Washington to Texas: master plumber license reciprocity
Washington does not issue a statewide master plumber license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Texas'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 journeyman or master plumber: direct eligibility for the Texas master exam
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
TSBPE admits an out-of-state plumber to the Master Plumber Examination on the strength of the origin license without first requiring a Texas journeyman license: the applicant must currently hold a Journeyman Plumber license from another state held at least two years (or one year plus a DOL apprenticeship program), or a Master Plumber license from another state and show that he or she previously held a journeyman license for two years (or one year plus a DOL program). The application is filed online or by mail with supporting documentation and a $25 processing fee; the $128.50 exam fee is paid to Pearson VUE on exam day; fingerprints are required once; and the $75 license fee is paid after passing. TSBPE's page describes no exam waiver, although Occupations Code §1301.3581 permits the Board to waive prerequisites for a substantially equivalent license and bars requiring an exam of such an applicant who has held the equivalent license for two years; no implementing rule or equivalency list is published. A new master who wants to run a plumbing business must additionally qualify as a Responsible Master Plumber and file a $300,000 liability insurance certificate.
TSBPE's master page routes every out-of-state applicant to the Texas exam. Occupations Code §1301.3581 may let the Board skip the exam if you have held a substantially equivalent license for at least two years, but TSBPE has not published a reciprocity agreement or a form for that. Plan to take the exam unless the Board tells you otherwise. See https://tsbpe.texas.gov/license-types/master-plumber.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your Washington license must be active and in good standing.
- You must have held your Washington license for at least 2 years.Journeyman Plumber license held at least two years (Texas or another state), or - for an out-of-state master - proof of having previously held a journeyman license for at least two years. Reduced to one year if the applicant has completed a US DOL Office of Apprenticeship training program.
- US citizen or national, or an alien or non-immigrant eligible for licensure by the State of Texas
What you'll do to get licensed in Texas
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($25). Master Plumber Examination processing fee payable to TSBPE.
- 2Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($128.50). Master Plumber Examination fee payable to Pearson VUE on the day of the exam.
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Texas Master Plumber Examination administered through Pearson VUE (required unless TSBPE grants a waiver under Occ. Code §1301.3581); passing score set by the Board.
- 4License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($75). Initial license fee for the certificate of licensure and pocket card after passing; renewal $75 per year (late: $37.50 within 90 days, $75 after 90 days).
- 5Background check. Complete a background check. One-time fingerprint submission for a DPS/FBI criminal history check (Occ. Code §1301.3515); Supplemental Criminal History Information Form if convicted of a felony.
- 6Other. Verification of the out-of-state Journeyman and/or Master Plumber license and the dates it was held, plus documentation of any DOL apprenticeship program used for the one-year route.
- 7Insurance. Carry the required insurance (if applicable). Only to act as a Responsible Master Plumber (contracting, permits, supervising a company): certificate of commercial general liability insurance of at least $300,000 for all claims in a one-year period (Occ. Code §§1301.3576, 1301.552).
- 8Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Six hours of TSBPE-approved continuing professional education each year to renew, three hours in health protection, energy conservation and water conservation (Occ. Code §1301.404).
Published fees on this path total $228.50, 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.
- Exam fee · $128.50
- Trade exam
Liability insurance
Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.
- Insurance · if applicable
Continuing education
Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.
- Continuing education
How Texas licenses master plumbers
Texas master plumber · “Master Plumber”
Statewide license
Issued by Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE)
Texas licenses Master Plumbers statewide through the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE). An applicant may sit the Master Plumber Examination after holding a Journeyman Plumber license in Texas or another state for at least two years, or for one year plus completion of a US DOL Office of Apprenticeship program (Occ. Code §1301.002(5)); a master licensed in another state qualifies by showing the same prior journeyman history. The applicant pays a $25 exam processing fee to TSBPE and a $128.50 exam fee to Pearson VUE, submits fingerprints, passes the exam and pays a $75 initial license fee; the license renews annually for $75 with six hours of continuing professional education. A master plumber works under a Responsible Master Plumber unless he or she registers as an RMP, which requires a $300,000 commercial general liability certificate and allows contracting, permitting and supervising a plumbing company's work. TSBPE publishes no reciprocity agreements, but out-of-state journeyman experience counts directly toward master exam eligibility.
Why Washington has nothing to transfer
Washington master plumber
No individual license at this level
Issued by Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, Plumber Certification Program
Washington has no master plumber license. WAC 296-400A-010 lists every certificate the state issues (journey level PL01, residential PL02, residential service PL04, pump and irrigation PL03, domestic well PL03A, backflow PL30, and trainee), and the Journey Level Plumber certificate is the highest credential an individual can hold; the only add-on is the Medical Gas Piping Installer endorsement (MG01), which is a specialty, not a supervisory tier. Since July 1, 2021 a business that advertises, bids or performs plumbing work must hold a Plumbing Contractor license under RCW 18.106.400, but that is a business registration rather than a person-held trade license: the firm registers with the Department of Revenue, files a $6,000 surety bond, carries $250,000 combined (or $200,000/$50,000) liability insurance, pays a $148.10 license fee plus $53.20 to designate a Washington-certified plumber who works for the firm full time, and renews every two years; no exam is taken by the owner. An out-of-state master plumber therefore has nothing to transfer to at this level. To work as a plumber they obtain the journey level (PL01) certificate through the journeyman path (Idaho reciprocity or license review plus the Washington exam), and to contract they form a business and license it as a plumbing contractor with themselves or an employee as the designated certified plumber.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Texas master plumber exam if I'm licensed in Washington?
- Yes. Texas requires the trade exam on this path.
- How long do I need to have held my Washington license?
- At least 2 years before applying.
- What does it cost to get a Texas master plumber license from Washington?
- Published fees on this path total $228.50, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Washington work hours count in Texas?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Texas's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Texas to Washington?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Texas to Washington, the mechanism is not applicable.
Sources
- Texas Occupations Code ch. 1301 (Plumbing License Law) - definitions, apprentice/exam prerequisites, fingerprints, renewal and CE · Tex. Occ. Code §§ 1301.002, 1301.354, 1301.3515, 1301.352, 1301.401, 1301.403, 1301.404 · Texas Legislature (statutes.capitol.texas.gov), current through the 89th Legislature 2nd Called Session 2025 · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- Texas Occupations Code § 1301.3581 Reciprocity; § 1301.3585 military applicants; § 1301.403(e) former Texas licensees; § 1301.360 temporary license · Tex. Occ. Code §§ 1301.3581, 1301.3585, 1301.403(e), 1301.360 · Texas Legislature (statutes.capitol.texas.gov), current through the 89th Legislature 2nd Called Session 2025 · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- 22 TAC § 365.1 - License, Endorsement and Registration Categories; Scope of Work Permitted · 22 TAC § 365.1 (eff. 11/23/2022) · Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (mirrored by Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
- TSBPE - License Types (licenses, endorsements, registrations; renewal and CE overview) · Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- TSBPE - Master Plumber (eligibility, how to apply, fees) · Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.