West Virginia to Indiana: master plumber license reciprocity
Indiana has no reciprocity agreement with West Virginia. A West Virginia master plumber applies by endorsement.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Commission review of out-of-state master/contractor credentials (IC 25-28.5-1-19; no named partner states)
The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.
An out-of-state master plumber or plumbing contractor applies to the Indiana Plumbing Commission for a Plumbing Contractor license through MyLicense One. Indiana names no reciprocal partner states, and the Commission's FAQ states that reciprocity is not available for contractor plumbers: the application goes before the Commission, and an approved applicant must pass the Indiana Plumbing Contractor exam given by Prov. IC 25-28.5-1-19 allows a license without examination where the origin state's requirements were substantially equal and that state grants Indiana licensees the same privilege, but the Commission's published process routes out-of-state licensees to the exam. You document your out-of-state license and four years of experience in the plumbing trade with an employer affidavit. The application fee is $50 and the initial license fee is $100 if issued in an even-numbered year or $50 in an odd-numbered year; a corporation must also hold its own corporate license naming you.
Indiana's statute provides for licensing without examination for holders from states with a reciprocity agreement or substantially equal requirements (IC 25-28.5-1-12(e) and -19), but the Commission names no such states and its FAQ says reciprocity is not available. Under IC 25-28.5-1-12(d), a license from a state without a reciprocity agreement makes the holder eligible to take the Indiana exam. The 90-question contractor exam includes 14 questions on Indiana business; there is no separate law exam. Indiana does not require a prior Indiana journeyman license for the contractor license. Nonresident licensees must also appoint the Commission's secretary as agent for service of process (IC 25-28.5-1-20).
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your West Virginia license must be active and in good standing.
- Applicant is at least 18 years of age (IC 25-28.5-1-19)
- You must document at least 4 years of qualifying work experience.
What you'll do to get licensed in Indiana
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($50). Plumbing Contractor application fee, paid by card in MyLicense One; nonrefundable.
- 2License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($100). Initial license issuance fee when the license is issued in an even-numbered year; $50 when it is issued in an odd-numbered year.
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Indiana Plumbing Contractor exam administered by Prov after the Commission approves the application: 90 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours, including 14 on Indiana business, approved code references allowed.
- 4Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($100). Prov examination fee, paid to Prov for each attempt.
- 5Other. Certification of licensure from the other state's licensing authority (860 IAC 1-1-11) and a notarized employer affidavit of experience in the plumbing trade, uploaded in MyLicense One.
- 6Business license. Obtain a business license (if applicable). Corporate plumbing contractor license if you will contract through a corporation ($50 application), naming at least one officer or employee who holds a Plumbing Contractor license; a business that files an assumed business name must register its name, address and phone number with the Commission (IC 25-28.5-1-13).
- 7Other. Answer the application's background questions; for any "yes" answer, attach a full statement (violation, location, date, cause number and disposition) and copies of the court documents.
Published fees on this path total $250, 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
- Exam fee · $100
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 · if applicable
How Indiana licenses master plumbers
Indiana master plumber · “Plumbing Contractor”
Statewide license
Issued by Indiana Plumbing Commission (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency)
Indiana has no 'master plumber' license. The top individual credential is the Plumbing Contractor license issued by the Indiana Plumbing Commission (PLA) under IC 25-28.5-1, which is held by a person who has qualified by experience and passed the Indiana plumbing contractor examination administered by PROV; this file maps it to the master level because it is the credential that authorizes a plumber to contract for and supervise plumbing work. The license is held by the individual: every member of a firm or partnership who contracts for plumbing work must hold one personally, and a corporation doing plumbing contracting must hold its own corporate license naming at least one officer or employee who is a licensed Plumbing Contractor (IC 25-28.5-1-13). The Commission also issues a Temporary Plumbing Contractor license when a contractor running a business dies or becomes unable to operate it (IC 25-28.5-1-18.5). Applications and renewals are processed in MyLicense One, and initial license issuance fees depend on whether the license is issued in an odd or even year. The reciprocity section of the statute (IC 25-28.5-1-19) applies to out-of-state master or contractor licensees in the same way as to journeymen.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Indiana master plumber exam if I'm licensed in West Virginia?
- Yes. Indiana requires the trade exam on this path.
- What does it cost to get a Indiana master plumber license from West Virginia?
- Published fees on this path total $250, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my West Virginia work hours count in Indiana?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Indiana's eligibility requirements.
Sources
- 860 IAC 1 - Indiana Plumbing Commission, General Provisions (fees, admission to examination, examinations) · 860 IAC 1-1-2.1, 1-1-7, 1-1-8, 1-1-9, 1-1-10, 1-1-11, 1-3-1, 1-3-1.1, 1-3-2, 1-5-7 · Indiana Professional Licensing Agency · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
- Indiana Code Title 25, Article 28.5 (Plumbers), Chapter 1 - Regulation of Plumbers; Creation of Commission; Licensing · IC 25-28.5-1-12, -13, -15, -16, -17, -18.1, -18.3, -18.5, -19, -20, -22, -23, -32, -33 · Indiana General Assembly · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- Section 4 - Experience in a Plumbing Business, and Employer Affidavit of Experience in Plumbing Trade (part of State Form 27522) · Indiana Professional Licensing Agency · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- Indiana Professional Licensing Agency - Plumbing Home (Indiana Plumbing Commission) · Indiana Professional Licensing Agency · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Indiana Professional Licensing Agency - Plumbing Licensing Information (application instructions, renewal, fee schedule) · Indiana Professional Licensing Agency · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Wayback Machine snapshot (2025-09-02) of PLA Plumbing Licensing Information · Internet Archive (capture of in.gov) · Other · verified September 16, 2026
- Indiana - Candidate Information Bulletin (Prov, IN CIB 2026.10.12) · Prov, Inc. (for the Indiana Plumbing Commission) · Form · verified October 12, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.