Tennessee to New Hampshire: master plumber license reciprocity
Tennessee does not issue a statewide master plumber license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is New Hampshire'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.
Traditional application and New Hampshire master plumbing examination (non-qualifying jurisdictions)
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
An out-of-state master plumber whose origin is not on OPLC's Plc 313.34 qualifying-jurisdiction list applies through the traditional Mechanical Licensing Board process. Saf-Mec 302.14 makes proof of origin-state licensure or certification enough to sit the New Hampshire plumbing licensing examination; it does not waive that exam. Plc 313.34's similarity standard for masters is journeyman experience plus an exam, which is the endorsement bar, not a confirmed hour table for the exam route. After passing, the applicant pays the $330 two-year master plumber fee. A separate $275 mechanical business entity fee is published for firms; treat entity licensure as distinct from the personal master license until the statute and applications page are re-read.
After a browser pass, add Endorsement agreements (exam waived) for listed master origins only; Reciprocity only if a signed exam-waiver agreement is published.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
- Typical processing
- About 14 days
What you must already have
- Your Tennessee 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 New Hampshire
- 1Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. New Hampshire master plumber licensing examination (Mechanical Licensing Board; Prov candidate bulletin linked from the board home page)..
- 2Application fee. Pay the application fee ($330). Master plumber application / two-year license fee (Plc 1002.25 and OPLC Mechanical Safety and Licensing Board fee table)..
- 3Business license. Obtain a business license ($275) (if applicable). Mechanical business entity application/renewal/reinstatement fee ($275, Plc 1002.25 / OPLC fee table)..
- 4Other. Demonstrate proof of origin-state plumber licensure or certification with the application (Saf-Mec 302.14)..
Published fees on this path total $330, 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
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.
- Business license · $275 · if applicable
How New Hampshire licenses master plumbers
New Hampshire master plumber · “Master Plumber”
Statewide license
Issued by New Hampshire Mechanical Licensing Board, Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC)
New Hampshire issues a statewide Master Plumber license through the same OPLC Mechanical Licensing Board that licenses journeyman and trainee plumbers. The published two-year master plumber fee is $330 (OPLC fee table; Plc 1002.25). RSA 153 lets the board enter reciprocity agreements for plumbers whose requirements are equivalent or greater; no signed master-plumber partner list was confirmed, so none are recorded. Out-of-state masters who are not in a qualifying jurisdiction remain eligible for the New Hampshire master plumbing examination upon proof of licensure (Saf-Mec 302.14).
Why Tennessee has nothing to transfer
Tennessee master plumber · “Master plumber (city or county card); state CMC-A plumbing contractor is a business license”
Licensed by cities and counties
Tennessee does not issue a master plumber license. The state-level plumbing credentials are (1) the Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP), a personal license for work under $25,000 where the Division of Fire Prevention inspects, which the Board does not treat as a master equivalent and for which it has no exam-waiver agreements, and (2) a contractor license with the CMC-A (plumbing) or CMC (full mechanical: plumbing and HVAC) classification, issued to a business that names a qualifying agent and required for plumbing projects of $25,000 or more. CMC-A and CMC candidates need Board pre-approval ($50) before the plumbing or full-mechanical trade exam; every contractor also takes the Tennessee Business and Law exam (Prov from 2026-07-01; scores typically valid two years). Initial contractor application fee $250. The Board's trade-exam-waiver form lets a contractor whose origin board verifies a comparable plumbing or mechanical exam skip the Tennessee trade exam but not Business and Law, and it cannot be used for the LLP: Ohio plumbing maps to CMC-A, South Carolina plumbing to CMC-A, and Louisiana, Mississippi and West Virginia mechanical licenses to CMC. That waiver is contractor-to-contractor only (Ohio's OCILB listing of Tennessee as a plumbing-contractor partner is the same relationship from Ohio's side). Master plumber licenses proper exist only locally; Nashville's MPE Board issues a master plumber certificate. An out-of-state master plumber has no statewide personal recognition: to contract for $25,000 or more they need the CMC-A or CMC contractor license; to pull small-job permits they need the LLP where it is accepted, or the local master card where it is not.
How local licensing works in Tennessee
State contractor route (CMC-A / CMC) — business license, not a personal master. Required statewide to bid or contract plumbing of $25,000 or more (subcontractor plumbing portion counted with materials, equipment and labor). Qualifying agent (owner, officer or full-time employee) takes the Tennessee Business and Law exam and the CMC-A or CMC trade exam after a $50 pre-approval request to [email protected]. Up to two people may take each exam; Business and Law and the trade exam need not be the same person. Application $250 at core.tn.gov. From 2026-07-01 a contractors' surety bond of at least 50% of the requested monetary limit may replace a CPA-reviewed or audited financial statement. General liability and workers' compensation (or exemption) are required on the contractor application. Trade exam waiver (not Reciprocity for a master plumber card): origin board completes the Request for Contractor License Verification in lieu of the Tennessee trade exam score. Plumbing rows: Ohio Plumbing -> CMC-A; South Carolina Plumbing -> CMC-A; Louisiana Mechanical -> CMC; Mississippi Mechanical -> CMC; West Virginia Mechanical -> CMC. Business and Law is never waived. Ineligible if discipline, open complaints or felony convictions. Cannot be used for LLP, LLE or home improvement. NASCLA accredited exams on the Board exam page are commercial building and electrical, not plumbing.
State LLP (personal, limited, not master). $75 initial, Prov LLP exam, under $25,000, Fire Prevention jurisdictions only, no exam waiver. A Tennessee CMC-A/CMC firm may still need Metro registration to pull permits; confirm with Codes (615-862-6500).
Knoxville. State Contractor registration (CMC-A/CMC) or Unlicensed/State Limited License (LLP) registration to pull permits.
- Nashville / Davidson County (Codes and Building Safety)
- Knoxville (Plans Review & Inspections)
- Chattanooga (Land Development Office)
- Memphis / Shelby County (Office of Construction Code Enforcement)
Common questions
- Do I have to take the New Hampshire master plumber exam if I'm licensed in Tennessee?
- Yes. New Hampshire requires the trade exam on this path.
- What does it cost to get a New Hampshire master plumber license from Tennessee?
- Published fees on this path total $330, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Tennessee work hours count in New Hampshire?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward New Hampshire's eligibility requirements.
- How long does the application take?
- The board's published or typical processing time is about 14 days.
- Does it work the other way, from New Hampshire to Tennessee?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from New Hampshire to Tennessee, the mechanism is not applicable.
Sources
- NH OPLC - Mechanical Licensing Board (who we regulate; plumber licenses) · New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- NH OPLC - License Fees for the Mechanical Safety and Licensing Board · New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- OPLC - Reciprocity Licensing (HB 594 overview) · New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- NH OPLC - New Changes for Reciprocity in New Hampshire (endorsement qualifying jurisdictions by board) · RSA 310:17; Plc 313.34 · New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- N.H. Code Admin. R. Plc 1002.25 - Mechanical Licensing Board application and licensing fees · Plc 1002.25 · New Hampshire General Court (Administrative Rules) · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
- N.H. Code Admin. R. Plc 313.34 - Substantially similar requirements for Mechanical Licensing Board professions · Plc 313.34 (eff. 5-3-24, #13954); Plc 313.01; Plc 313.11 · New Hampshire General Court (Administrative Rules) · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
- RSA Chapter 153 - Fire Safety; Mechanical Licensing Board (plumber and fuel gas licensing) · RSA 153:16-b; RSA 153:27-a; RSA 153:28; RSA 153:36, VII · New Hampshire General Court · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- RSA 310:17 - License Reciprocity (OPLC endorsement of out-of-state licenses) · RSA 310:17 (2023, 111:1, eff. Aug. 27, 2023) · New Hampshire General Court · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- N.H. Code Admin. R. Saf-Mec 300 - Initial fuel gas fitting and plumbing licensing · Saf-Mec 302.14 · New Hampshire General Court (Administrative Rules) · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.