Texas to Oklahoma: master plumber license reciprocity
Oklahoma has no reciprocity agreement with Texas. A Texas master plumber applies by endorsement.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Out-of-state master plumber or plumbing contractor (all states; no contractor reciprocity agreements)
The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.
No state has a written plumbing contractor reciprocity agreement with Oklahoma, so every out-of-state master plumber or plumbing contractor uses the same route. Under OAC 158:30-9-1.4 a contractor-level applicant from a state without an agreement (or with only local licensing) may request exam equivalency; if the Board has previously approved that jurisdiction's exam, the technical trade section of the Oklahoma contractor exam is waived on a certified letter showing current good standing, the license category, a 70%+ exam score and no pending discipline, but 'the applicant for the contractor exam will still be required to take and pass the Oklahoma business and law section'. CIB does not publish the approved jurisdictions. Otherwise the applicant files the Application for Plumbing Examination with notarized experience affidavits and a copy of the out-of-state license, documents four years of verifiable plumbing experience (out-of-state hours count if lawfully obtained; a current out-of-state license may expedite processing), pays $330, and must pass both portions of the contractor exam through PSI with 75% each, completing the second portion within three years of approval. To activate the license the contractor files a $5,000 bond and $50,000 general liability insurance with CIB, or the Affidavit for Plumbing waiver if employed by a single entity.
Even where a written contractor agreement exists, OAC 158:30-5-4(e) grants only a journeyman license by reciprocity and requires the Oklahoma Plumbing Contractor Business and Law portion before the contractor license issues; since CIB publishes no plumbing contractor agreement with any state, no contractor reciprocity rows are recorded. Vendor claims of Oklahoma plumbing reciprocity with Texas, Colorado or Louisiana could not be confirmed from any CIB page.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- You must document at least 8,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Journeyman requirement of three years plus one additional year of experience in the plumbing trade, at approximately 2,000 hours per year (OAC 158:30-5-1(c)); approved education substitutes for up to two years.
- Your Texas license must be active and in good standing.
- You must have passed a licensing exam in Texas that the destination considers comparable.
- You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.
What you'll do to get licensed in Oklahoma
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($30). Contractor application processing fee, forfeited if the applicant does not meet minimum qualifications (OAC 158:30-9-2(b)).
- 2License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($300). Initial contractor license fee, submitted with the application; annual renewal $200, late fee $100.
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Technical trade portion of the Oklahoma Plumbing Contractor exam administered by PSI, 75% to pass; waived only under approved exam equivalency.
- 4Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Oklahoma Plumbing Contractor Business and Law portion (PSI), 75% to pass; open book on the CIB rules study aid, Plumbing License Law of 1955, Oklahoma Liens Law and the NASCLA Contractor's Guide; never waived.
- 5Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($184). PSI fee of $92 per examination portion (two portions), non-refundable; retakes charged again.
- 6Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($5,000). Continuous $5,000 corporate surety bond payable to the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board in the individual license holder's name with 30-day cancellation notice, or $5,000 cash or certificate of deposit held for bonding (OAC 158:30-5-2).
- 7Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($50,000). Commercial general liability insurance of at least $50,000 with the CIB named as certificate holder; required to activate and keep the license active.
- 8Other. Notarized experience affidavits signed by each verifying plumbing contractor, copy of the out-of-state license or original certificate, and notarized affidavit of lawful presence (56 O.S. § 71).
- 9Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Six hours of Committee-approved continuing education within the 36 months preceding each license expiration (OAC 158:30-9-4).
Published fees on this path total $514, 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
- Exam fee · $184
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 · $5,000
Liability insurance
Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.
- Insurance · $50,000
Continuing education
Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.
- Continuing education
How Oklahoma licenses master plumbers
Oklahoma master plumber · “Plumbing Contractor (Unlimited)”
Statewide license
Issued by Oklahoma Construction Industries Board (CIB), Plumbing Division
Oklahoma has no 'master plumber' title; its highest person-held plumbing credential is the Plumbing Contractor license, which CIB describes as 'the highest ranking plumbing license' and issues to an individual who passes the two-part contractor exam (technical trade and Plumbing Business and Law, 75% on each part, PSI, $92 per portion). This site maps the Unlimited Plumbing Contractor license to the master level. An applicant needs the journeyman qualifications plus one additional year, so four years (about 8,000 hours) of verifiable plumbing experience, and pays $330 ($30 application plus $300 initial license). After passing, the license is inactive until the contractor files a $5,000 corporate surety bond (or $5,000 cash or certificate of deposit) and a $50,000 commercial general liability certificate with CIB; only a licensed contractor may contract for plumbing work, and the licensee may operate as an individual, firm, LLC or corporation. CIB's Arkansas agreement covers journeymen only, so no state has contractor reciprocity with Oklahoma; out-of-state masters and contractors use exam equivalency where available or sit the full exam. Licenses renew annually ($200) with six hours of continuing education every 36 months.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Oklahoma master plumber exam if I'm licensed in Texas?
- Yes. Oklahoma requires the trade exam on this path, plus a law or code exam.
- What does it cost to get a Oklahoma master plumber license from Texas?
- Published fees on this path total $514, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Texas work hours count in Oklahoma?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Oklahoma's eligibility requirements.
Sources
- Oklahoma CIB - Plumbing Industry · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Oklahoma CIB - Plumbing Application Information and Application for Plumbing Examination (Contractor and Journeyman, 9/2023) · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Form · verified September 16, 2026
- Oklahoma CIB - Plumbing Contractor · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Oklahoma CIB - Plumbing Forms · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- OAC Title 158, Chapter 30 - Plumbing Industry Regulations (permanent rules effective 10/1/2024) · OAC 158:30-1-2, 158:30-5-1, 158:30-5-2, 158:30-5-4, 158:30-9-1, 158:30-9-1.4, 158:30-9-2, 158:30-9-4 · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
- Oklahoma Plumbing License Law of 1955, 59 O.S. §§ 1000.1 et seq. · 59 O.S. § 1000.5A · Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- State of Oklahoma Electrical, Mechanical, Roofing and Plumbing Examinations Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI) · PSI Services for the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board · 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.