New York to Rhode Island: master plumber license reciprocity
New York does not issue a statewide master plumber license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Rhode Island'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: Rhode Island master examination (all states; no published exam waiver)
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
An out-of-state master plumber applies to DLT Professional Regulation for the Rhode Island master plumber examination. R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-20-16 is the qualifications and application-fee statute; § 5-20-21 issues the license on examination; chapter 20 contains no reciprocity, endorsement, or compact section and DLT publishes no list of states whose master exam is waived. Until § 5-20-16 is read, treat the inbound path like other DLT trades and like plumber journeyperson § 5-20-17: out-of-state credentials may be used to qualify to sit the Rhode Island exam, but the exam itself is required. A contractor master (§ 5-20-12.1) is a separate firm credential and is not a substitute for the individual master plumber license. File through the Plumbing and Irrigators applications on the DLT Professional Regulation hub.
No named agreements. Mechanism is ExperienceCredit, not Reciprocity, because no official source waives the trade exam.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your New York license must be active and in good standing.
- 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.
What you'll do to get licensed in Rhode Island
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee. 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..
- 2Other. 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..
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Rhode Island Master Plumber examination administered by DLT Professional Regulation; no published waiver for out-of-state masters.
- 4License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee. 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..
- 5Contractor license. Hold or obtain a contractor license (if applicable). Contractor master license under R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-20-12.1 if the master will operate as a firm — separate from the individual Master Plumber license.
- 6Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Plumbing continuing education / CLE through a DLT-approved provider (Plumber CLE Agreement Rev..
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
Continuing education
Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.
- Continuing education
How Rhode Island licenses master plumbers
Rhode Island master plumber · “Master Plumber”
Statewide license
Rhode Island issues a statewide Master Plumber license through the same DLT Board of Examiners of Plumbers (R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 5-20-3, 5-20-8, 5-20-16). A master’s license is required to engage in the plumbing business; journeypersons work under a master (§§ 5-20-8, 5-20-9). Firms need a contractor master under § 5-20-12.1 in addition to the individual master — that contractor-master credential is not this file’s master level. Licenses are issued on examination (§ 5-20-21). Chapter 20 has no reciprocity or endorsement section, and DLT’s plumber pages list no partner states and no exam waiver. DLT administers the plumber exams itself. Irrigator and water-filtration master licenses are separate.
Why New York has nothing to transfer
New York master plumber · “Master Plumber (municipal)”
Licensed by cities and counties
Issued by New York cities and counties (no statewide plumber licence)
New York does not issue a statewide master plumber licence. 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 licence to contract in the county (exam application $50, licence 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 licence from one New York city or county does not authorise work in another, and New York State has no endorsement or reciprocity programme 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: licence $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 licence 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 licence; 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 licence; first step is the licensing examination. Master Plumber exam application $50.00; Master Plumber licence $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 licence.
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 licence / $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 licence. For Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse and Albany, contact the local board — published inbound rules were not verified here.
- New York City (Department of Buildings — Master Plumber)
- Westchester County (Department of Consumer Protection — Master Plumber)
- Yonkers (Westchester County Master / Restricted Master plumber licence)
- Rochester (Licensed Trades — Plumbing Licensing)
- Syracuse (Division of Code Enforcement; plumber licence unconfirmed on 2026 notice)
- Buffalo (plumbing landing page HTTP 404; master plumber licence unconfirmed)
- Albany (plumber examining board not verified this session)
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Rhode Island master plumber exam if I'm licensed in New York?
- Yes. Rhode Island requires the trade exam on this path.
- Do my New York work hours count in Rhode Island?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Rhode Island's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Rhode Island to New York?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Rhode Island to New York, the mechanism is not applicable.
Sources
- Rhode Island DLT - Board of Examiners of Plumbers · Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Rhode Island DLT - Plumber CLE Agreement (Rev. 08/2025) · Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Professional Regulation · Form · verified September 16, 2026
- Rhode Island DLT - Professional Regulation · Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Rhode Island DLT - Professional Regulation Forms and Applications · Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-20-16 - Qualifications of master plumber, master irrigator or master water-filtration/treatment-system installer — Application fee · R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-20-16 · Rhode Island General Assembly · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-20-23 - Expiration and renewal of licenses — Penalties for violation of section · R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-20-23 · Rhode Island General Assembly · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- R.I. Gen. Laws Title 5, Chapter 20 - Plumbers, Irrigators, and Water System Installers (index) · R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 5-20 · Rhode Island General Assembly · 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.