West Virginia to Louisiana: master plumber license reciprocity
Louisiana gives no credit for a West Virginia master plumber license. You qualify from scratch.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
No master reciprocity: obtain a Louisiana journeyman license, then pass the master exam
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
The State Plumbing Board of Louisiana does not recognise out-of-state master plumber licenses at the master level: its licenses page states that the Board 'does not reciprocate Master licenses', the master application contains no out-of-state provision, and the only qualifying credentials for the master exam are a current Journeyman Plumber license or a Louisiana professional engineer license. An out-of-state master therefore first obtains a Louisiana journeyman license, either by reciprocity (Texas or Arkansas journeyman license held two years, $100, no exam) or by using the out-of-state license to qualify for the journeyman exam ($135, written and practical exam), and then applies for the master exam with $110. The master exam is a three-part open-book written test at 70% per part covering the 2021 IPC/IRC, Title 51 Part XIII of the Louisiana sanitary code and the NASCLA Louisiana business-and-law guide, so both a trade exam and a law/business exam are required. After passing, the applicant pays $190 for an active license tied to a company with insurance on file or $40 for an inactive license, renews before December 31 each year and completes 5 CPE hours (3.5 if inactive and working as a journeyman). No minimum time as a journeyman is stated on the pages reviewed.
The licenses page says the master applicant 'must have a current Journeyman Plumbing License' without saying it must be a Louisiana license, but the application asks for a 'Journeyman License No.' and the page adds that master licenses are not reciprocated; treated as requiring the Louisiana journeyman license. R.S. The separate LSLBC commercial contractor licence (plumbing work over $10,000) is a business licence outside this Board and is not covered here. Act 908 of 2026 moves plumbing licensing to the LSLBC; requirements may change after the transfer.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Required
- Out-of-state hours
- Do not count
What you must already have
- Current Louisiana Journeyman Plumber license (obtained by Texas/Arkansas reciprocity or by passing the Louisiana journeyman exam), or a current Louisiana professional engineer license
What you'll do to get licensed in Louisiana
- 1Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($100). Master Plumber Exam Fee payable to SPBLA with the notarized application (forfeited for no-show or cancellation under 30 days; 50% retained for earlier withdrawal).
- 2Application fee. Pay the application fee ($10). Processing Charge added to the exam fee ($110 total).
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Master Plumber exam Parts I and II: 80 open-book multiple-choice questions on the 2021 International Plumbing Code and International Residential Code (3 hours) and a 2-hour part on Title 51 Public Health-Sanitary Code Part XIII Sewage Disposal (December 2022 edition); 70% required in each category; a passed part is kept for one year.
- 4Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Master Plumber exam Part III: 40 questions in 2 hours on the NASCLA Louisiana Master Plumbers and Master Natural Gasfitters Guide to Business, Law, and Project Management, 2nd Edition; 70% required.
- 5License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($190). Initial Active Master Plumber license (associate the license with a current plumbing company or provide proof of insurances for a new company); alternatively $40 for an Inactive license to work as a journeyman under a master company or while not working in the trade; expires December 31 each year.
- 6Insurance. Carry the required insurance (if applicable). Proof of insurances for the employing company, filed and kept current with the Board by the company's designated Responsible Active Master Plumber (types and amounts not stated on the pages reviewed).
- 7Continuing education. Complete continuing education. 5 hours of Continuing Professional Education each year before the December 31 renewal for an active master (3.5 hours for an inactive master working as a journeyman; exempt if inactive and not working in the trade).
Published fees on this path total $300, 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 · $100
- Trade exam
- Law / code 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 Louisiana licenses master plumbers
Louisiana master plumber · “Master Plumber”
Statewide license
Issued by State Plumbing Board of Louisiana (SPBLA)
Louisiana licenses Master Plumbers statewide through the State Plumbing Board of Louisiana (SPBLA). A Master Plumber may perform plumbing work and employ registered apprentices and licensed journeymen; each plumbing company must designate one Responsible Active Master Plumber who keeps the company's insurance on file with the Board under La. R.S. 37:1361 et seq. To sit the master exam an applicant must hold a current Journeyman Plumber license (or a Louisiana professional engineer license) and file a notarized application with $110 ($100 exam + $10 processing). The exam is a three-part open-book written test scored at 70% per part: 80 questions on the 2021 IPC/IRC, a part on Title 51 Public Health-Sanitary Code Part XIII (sewage disposal), and 40 questions on the NASCLA Louisiana Master Plumbers and Master Natural Gasfitters Guide to Business, Law, and Project Management. The initial license is $190 active (associated with a plumbing company that has insurance on file) or $40 inactive; licenses expire December 31 and active masters complete 5 hours of CPE a year (3.5 hours for an inactive master working as a journeyman). The Board states that it 'does not reciprocate Master licenses'; out-of-state masters enter through the journeyman license. Act 908 of the 2026 session transfers plumbing licensing to the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors, which was holding public discussions on the transition in late 2026.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Louisiana master plumber exam if I'm licensed in West Virginia?
- Yes. Louisiana requires the trade exam on this path, plus a law or code exam.
- What does it cost to get a Louisiana master plumber license from West Virginia?
- Published fees on this path total $300, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my West Virginia work hours count in Louisiana?
- No. Louisiana does not credit out-of-state hours on this path.
- Does it work the other way, from Louisiana to West Virginia?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Louisiana to West Virginia, the mechanism is endorsement.
Sources
- SPBLA home page - 'Open Discussion: Plumbing Licensing Transition' (Act 908 of the 2026 Legislative Session) · State Plumbing Board of Louisiana · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- State Plumbing Board of Louisiana - Licenses (Apprentice, Residential Plumber, Journeyman Plumber, Master Plumber, WSPS, Medical Gas, Natural Gas) · State Plumbing Board of Louisiana · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- SPBLA - Master Plumber Exam Application and Candidate Bulletin · State Plumbing Board of Louisiana · Form · verified September 16, 2026
- SPBLA - License Reciprocation (Texas and Arkansas reciprocal journeyman applications) · State Plumbing Board of Louisiana · 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.