LicensebyState

Wyoming to Iowa: master plumber license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 16, 2026· 6 sources

Wyoming does not issue a statewide master plumber license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Iowa'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 master plumber (all states except South Dakota): direct admission to the Iowa master exam

Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.

Iowa has no master plumber reciprocity with any state other than South Dakota. An applicant who holds a master plumbing license in another state or local jurisdiction is eligible to sit for the Iowa master plumbing exam without first holding an Iowa journeyperson license (DIAL master page; 481 IAC 429.6). The applicant files the $35 Exam Approval Application, waits up to two weeks for approval, schedules the exam with Kirkwood Community College ($95 per attempt), passes with 75%, and then files the post-examination licensure application with a prorated three-year license fee ($240 for a full term). An applicant who has established Iowa residency may instead apply for licensure by verification under Iowa Code 272C.12 and 481 IAC 430.4, but the board still requires proof of passing the applicable Iowa exam and can issue only a temporary license until then, so the practical path is the same. A master who intends to contract independently, or a firm employing the master, must also obtain the PMSB Contractor license and contractor registration ($400 for a full term, 30% discount on license fees when bought with the master license in one transaction) with $500,000 public liability insurance and a $5,000 surety bond; out-of-state contractors also file a $25,000 bond under Iowa Code chapter 91C.

Kirkwood exam fee quoted from DIAL's master page ($95); the journey page lists $99. Timeline reflects up to two weeks for exam approval plus up to six weeks for application review, excluding exam scheduling.

At a glance

Trade exam
Required
Law / code exam
Not required
Out-of-state hours
Count toward eligibility
Typical processing
About 60 days

What you must already have

  • Holds a master plumbing license in another state or local jurisdiction, OR a journeyperson plumbing license with at least two years of journey-level work experience (DIAL master page; 481 IAC 429.2(3), 429.6)
  • Your Wyoming license must be active and in good standing.
  • You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.For licensure by verification: no revocation, surrender under investigation, unresolved discipline or pending complaint (272C.12; 481 IAC 430.4(3)).
  • Licensure by verification requires established Iowa residency or a military spouse's permanent change of station to Iowa (272C.12; 481 IAC 430.4); non-residents use the exam route

What you'll do to get licensed in Iowa

  1. 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($35). Exam Approval Application fee, per trade discipline exam (DIAL fees page).
  2. 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Iowa Master Plumbing examination administered through Kirkwood Community College at 15 Iowa test sites; 75% to pass; exam approval valid one year; also required of licensure-by-verification applicants under 481 IAC 430.4.
  3. 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($95). Kirkwood Community College examination fee, per attempt (as listed on DIAL's master license page).
  4. 4License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($240). Master license fee for a full three-year term (July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2029), prorated by half-year for later issuance (e.g. $120 for Jan-Jun of year 2); same amount for a license by verification.
  5. 5Application fee. Pay the application fee ($25) (if applicable). Paper application fee if not filed through the DIAL online licensing portal.
  6. 6Background check. Complete a background check. Documentation of any criminal convictions (felony convictions reviewed by the board); lawful presence verified through SAVE.
  7. 7Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Eight classroom hours of board-approved continuing education per three-year term to renew (Iowa Code 105.20); not required for initial licensure.
  8. 8Contractor license. Hold or obtain a contractor license ($400) (if applicable). PMSB Contractor license ($250) plus DIAL contractor registration ($150) for a full three-year term, prorated; required only to contract for plumbing work as a business; 30% discount on license fees when bought with the master license in one transaction.
  9. 9Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($500,000) (if applicable). Public liability insurance of at least $500,000 for a contractor license (Iowa Code 105.19).
  10. 10Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($5,000) (if applicable). Surety bond of at least $5,000 for a contractor license (Iowa Code 105.19); out-of-state contractors must also file a $25,000 bond under Iowa Code chapter 91C.

Published fees on this path total $370, 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 · $95

Continuing education

Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.

  • Continuing education

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.

  • Contractor license · $400 · if applicable

Liability insurance

Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.

  • Insurance · $500,000 · if applicable

Surety bond

A license or contractor bond is bought from a surety, not the state. Price is a small percentage of the bond amount and depends on your credit.

  • Surety bond · $5,000 · if applicable

How Iowa licenses master plumbers

Iowa master plumber · “Master Plumber

Statewide license

Verified September 16, 2026· 4 sources

Issued by Iowa Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board, Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL)

Iowa's highest person-held plumbing credential is the statewide Master Plumber license issued by the Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board (DIAL); a master plans and superintends plumbing work, may perform all journeyperson duties, and serves as master of record for a licensed contractor (one contractor per discipline at a time without board approval). A new applicant must be 18, disclose criminal convictions, and pass the Iowa master plumbing exam; to sit for it the applicant must hold either a master plumbing license in another jurisdiction or a journeyperson license with two years of journey-level experience. The exam is approved by the board ($35 application) and administered by Kirkwood Community College ($95 per attempt as listed on the master page, 75% to pass). Iowa's only reciprocity agreement is with South Dakota for plumbers licensed by written exam; masters from all other states are admitted directly to the Iowa master exam on the strength of their license. The separate Contractor license ($250 plus $150 registration per three-year term, with $500,000 liability insurance and a $5,000 bond) is required to contract for plumbing work as a business. Licenses run three years (current period ends June 30, 2029) with a full-term fee of $240 and eight hours of continuing education per term.

Moving to IowaLeaving Iowa

Why Wyoming has nothing to transfer

Wyoming master plumber

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 16, 2026· 13 sources

Wyoming issues no master plumber or plumbing contractor license; the State Fire Marshal's electrical program is the only statewide trade licensing and it has no plumbing component. The master credential exists only in city ordinances: Cheyenne's Master (8,000 apprentice hours plus 6,000 journeyman hours and an ICC/NICET/NASCLA exam), Casper's Master Plumber (apprenticeship or four years plus five years as a journeyman or master, ICC G27-N), Laramie's master plumbing certificate of qualification (three years beyond journeyman, city exam), Gillette's Master Plumber (five years plus the ICC exam), Sheridan's Master Plumber (2018 ICC G27 with Gas) and Jackson's Master Certificate of Qualification (ICC G-series National Standard exam plus time in service). In every one of these cities a plumbing contractor must be or employ a master of record, and the contractor license is a separate business license with fees from $150 to $300 plus insurance or bond. No city accepts an out-of-state master license: Casper, Gillette and Jackson reciprocate only with other Wyoming jurisdictions, Sheridan refuses all outside licenses, Cheyenne's Board has undefined discretion, and Laramie may waive its exam for an equivalent certificate from any governmental agency. Rock Springs registers contractors for $125 with proof of insurance and tests nobody.

How local licensing works in Wyoming

How local licensing works. There is no state plumbing board; each city's ordinance defines its own master-level license and the plumbing contractor license it qualifies. The reciprocity statute the cities cite reaches only other Wyoming jurisdictions, and no city publishes a route that honours another state's master plumber or plumbing contractor license.

Cheyenne. A Master level craft employee license (12.1.8) requires 4 years/8,000 hours documented as an apprentice (or certified equivalent training) plus 3 years/6,000 hours documented as a journeyman and passing results on a current ICC, NICET or NASCLA exam from the Board's list. Fees are $50 application plus $50 initial and $25 renewal. A Plumbing (C1) contractor - covering plumbing and pipe-fitting systems other than fire sprinklers - may be licensed only if it always employs a full-time master or qualified supervisor of that class, who may represent only one contractor (13.0); the C1 tested contractor license costs $50 application plus $200 initial and $75 renewal. Reciprocity is at the Board's discretion (3.3.2/3.5.1) with no published partner list and a statute limiting it to Wyoming jurisdictions.

Casper. Master Plumber ($75 new, $37.50 renewal) requires a federally recognized plumbing apprenticeship or four years in a Casper-licensed plumbing shop plus five years as a journeyman or master plumber in a Casper-licensed shop, and proof of passing ICC G27-N or equivalent. A Plumbing Contractor license ($300/$150) covers any plumbing work including steam and water boilers, must be backed by a full-time licensed master plumber, and requires $250,000/$500,000/$250,000 liability insurance. Reciprocal Master/Journeyman licenses ($50/$25) are limited to holders of a current license from another Wyoming jurisdiction with comparable testing.

Laramie. A master plumbing certificate of qualification requires three years as a journeyman (Table 15.24.020-1) and the building official's examination ($5 per attempt), or is issued without exam on presentation of a certificate from another governmental agency whose exam the board of examiners finds at least equal. All plumbing contractor work must be performed by or under the supervision of a master plumbing certificate holder, who must be available to the building official within 24 hours. The Plumbing Contractor license costs $300 new and $35 renewal and requires a business location and telephone, a $500,000 combined single limit insurance certificate naming the City and a Wyoming Workers' Compensation certificate of good standing; licenses and certificates run January 1 - December 31.

Gillette. Master Plumber ($50 new, $50 renewal) requires five years of approved experience and passing ICC examination results. A Class D Plumbing Contractor ($150/$50) works under the 2024 IPC, may not do gas pipefitting on its plumbing license, and must designate a Master of Record - a full-time employee or owner licensed as a Master Plumber, able to reach any job site within 48 hours and replaced within 60 days if they leave. Reciprocity (5-III-1(d)) is limited to active, good-standing licenses from other Wyoming local governments, with testing waived on proof of the ICC plumbing or contractor exam and no fee charged.

Sheridan. Master Plumber ($50 new, $50 annual) acts as Master of Record for a plumbing company, must show they meet the Plumbing Contractor requirements (2018 ICC G27 exam, four-year journeyman plumber verification on Form JP, two-year project verification on Form A) and pass the 2018 ICC G27 Master Plumber with Gas exam. The Plumbing Contractor license ($200 new, $200 annual) also needs a $1,000,000 liability insurance certificate and a $10,000 license and permit bond, and every plumbing business must hold both a contractor license and a Master of Record. The City does not accept licenses from other cities, towns, counties or states.

Jackson. The Master Certificate of Qualification card is the prerequisite for a Plumbing Contractor license and is the only individual card the Town still issues. It is obtained by passing the ICC National Standard trades exam through Pearson VUE (only G-series tests based on the 2018 I-Codes are accepted) and meeting the time-in-service requirement in JMC 15.36.050, or by reciprocity for someone 'currently licensed and in good standing in a Wyoming jurisdiction that meets our licensing requirements'. Applications go through the SmartGov portal with a 30-day processing window; the contractor license then requires the bond and insurance in JMC 15.36.035 and renews every December 31, while the Master COQ card renews triennially with six hours of ICC-accredited continuing education. Licensing covers only work inside Town limits.

Rock Springs. Contractors register with the Building Inspection Office ($125 fee and a certificate of insurance naming the City) before working; no master license or exam exists.

Moving to WyomingLeaving Wyoming

Common questions

Do I have to take the Iowa master plumber exam if I'm licensed in Wyoming?
Yes. Iowa requires the trade exam on this path.
What does it cost to get a Iowa master plumber license from Wyoming?
Published fees on this path total $370, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Wyoming work hours count in Iowa?
Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Iowa's eligibility requirements.
How long does the application take?
The board's published or typical processing time is about 60 days.
Does it work the other way, from Iowa to Wyoming?
Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Iowa to Wyoming, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

  1. Iowa Code Chapter 105 - Plumbers, Mechanical Professionals, and Contractors (2026) · Iowa Code 105.2, 105.17, 105.18, 105.19, 105.20, 105.21 · Iowa Legislature · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
  2. Iowa Code 272C.12 - Licensure of persons licensed in other jurisdictions (2026) · Iowa Code 272C.12 · Iowa Legislature · Statute · verified September 16, 2026
  3. DIAL - Plumbing & Mechanical Systems License Period & Fees · 481 IAC ch. 428 · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL), Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
  4. DIAL - Master Level License (plumbing, mechanical, HVAC, refrigeration, sheet metal, hydronic) · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL), Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
  5. Iowa Administrative Code 481 Chapter 429 - Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board Application, Licensure, and Examination · 481 IAC 429.2, 429.6 · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026
  6. Iowa Administrative Code 481 Chapter 430 - Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board Alternative Licensure Pathways · 481 IAC 430.3, 430.4, 430.5 · Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing · Admin Rule · verified September 16, 2026

Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.

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