Missouri to Kentucky: master plumber license reciprocity
Missouri does not issue a statewide master plumber license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Kentucky'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 (Kentucky journeyman and master examinations; other-state license credited toward eligibility)
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
Kentucky does not publish plumbing reciprocity or endorsement that waives the master exam. Under 815 KAR 20:030 Section 2(1)(c), a valid plumbing license issued by another state and held at least two years within the past five years qualifies the applicant to apply as a master; Section 2(1)(d) is the alternative for a state that issues no plumbing license (four consecutive years practicing in a capacity equivalent to a master). Section 2(2)(b) then requires those (c) and (d) applicants to submit proof of successfully completing the Kentucky journeyman plumber examination (75% on each portion) in addition to the Kentucky master plumber examination (80% on each portion). The master exam is written questions (plumbing principles, KRS Chapter 318, 815 KAR Chapters 2 and 20) plus a pipe-sizing drawing and is more complex than the journeyman exam; there is no separate business-and-law exam. File Form PLB-3 ($150 exam fee, passport photo) and Form PLB-1 ($250 license fee, prorated 7–18 months to the birth month). Passing scores last three years. At renewal the master pays $250, completes six CE hours, and files proof of insurance as required by KRS 318.030.
Section 2(1)(c) says 'plumbing license issued by another state,' so city/county origin licenses do not satisfy the two-year other-state-license path; the four-year path is only for states that do not issue a plumbing license. DHBC does not publish a plumbing partner list in 815 KAR 20:030; HVAC and electrical KY files record Ohio (and for electrical also WV/VA) reciprocity on those trades' checklists — those lists were not confirmed for plumbing and are not entered as agreements. Whether DHBC will accept a previously passed out-of-state journeyman exam in place of Kentucky's journeyman exam under Section 2(2)(b) is not stated; the regulation requires 'the Kentucky journeyman plumber examination.'
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
- Typical processing
- About 90 days
What you must already have
- Your Missouri license must be active and in good standing.
- You must have held your Missouri license for at least 2 years.Other-state plumbing license must have been held at least two years within the past five years (Section 2(1)(c)). The unlicensed-state path is four consecutive years immediately preceding application (Section 2(1)(d)).
What you'll do to get licensed in Kentucky
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($250). Master plumber license fee (Form PLB-1), $250; initial license prorated for not less than seven nor more than eighteen months and expires on the last day of the applicant's birth month; payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer.
- 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Kentucky master plumber examination (department-administered; written and drawing portions, more complex than journeyman; 80% required on each portion; regular sittings February, May, August, November). Out-of-state applicants under Section 2(1)(c) or (d) must also pass the Kentucky journeyman plumber examination (75% each portion, including practical)..
- 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($150). Non-refundable master examination fee with Form PLB-3; the Kentucky journeyman exam, if still required under Section 2(2)(b), is a separate $50 PLB-3 fee.
- 4Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Fee, eligibility details, and processing steps are not published in a form we can list here. Please see the sources on this page to find out more..
- 5Other. Passport-sized color photograph taken within six months (Form PLB-3).
- 6Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Six hours of approved plumbing CE in the twelve months before each renewal (815 KAR 2:010); waived for the first renewal if the initial license issued within twelve months of renewal; no more than two hours safety.
Published fees on this path total $400, 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 · $150
Liability insurance
Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.
- Insurance
Continuing education
Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.
- Continuing education
How Kentucky licenses master plumbers
Kentucky master plumber · “Master Plumber”
Statewide license
Issued by Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (DHBC), Division of Plumbing
Kentucky issues a statewide Master Plumber license through DHBC's Division of Plumbing under KRS Chapter 318 and 815 KAR 20:030. In-state applicants typically hold a Kentucky journeyman plumber license for at least two of the past five years and work under a licensed master for at least two years; Kentucky professional engineers with sufficient mechanical-engineering experience may also qualify. An applicant who holds a valid plumbing license issued by another state for at least two of the past five years, or who practiced as the equivalent of a master for four consecutive years in a state that does not license plumbers, may sit for Kentucky's exams but must still pass both the Kentucky journeyman examination (75% each portion) and the Kentucky master examination (80% each portion). The master exam is written plus drawing (more complex than the journeyman exam); the exam fee is $150 (Form PLB-3) and the license fee is $250 (Form PLB-1), prorated 7–18 months to the birth month. Masters renew annually at $250 with six CE hours and proof of insurance required by KRS 318.030. 815 KAR 20:030 names no partner states and does not waive the Kentucky exams.
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 Kentucky master plumber exam if I'm licensed in Missouri?
- Yes. Kentucky requires the trade exam on this path.
- How long do I need to have held my Missouri license?
- At least 2 years before applying.
- What does it cost to get a Kentucky master plumber license from Missouri?
- Published fees on this path total $400, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Missouri work hours count in Kentucky?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Kentucky's eligibility requirements.
- How long does the application take?
- The board's published or typical processing time is about 90 days.
- Does it work the other way, from Kentucky to Missouri?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Kentucky to Missouri, the mechanism is not applicable.
Sources
- Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (DHBC) - home · Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet, Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- DHBC Division of Plumbing forms incorporated in 815 KAR 20:030 (PLB-1, PLB-2, PLB-3, DHBC L-1) · Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction, Division of Plumbing · Form · verified September 16, 2026
- 815 KAR 2:010 - Continuing education requirements (master and journeyman plumbers) · 815 KAR 2:010 Sections 1-2; KRS 318.054 · Kentucky Legislative Research Commission · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
- 815 KAR 20:030 - Plumbing licenses (application, examination, and renewal) · 815 KAR 20:030 Sections 1-6 · Kentucky Legislative Research Commission · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
- 815 KAR Chapter 20 - Plumbing (Kentucky State Plumbing Code chapter index) · 815 KAR Chapter 20 · Kentucky Legislative Research Commission · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
- KRS Chapter 318 - Plumbers and Plumbing · KRS 318.010, 318.020, 318.030, 318.040, 318.050, 318.054, 318.080, 318.130 · Kentucky Legislative Research Commission · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- KRS 318.030 - Insurance required of master plumbers (cited by 815 KAR 20:030) · KRS 318.030 · Kentucky Legislative Research Commission · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.