Moving to Illinois as a master plumber: every state's rule

Illinois' only full plumbing credential is the Plumber licence issued by the Department of Public Health; it is the state's equivalent of a master licence because a licensed plumber may plan, design, install and inspect all plumbing, sponsor up to two apprentices, and serve as the licence-holding member or officer of a registered Plumbing Contractor. The standard route is four years (48 to 72 months) as an Illinois licensed apprentice plumber or completion of an approved college/trade-school plumbing course, two years of high school or equivalent, an application filed at least 30 days before an exam date, and passing the IDPH-administered examination (held at least quarterly), which covers planning and design, manual skills, and the Illinois Plumbing Code (77 Ill. Adm. Code 890). Licences expire every April 30 and renew annually with four hours of continuing education. The City of Chicago runs a parallel plumber licence under Section 16 of the Act, and by statute a plumber licensed by either IDPH or Chicago may work anywhere in Illinois, so the two licences are alternatives rather than stacked requirements. Out-of-state plumbers are handled under Section 17: without examination only where the origin state's requirements were substantially equal at the time of licensure and that state reciprocates with Illinois (no state partner is named by IDPH), otherwise by passing the Illinois plumber's examination.