Missouri to Iowa: master plumber license reciprocity
Missouri does not issue a statewide master plumber license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Iowa'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 master plumber (all states except South Dakota): direct admission to the Iowa master exam
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
Iowa has no master plumber reciprocity with any state other than South Dakota. An applicant who holds a master plumbing license in another state or local jurisdiction is eligible to sit for the Iowa master plumbing exam without first holding an Iowa journeyperson license (DIAL master page; 481 IAC 429.6). The applicant files the $35 Exam Approval Application, waits up to two weeks for approval, schedules the exam with Kirkwood Community College ($95 per attempt), passes with 75%, and then files the post-examination licensure application with a prorated three-year license fee ($240 for a full term). An applicant who has established Iowa residency may instead apply for licensure by verification under Iowa Code 272C.12 and 481 IAC 430.4, but the board still requires proof of passing the applicable Iowa exam and can issue only a temporary license until then, so the practical path is the same. A master who intends to contract independently, or a firm employing the master, must also obtain the PMSB Contractor license and contractor registration ($400 for a full term, 30% discount on license fees when bought with the master license in one transaction) with $500,000 public liability insurance and a $5,000 surety bond; out-of-state contractors also file a $25,000 bond under Iowa Code chapter 91C.
Kirkwood exam fee quoted from DIAL's master page ($95); the journey page lists $99. Timeline reflects up to two weeks for exam approval plus up to six weeks for application review, excluding exam scheduling.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
- Typical processing
- About 60 days
What you must already have
- Holds a master plumbing license in another state or local jurisdiction, OR a journeyperson plumbing license with at least two years of journey-level work experience (DIAL master page; 481 IAC 429.2(3), 429.6)
- Your Missouri license must be active and in good standing.
- You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.For licensure by verification: no revocation, surrender under investigation, unresolved discipline or pending complaint (272C.12; 481 IAC 430.4(3)).
- Licensure by verification requires established Iowa residency or a military spouse's permanent change of station to Iowa (272C.12; 481 IAC 430.4); non-residents use the exam route
What you'll do to get licensed in Iowa
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($35). Exam Approval Application fee, per trade discipline exam (DIAL fees page).
- 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Iowa Master Plumbing examination administered through Kirkwood Community College at 15 Iowa test sites; 75% to pass; exam approval valid one year; also required of licensure-by-verification applicants under 481 IAC 430.4.
- 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($95). Kirkwood Community College examination fee, per attempt (as listed on DIAL's master license page).
- 4License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($240). Master license fee for a full three-year term (July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2029), prorated by half-year for later issuance (e.g. $120 for Jan-Jun of year 2); same amount for a license by verification.
- 5Application fee. Pay the application fee ($25) (if applicable). Paper application fee if not filed through the DIAL online licensing portal.
- 6Background check. Complete a background check. Documentation of any criminal convictions (felony convictions reviewed by the board); lawful presence verified through SAVE.
- 7Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Eight classroom hours of board-approved continuing education per three-year term to renew (Iowa Code 105.20); not required for initial licensure.
- 8Contractor license. Hold or obtain a contractor license ($400) (if applicable). PMSB Contractor license ($250) plus DIAL contractor registration ($150) for a full three-year term, prorated; required only to contract for plumbing work as a business; 30% discount on license fees when bought with the master license in one transaction.
- 9Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($500,000) (if applicable). Public liability insurance of at least $500,000 for a contractor license (Iowa Code 105.19).
- 10Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($5,000) (if applicable). Surety bond of at least $5,000 for a contractor license (Iowa Code 105.19); out-of-state contractors must also file a $25,000 bond under Iowa Code chapter 91C.
Published fees on this path total $370, 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 · $95
Continuing education
Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.
- Continuing education
Business registration
If you plan to contract in your own name, budget for a business license or entity registration on top of the trade license.
- Contractor license · $400 · if applicable
Liability insurance
Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.
- Insurance · $500,000 · if applicable
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 · if applicable
How Iowa licenses master plumbers
Iowa master plumber · “Master Plumber”
Statewide license
Issued by Iowa Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board, Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL)
Iowa's highest person-held plumbing credential is the statewide Master Plumber license issued by the Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board (DIAL); a master plans and superintends plumbing work, may perform all journeyperson duties, and serves as master of record for a licensed contractor (one contractor per discipline at a time without board approval). A new applicant must be 18, disclose criminal convictions, and pass the Iowa master plumbing exam; to sit for it the applicant must hold either a master plumbing license in another jurisdiction or a journeyperson license with two years of journey-level experience. The exam is approved by the board ($35 application) and administered by Kirkwood Community College ($95 per attempt as listed on the master page, 75% to pass). Iowa's only reciprocity agreement is with South Dakota for plumbers licensed by written exam; masters from all other states are admitted directly to the Iowa master exam on the strength of their license. The separate Contractor license ($250 plus $150 registration per three-year term, with $500,000 liability insurance and a $5,000 bond) is required to contract for plumbing work as a business. Licenses run three years (current period ends June 30, 2029) with a full-term fee of $240 and eight hours of continuing education per term.
Why Missouri has nothing to transfer
Missouri master plumber
Licensed by cities and counties
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.
How local licensing works in Missouri
How local licensing works. There is no state plumbing board. Under RSMo chapter 341, city boards of examiners (cities over 15,000) and county boards of plumbing and sewer inspection (first-classification counties) examine master plumbers; § 341.170 sets the county master plumber qualifications, § 341.180 the application fees, license terms and re-examination rules, and § 341.200 requires master plumbers and master drainlayers to post surety bonds. The master license is the credential that lets a plumber pull permits and run a plumbing business, and each jurisdiction issues and enforces its own.
St. Louis County. The Plumbing Licensing office (41 South Central Avenue, Clayton, 314-615-3741) issues Master Plumber licenses and publishes a Certified Contractors list; the Board of Plumbing Examiners meets the first Thursday of each month at 8:00 a.m., and renewals carry PEU continuing-education requirements. Louis.** The Building Division's Plumbers and Drainlayers Board of Examiners licenses master plumbers and drainlayers and reviews licensing matters and complaints for plumbing and drainlaying work in the city; permits are issued to city-licensed contractors. Every licensed contractor must employ a full-time supervisor who holds a Kansas City certificate of qualification in the plumbing trade, obtained on an application with notarized references and a passing score from a recognized agency such as Prometric or ICC ($60 application, first four-year certificate free, $181 renewal); the city 'may accept comparable examinations from other jurisdictions if deemed equivalent or superior'. Whether a separately titled master plumber license, plumbing-specific experience hours or named reciprocity with Kansas jurisdictions exist could not be confirmed because kcmo.gov and both fallback routes were blocked on 2026-09-16.
Springfield. Building Development Services certifies Master Plumbers: 4 years as a certified journeyman plumber or 10 years of satisfactory experience in the trade, documented on notarized employer experience forms and approved by the board (first Thursday monthly, 5:00 p.m., Busch Building; approval to test good for one year). The exam is the ICC master plumber exam through Pearson Vue (about $125 paid to Pearson Vue), 75% to pass; the certification card costs $50 with $50 annual renewal, and a master must file a Master Registration form to qualify a contracting business (Master Resignation form on leaving). Out-of-state treatment: 'Reciprocity from another jurisdiction' applicants submit the same experience documentation plus an exam score notification of 75% or better from Prometric, Experior, Block or ICC (Pearson Vue) for the identical exam Springfield requires; otherwise they test. Springfield also certifies Master Gas fitters (4 years as a certified gas journeyman, or 4 years as a master mechanic or plumber plus 2 years as a gas journeyman).
Columbia and others. Columbia, St.
- St. Louis County (Transportation and Public Works, Plumbing Licensing / Board of Plumbing Examiners)
- City of St. Louis (Building Division, Plumbers and Drainlayers Board of Examiners)
- Kansas City (City Planning and Development, contractor licensing and certificates of qualification)
- Springfield (Building Development Services, Trade Certifications)
- Columbia (Community Development, Building and Site Development)
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Iowa master plumber exam if I'm licensed in Missouri?
- Yes. Iowa requires the trade exam on this path.
- What does it cost to get a Iowa master plumber license from Missouri?
- Published fees on this path total $370, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Missouri work hours count in Iowa?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Iowa's eligibility requirements.
- How long does the application take?
- The board's published or typical processing time is about 60 days.
- Does it work the other way, from Iowa to Missouri?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Iowa to Missouri, the mechanism is not applicable.
Sources
- Iowa Code Chapter 105 - Plumbers, Mechanical Professionals, and Contractors (2026) · Iowa Code 105.2, 105.17, 105.18, 105.19, 105.20, 105.21 · Iowa Legislature · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- Iowa Code 272C.12 - Licensure of persons licensed in other jurisdictions (2026) · Iowa Code 272C.12 · Iowa Legislature · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- DIAL - Plumbing & Mechanical Systems License Period & Fees · 481 IAC ch. 428 · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL), Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- DIAL - Master Level License (plumbing, mechanical, HVAC, refrigeration, sheet metal, hydronic) · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL), Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Iowa Administrative Code 481 Chapter 429 - Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board Application, Licensure, and Examination · 481 IAC 429.2, 429.6 · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
- Iowa Administrative Code 481 Chapter 430 - Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board Alternative Licensure Pathways · 481 IAC 430.3, 430.4, 430.5 · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing · 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.