LicensebyState

New York to Georgia: master plumber license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 16, 2026· 7 sources

New York does not issue a statewide master plumber license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Georgia'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.

Licensure by examination with credit for out-of-state experience (no named reciprocity partners)

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

An out-of-state master plumber applies for a Georgia Class I or Class II Master Plumber license by examination. O.C.G.A. § 43-14-23, re-enacted by Senate Bill 553 (2026) effective July 1, 2026, lets the Division license without examination someone who has practiced for two years under a license from a state with substantially equal requirements that extends equivalent privileges to Georgia, and Rule 121-2-.03 still frames such recognition as a formal written agreement, but the Division's FAQ states that Georgia has no reciprocity with any other state for plumbers, so the trade exam is required. For Class II the applicant documents five years of full-time plumbing experience (2,000 documented hours per year) under a licensed master plumber, at least four of them licensed as a Journeyman Plumber and at least two in unrestricted-scope work; the statute does not say those licensed years must be Georgia years, so out-of-state journeyman licensure is expected to count. Class I needs four years, at least three of them while licensed as a Journeyman Plumber under the Georgia chapter, so an out-of-state plumber cannot qualify for Class I without first holding a Georgia journeyman license. Each supervising master signs an affidavit attesting to the experience, and the application authorizes a criminal background check. After two failures a Board-approved review course is required before a third sitting. A current Georgia master (or journeyman) may separately apply for Statewide Medical Gas Piping Systems Certification under Rule 121-2-.11.

O.C.G.A. § 43-14-23 (effective July 1, 2026) makes recognition discretionary for licensees of substantially equal states that extend equivalent privileges to Georgia, after two years of practice, and does not mention a written agreement; Rule 121-2-.03 still requires one, and the Division's FAQ states that none exists for plumbers, so the exam is required. Class I vs Class II is chosen by the applicant. Municipal origin licenses are not state licenses.

At a glance

Trade exam
Required
Law / code exam
Not required
Out-of-state hours
Count toward eligibility

What you must already have

  • Class II: five years of full-time plumbing experience (2,000 documented hours per year) under a licensed master plumber, at least four of them licensed as a Journeyman Plumber (two if licensed as a Georgia journeyman before March 1, 2025) and at least two in unrestricted-scope work (O.C.G.A. § 43-14-13(l))
  • Class I: four years of full-time plumbing experience within the restricted scope, at least three of them while licensed as a Georgia Journeyman Plumber (one if licensed before March 1, 2025) (O.C.G.A. § 43-14-13(k))
  • Three licensed-plumber references on the Division's application checklist; Class I at least one licensed Master Plumber, Class II at least two (Rule 121-3-.02(3))

What you'll do to get licensed in Georgia

  1. 1Application fee. Pay the application fee. Application and processing fee, paid in the GOALS portal (goals.sos.ga.gov) and non-refundable. The Board publishes the current amount only on its GOALS fee schedule..
  2. 2Background check. Complete a background check. Criminal background check: the application authorizes the Secretary of State to run one, including fingerprints, at the applicant's expense (O.C.G.A. § 43-14-13(h)).
  3. 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Georgia Master Plumber Class I or Class II examination given by PSI after Board approval; closed book; scaled score of 70 to pass (Rule 121-3-.02(2)). After two failures, a Board-approved review course is required before a third sitting..
  4. 4Exam fee. Pay the exam fee. PSI examination fee, paid to PSI when you register after Board approval. The Board does not publish the amount; PSI quotes it at registration (test-takers.psiexams.com/gaco, 855-898-0711)..
  5. 5Other. Three licensed-plumber references (Class I: at least one Master Plumber; Class II: at least two Master Plumbers).
  6. 6Other. Signed affidavit from each master plumber who supervised the claimed experience, with the Division's work-experience record (O.C.G.A. § 43-14-13(k)(3), (l)(3)).
  7. 7Other. Optional Statewide Medical Gas Piping Systems Certification (Rule 121-2-.11): current Georgia master or journeyman license plus 32-hour Division-approved ASSE 6000 / NFPA 99 program with written exam and braze test (if applicable).

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
  • Other · if applicable

How Georgia licenses master plumbers

Georgia master plumber · “Master Plumber Class II (Unrestricted)”

Statewide license

Verified September 16, 2026· 5 sources

Issued by Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (Secretary of State)

Georgia issues statewide Master Plumber licenses in two classes through the Construction Industry Licensing Board's Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers. Under the licensing statute as re-enacted by Senate Bill 553 (2026), effective July 1, 2026, Class I covers single-family dwellings, townhomes and multifamily buildings (including duplexes, hotels, motels and apartments) up to three stories and commercial buildings up to 20,000 square feet; Class II is unrestricted and is the master-level equivalent used here. Class II needs five years of full-time experience (2,000 documented hours each) under a licensed master plumber, at least four of them licensed as a Journeyman Plumber and at least two in unrestricted-scope work; Class I needs four years within the restricted scope, at least three of them licensed as a Georgia Journeyman Plumber. Anyone already licensed as a Georgia journeyman before March 1, 2025 needs only two licensed years for Class II and one for Class I. The applicant scores at least 70 on the appropriate master examination, files a signed affidavit from each supervising master, consents to a criminal background check and pays the Board's published fee; the Division's checklist still also asks for three licensed-plumber references (Class I: at least one master; Class II: at least two). O.C.G.A. § 43-14-23 lets the Division, in its discretion, license without examination someone who has practiced for at least two years under a license from a state with substantially equal requirements that gives Georgia licensees equivalent privileges; Rule 121-2-.03 still frames this as a formal written agreement, and the Division's FAQ states that Georgia has no reciprocity with any other state for master or journeyman plumbers. In practice everyone therefore applies by examination. The statute's Class II wording does not require the licensed journeyman years to be Georgia years, so out-of-state journeyman licensure is expected to count there, but Class I's licensed years must be under a Georgia Journeyman Plumber license.

Moving to GeorgiaLeaving Georgia

Compare: getting a Georgia license from scratch

Why New York has nothing to transfer

New York master plumber · “Master Plumber (municipal)”

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 16, 2026· 7 sources

Issued by New York cities and counties (no statewide plumber license)

New York does not issue a statewide master plumber license. The Department of State Division of Licensing Services' 35 occupations do not include plumber. The person-held contracting credential is municipal. Westchester County requires a Master Plumber trade license to contract in the county (exam application $50, license and renewal $600; Restricted Master renewal $50 per municipality up to $600); Yonkers sits inside that county. Rochester lists Plumbing Licensing on its Licensed Trades portal without publishing fees.

How local licensing works in New York

How local licensing works. Master plumber licensing is entirely local. A Master Plumber license from one New York city or county does not authorize work in another, and New York State has no endorsement or reciprocity program for plumbers. There is no defaultPath and no agreements array at this level.

New York City. 'Master Plumbers are licensed to perform plumbing work in New York City.' Fees on the DOB master-plumbers page: license $200.00, renewal $150.00, late $50.00 (1–30 days) or $100.00 (31 days or more), seal $50.00 new / $75.00 renewal, term 3 years. Written exam application LIC41 $585; practical exam application LIC42 $530. A separate Master Fire Suppression Piping Contractor license uses the same fee/term schedule but does not cover plumbing work as defined in NYC Admin. Code §28-401.3. How-to: Obtain a Master Plumber License; renew a license; DPL-1 form; business-address verification. All new applications online via DOB NOW since 7 September 2021. Nothing on the landing page describes reciprocity.

Westchester County (including Yonkers). County law: plumbers must hold a Westchester trade license; first step is the licensing examination. Master Plumber exam application $50.00; Master Plumber license $600.00; Master Plumber renewal $600.00. Restricted Master Plumber renewal $50.00 per municipality, $600.00 maximum. Certificate of Competency (shelving) $50.00 per year. Late Master / Restricted Master renewals: $50 (1 Nov–31 Dec), $100 (1 Jan–30 Apr), $200 (1 May–31 Dec); after 31 December appearance before the Licensing Board. Exam/re-exam paid to the testing company (amount unpublished). The plumbing fee table has no 'reciprocal plumber' line (unlike electrical's 'Master and Reciprocal Electrician' on the same page). Yonkers work requires this county Master (or Restricted Master) plumber license.

Rochester. Plumbing Licensing is a listed Licensed Trade with online apply/pay/renew. For NYC, budget the $585 written and $530 practical exams plus $200 license / $50 seal and apply in DOB NOW; confirm experience and insurance on the obtain checklist before sitting. For Westchester, file the $50 exam application and $600 license. For Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse and Albany, contact the local board — published inbound rules were not verified here.

Moving to New YorkLeaving New York

Common questions

Do I have to take the Georgia master plumber exam if I'm licensed in New York?
Yes. Georgia requires the trade exam on this path.
Do my New York work hours count in Georgia?
Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Georgia's eligibility requirements.
Does it work the other way, from Georgia to New York?
Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Georgia to New York, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

  1. Senate Bill 553 (2026), as passed and signed - repeals and re-enacts O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 14 (Electrical Contractors, Plumbers, Conditioned Air Contractors, Low Voltage Contractors, and Utility Contractors) · O.C.G.A. §§ 43-14-2(13), (24), (25); 43-14-5; 43-14-6; 43-14-13; 43-14-20; 43-14-23 (as enacted by SB 553, 2026) · Office of the Governor of Georgia (signed legislation) · Statute · verified October 12, 2026
  2. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 121-2 - Qualifications for Licensure (Construction Industry Licensing Board) · Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 121-2-.01, 121-2-.03, 121-2-.06, 121-2-.11 · Georgia Secretary of State, Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
  3. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 121-3 - Application for Licensure (Construction Industry Licensing Board) · Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 121-3-.02, 121-3-.03 · Georgia Secretary of State, Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
  4. Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 121-3-.02 - Statewide Master and Journeyman Plumber License · Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 121-3-.02; O.C.G.A. §§ 43-14-5, 43-14-6 · Georgia Secretary of State, Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
  5. How-To Guide: Plumber License · Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  6. Georgia State Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers · Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  7. Georgia Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers FAQ · Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division · Faq · verified September 23, 2026

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

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