Wisconsin to Maryland: master plumber license reciprocity
Maryland has no reciprocity agreement with Wisconsin. Your Wisconsin experience counts toward eligibility, but you must pass the Maryland exam.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Out-of-state master plumber by examination (PSI), unless a reciprocal license applies
Nothing is waived, but your documented out-of-state hours count toward eligibility to sit the exam.
An out-of-state master plumber whose origin is not the District of Columbia, Delaware, WSSC, or Baltimore County must pass the PSI Master Plumber/Gas Fitter examination before applying. The License Requirements page sets eligibility at two years as a journey plumber plus 3,750 hours of work as a journey plumber under a master. Upload proof of hours, backflow certification and a driver's license with the PSI application, sit at a Maryland PSI center, then apply for the original Master Plumber/Gas Fitter license and pay $87.50 (July 1, 2025). Masters must file a certificate of insurance: general liability of at least $300,000 and property damage of at least $100,000 ($400,000 per occurrence), Board as certificate holder, no umbrella. Reciprocal licenses for DC and Delaware (master only) are authored as agreements; WSSC and Baltimore County are municipal origins.
Occ. & Prof. qualification sections after §12-101. WSSC and Baltimore County are not origin state codes. Do not invent additional reciprocity partners.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- You must have held your Wisconsin license for at least 2 years.Two years as a journey plumber (Maryland License Requirements page).
- You must document at least 3,750 hours of qualifying work experience.3,750 hours of work as a journey plumber under a master plumber (Maryland License Requirements page).
- 32-hour backflow prevention certification, uploaded to PSI with the exam application
What you'll do to get licensed in Maryland
- 1Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Maryland Master Plumber/Gas Fitter examination administered by PSI after eligibility documents are uploaded; required before applying for the license..
- 2Exam fee. Pay the exam fee. Fee, eligibility details, and processing steps are not published in a form we can list here. Please see the sources on this page to find out more..
- 3License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($87.50). Original Master Plumber/Gas Fitter license fee, updated July 1, 2025 (renewal is also $87.50).
- 4Other. Copy of backflow certification, uploaded to PSI's Client Portal with the exam application.
- 5Other. Copy of driver's license, uploaded to PSI's Client Portal.
- 6Other. Proof of hours worked, uploaded to PSI's Client Portal.
- 7Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Certificate of insurance: general liability of at least $300,000 and property damage of at least $100,000 ($400,000 per occurrence combined); umbrella policies are not accepted. Certificate holder Maryland State Board of Plumbing, 100 S. Charles Street, Baltimore MD 21201; 10-day cancellation notice with licensee number..
Published fees on this path total $87.50, 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.
- Trade exam
- Exam fee
Liability insurance
Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.
- Insurance
How Maryland licenses master plumbers
Maryland master plumber · “Master Plumber/Gas Fitter”
State license plus local requirements
Issued by Maryland State Board of Plumbing (Department of Labor)
Maryland issues a statewide Master Plumber/Gas Fitter license through the State Board of Plumbing. By statute a master plumber is licensed to provide plumbing services and natural gas services. Qualification on the Board's License Requirements page is two years as a journey plumber plus 3,750 hours of work as a journey plumber under a master, then the PSI master exam. The original Master Plumber/Gas Fitter license fee is $87.50 (updated July 1, 2025; renewal is also $87.50). Masters must carry general liability of at least $300,000 and property damage of at least $100,000 ($400,000 per occurrence), with the Board named as certificate holder; umbrella policies are not accepted. Reciprocal Master Plumber/Gas Fitter licenses are issued to holders licensed by the District of Columbia, Delaware (master only), WSSC, or Baltimore County (WSSC and Baltimore County applicants must hold both plumbing and gas licenses obtained by examination).
How local licensing works in Maryland
Same territorial split as the journeyman level: the State Board license is not the license for Baltimore County or for WSSC territory in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties. Those jurisdictions license plumbers separately and enforce their own plumbing codes. A master who will contract in WSSC territory needs the WSSC plumber license; work only in Baltimore County needs the county license. Propane-gas-fitter certificates from the State Board are valid in the entire state. The reciprocal-license page states the Board may issue a State master plumber license to a person already licensed by WSSC or Baltimore County if that person holds both plumbing and gas licenses obtained by examination.
- Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (Montgomery County)
- Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (Prince George's County)
- Baltimore County
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Maryland master plumber exam if I'm licensed in Wisconsin?
- Yes. Maryland requires the trade exam on this path.
- How long do I need to have held my Wisconsin license?
- At least 2 years before applying.
- What does it cost to get a Maryland master plumber license from Wisconsin?
- Published fees on this path total $87.50, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Wisconsin work hours count in Maryland?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Maryland's eligibility requirements.
Sources
- Md. Code, Business Occupations and Professions §12-101 - Definitions (State Board of Plumbing licenses) · Md. Code, Bus. Occ. & Prof. §12-101 · Maryland General Assembly · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
- Maryland Department of Labor - Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (boards index) · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Maryland State Board of Plumbing - Taking the Exam (PSI) · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Maryland State Board of Plumbing - Frequently Asked Questions (hub) · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Faq · verified September 16, 2026
- Maryland State Board of Plumbing - Forms and Fees (updated July 1, 2025) · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Maryland State Board of Plumbing - Home · Md. Code, Bus. Occ. & Prof. Title 12 · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Maryland State Board of Plumbing - Insurance Requirements · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Maryland State Board of Plumbing - Licensing Applications · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Maryland State Board of Plumbing - Apply for a Reciprocal License · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Maryland State Board of Plumbing - License Requirements · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · 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.