New Jersey to Idaho: master plumber license reciprocity
Idaho gives no credit for a New Jersey master plumber license. You qualify from scratch.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Out-of-state master plumbers and plumbing contractors (Idaho journeyman prerequisite plus contractor exam)
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
An out-of-state master plumber or plumbing contractor receives no credit toward Idaho's Plumbing Contractor certificate. The applicant must first hold an active Idaho Plumbing Journeyman certificate - obtained either through the journeyman Reciprocity Pathway (Montana, Oregon, Washington) or by passing the Idaho journeyman exam with out-of-state hours credited - and then file the contractor application ($22.50), receive exam approval, and pass the four-hour Idaho Plumbing Contractor examination through PSI (100 questions: 60 from the DOPL Contractors' Business and Law Reference Manual, 40 code and sizing points from the 2017 Idaho State Plumbing Code / 2015 UPC; 75% to pass; $75 fee). After passing, the applicant files proof of a $2,000 surety (compliance) bond and pays the $147 certificate fee. Idaho Code 67-9409 lets DOPL require its examination of universal-licensure applicants, and the Plumbing Board has adopted no procedure that waives the contractor exam. Applications expire one year after filing if the exam is not passed.
Exam flags: the contractor examination is a single test whose content is 60% business/law and 40% plumbing code and sizing, so both flags are set. Fee conflict: Idaho Code 54-2616 lists the contractor certificate fee as $75 initial / $36 renewal, but DOPL's fee table and form charge $147 / $108. Military members, veterans and spouses holding an out-of-state contractor or master license may instead apply for licensure by endorsement under Idaho Code 67-9406. A DOPL contractor registration under Idaho Code Title 54, Chapter 52 may additionally be needed to contract for work; it is separate from this Plumbing Board certificate.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Required
- Out-of-state hours
- Do not count
What you must already have
- Must hold an active Idaho Plumbing Journeyman certificate of competency before applying (IDAPA 24.39.20.100.03).
What you'll do to get licensed in Idaho
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($22.50). DOPL contractor application processing fee (Idaho Code 54-2614).
- 2Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($75). Plumbing Contractor examination fee, paid per attempt.
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Idaho Plumbing Contractor examination (4 hours, 100 questions, open book; 8 code questions plus 8 sizing questions worth 4 points each from the 2017 ISPC / 2015 UPC; 75% to pass).
- 4Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Business and law portion of the same contractor examination: 60 questions drawn from the DOPL Contractors' Business and Law Reference Manual.
- 5Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($2,000). Compliance (surety) bond of $2,000 filed after passing the exam and kept in force for the whole certificate period; proof of renewal is required to renew the certificate.
- 6License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($147). Initial Plumbing Contractor certificate fee, three-year term (renewal $108; inactive renewal capped at $36 by statute).
Published fees on this path total $244.50, 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
- Law / code exam
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 · $2,000
How Idaho licenses master plumbers
Idaho master plumber · “Plumbing Contractor (Certificate of Competency)”
Statewide license
Issued by Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (Idaho State Plumbing Board)
Idaho has no master plumber title. The level above journeyman is the Plumbing Contractor certificate of competency, which Idaho Code 54-2611 defines as a person ('any person, or a member, representative or agent of a firm') who has passed the contractor examination; the contractor application confirms 'a plumbing contractor may be licensed as an individual', so it is treated here as the master-equivalent credential. IDAPA 24.39.20.100.03 requires the applicant to hold an active Idaho Plumbing Journeyman certificate, pass the Board-designated contractor exam (60% business and law, 40% code and sizing, 75% to pass), and file a $2,000 compliance bond; the initial certificate fee is $147 for a three-year term. A contractor may represent only one business at a time. No out-of-state contractor or master license is reciprocated at this level: the form has no reciprocal application type and the Montana, Oregon and Washington agreements cover journeymen only.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Idaho master plumber exam if I'm licensed in New Jersey?
- Yes. Idaho requires the trade exam on this path, plus a law or code exam.
- What does it cost to get a Idaho master plumber license from New Jersey?
- Published fees on this path total $244.50, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my New Jersey work hours count in Idaho?
- No. Idaho does not credit out-of-state hours on this path.
- Does it work the other way, from Idaho to New Jersey?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Idaho to New Jersey, the mechanism is experience credit.
Sources
- Idaho Code Title 54, Chapter 26 - Plumbing and Plumbers · Idaho Code 54-2610, 54-2611, 54-2614, 54-2616, 54-2617 · Idaho Legislature · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- Idaho Code 67-9406 - Licensure by Endorsement - Members of the Military, Veterans, and Spouses · Idaho Code 67-9406 · Idaho Legislature · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- Idaho Code 67-9409 - Universal Licensure · Idaho Code 67-9409 · Idaho Legislature · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- Idaho State Plumbing Board - Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Idaho State Plumbing Board - Program Information and Exams · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- IDAPA 24.39.20 - Rules Governing Plumbing · IDAPA 24.39.20.100 · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
- Idaho Plumbing Contractor Application and Instructions (revised July 1, 2023) · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Form · verified September 16, 2026
- Idaho DOPL Plumbing Exams Information Bulletin (updated September 23, 2024) · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) · Other · verified September 16, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.