LicensebyState

Missouri to Virginia: master plumber license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 16, 2026· 9 sources

Missouri does not issue a statewide master plumber license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Virginia'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.

Universal License Recognition or exam eligibility for out-of-state masters (no named origin states)

Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.

A master plumber or individually licensed plumbing contractor from any state without a DPOR-named plumbing reciprocity partner applies on the Tradesman Universal License Recognition form (A501-2710ULR) for a Licensed Master Plumbing (PLB) license, which DPOR issues without the Virginia trade examination when the current out-of-state license has been held for at least three years, was obtained by examination in a jurisdiction that also required education, training or experience, and there are no unresolved complaints or pending investigations; every board that has licensed the applicant must send a Certification of Licensure/Letter of Good Standing dated within 90 days directly to the Tradesmen Program, and DPOR reserves the right to require an exam specific to Virginia law (Va. Code 54.1-205). An applicant whose license is younger than three years, or was not obtained by exam, instead files the Tradesman Exam & License Application ($171.75): a current out-of-state journeyman or master plumber license is one of the listed qualifications to sit the PSI master exam ($125), so no years of experience need be documented. The fee printed on the ULR form is $130; the 2026 exam/license form charges $171.75 including the technology fee. A state contractor license issued only to a business may not satisfy ULR's personal-license-by-exam requirement; the qualifying individual should confirm with DPOR.

No agreements[] rows: DPOR does not name an origin state for plumbing reciprocity. WSSC examination-reciprocity, if still in force, is unpublished and is not coded as origin MD. A Tennessee CMC, North Carolina plumbing contractor, or similar business credential may need the exam route rather than ULR.

At a glance

Trade exam
Waived
Law / code exam
Not required
Out-of-state hours
Count toward eligibility
Typical processing
About 30 days

What you must already have

  • You must have held your Missouri license for at least 3 years.ULR route only: current out-of-state master plumber license held at least three years
  • Your Missouri license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
  • Your Missouri license must be active and in good standing.
  • You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.

What you'll do to get licensed in Virginia

  1. 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($130). Tradesman Universal License Recognition application fee as printed on form A501-2710ULR (2023); non-refundable. 18VAC50-30-90 original without examination $150; 2026 Exam & License Application $171.75 including the technology fee..
  2. 2Other. Certification of Licensure/Letter of Good Standing from each board where licensed, sent directly to the Board for Contractors - Tradesmen Program and dated within 90 days.
  3. 3Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam (if applicable). DPOR may require an examination specific to Virginia law under Va. Code 54.1-205.
  4. 4Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam (if applicable). Only for applicants who do not meet the ULR criteria: PSI Virginia master plumbing exam (published $125; cap $225 under 18VAC50-30-100) via the Tradesman Exam & License Application ($171.75), for which an out-of-state journeyman or master plumber license is itself the qualification.
  5. 5Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($125) (if applicable). PSI master tradesman exam fee published on the Tradesmen program page; paid to the exam vendor when the exam is required..
  6. 6Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Three hours of board-approved continuing education relating to applicable plumbing building-code changes each three-year renewal cycle (18VAC50-30-120(C)).
  7. 7License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($160). Tradesman license renewal fee (18VAC50-30-120(G)); licenses expire three years from the last day of the month of issuance; non-refundable.
  8. 8Contractor license. Hold or obtain a contractor license (if applicable). Class A, B or C Virginia contractor license from the Board for Contractors if contracting for work over $1,000; contractor exams are not waived by tradesman ULR.

Published fees on this path total $290, 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.

  • Law / code exam · if applicable
  • Trade exam · if applicable

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 · if applicable

How Virginia licenses master plumbers

Virginia master plumber · “Master Plumbing Tradesman (PLB)

Statewide license

Verified September 16, 2026· 7 sources

Issued by Virginia Board for Contractors, Tradesmen Program (DPOR)

Virginia issues a statewide Master Plumbing tradesman license to individuals through the Board for Contractors' Tradesmen Program at DPOR. Under 18VAC50-30-39(D) a first-time applicant qualifies for the PSI master exam with one year as a licensed journeyman in the trade, three years holding a valid Virginia residential plumber tradesman license, or nine years of verified practical experience; the application fee on the 2026 form is $171.75 including the technology fee, and the PSI master exam fee published on the Tradesmen page is $125 (regulatory cap $225). A current journeyman or master plumber license from another governing body outside Virginia is itself an accepted qualification to sit the master exam, and a licensee who has held an out-of-state license for at least three years may apply through Universal License Recognition and receive the master license without the Virginia trade exam. DPOR does not publish a plumbing reciprocity agreement with any origin state; the only plumbing-related partner on the Board list is WSSC. The master tradesman license is a personal qualification; contracting for work over $1,000 requires a separate Class A, B or C contractor business license. Licenses expire three years from the last day of the month of issuance; renewal is $160 plus three hours of board-approved plumbing code continuing education per designation.

Moving to VirginiaLeaving Virginia

Why Missouri has nothing to transfer

Missouri master plumber

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 16, 2026· 6 sources

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.

Moving to MissouriLeaving Missouri

Common questions

Do I have to take the Virginia master plumber exam if I'm licensed in Missouri?
No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
How long do I need to have held my Missouri license?
At least 3 years before applying.
What does it cost to get a Virginia master plumber license from Missouri?
Published fees on this path total $290, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Missouri work hours count in Virginia?
Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Virginia's eligibility requirements.
How long does the application take?
The board's published or typical processing time is about 30 days.
Does it work the other way, from Virginia to Missouri?
Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Virginia to Missouri, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

  1. 18VAC50-30-100 - Examination fees · 18VAC50-30-100 · Virginia Board for Contractors / Virginia Register · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
  2. 18VAC50-30-120 - Renewal · 18VAC50-30-120; Va. Code § 54.1-1133 · Virginia Board for Contractors / Virginia Register · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
  3. 18VAC50-30-39 - Qualifications for examination approval for a tradesman license · 18VAC50-30-39 · Virginia Board for Contractors / Virginia Register · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
  4. 18VAC50-30-90 - Fees for licensure and certification · 18VAC50-30-90 · Virginia Board for Contractors / Virginia Register · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
  5. Virginia Board for Contractors - Reciprocal Licensing/Examination Agreements with Other Jurisdictions · Virginia Board for Contractors (DPOR) · Agreement Document · verified September 16, 2026
  6. Form A501-2710EXLIC - Tradesman Exam & License Application (v8, 07/01/2026) · Virginia Board for Contractors (DPOR) · Form · verified September 16, 2026
  7. Form A501-2710ULR - Tradesman Universal License Recognition Application (v2, 08/14/2023) · Virginia Board for Contractors (DPOR) · Form · verified September 16, 2026
  8. DPOR Board for Contractors - Tradesmen Program · Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
  9. DPOR - Universal License Recognition · Va. Code 54.1-204, 54.1-205 · Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026

Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.

Report an error on this page

Related