumber and drainlayer licenses. An out-of-state master plumber license carries no state-level recognition; Springfield accepts an identical ICC, Prometric, Experior or Block exam score of 75% or better in place of retesting and Kansas City may accept a comparable exam it deems equivalent, while the St. Louis County and City of St. A master arriving from another state should expect to qualify in each jurisdiction separately and then obtain that jurisdiction's contractor license and bond to pull permits.