Plumber License from California to Maine: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Maine Plumbers' Examining Board (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation) ↗
A plumbing license transfers from California to Maine by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Maine Plumbers' Examining Board (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation), verify your California license, and meet Maine's endorsement requirements. Maine may issue a journeyman plumber license without its exam to an applicant licensed in another state whose licensing standards and experience requirements are at least equivalent to Maine's and that grants Maine plumbers the same privilege (Title 32 sec. 3504-A); no partner states are named, and an applicant who does not meet that equivalency/reciprocal test must pass the Maine journeyman exam.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
California is not among the states Maine names for an automatic exam waiver, so this move runs on the Maine Plumbers' Examining Board (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation)'s individual endorsement or equivalency review rather than a guarantee. Maine may issue a journeyman plumber license without its exam to an applicant licensed in another state whose licensing standards and experience requirements are at least equivalent to Maine's and that grants Maine plumbers the same privilege (Title 32 sec. 3504-A); no partner states are named, and an applicant who does not meet that equivalency/reciprocal test must pass the Maine journeyman exam. Bring your California license, proof that it is active and in good standing, and your apprenticeship and exam records — and get any discretionary exam or experience credit in writing before you rely on it.
What changes, California → Maine
| California (current) | Maine (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | No state journeyman plumber license exists, so there is no journeyman fee. For reference, the CSLB C-36 plumbing CONTRACTOR license (contractor tier, out of scope) is $450 original application + $200 initial license fee (sole owner) / $350 (non-sole owner), plus a bond and Live Scan fingerprint fee. | $200 ($200 journeyman plumber license fee (biennial renewal also $200); +$21 criminal background check fee (surcharge, not in the range). A separate examination fee applies on the exam track but was not listed on the official fee schedule.) |
| Processing time | Not applicable — no state journeyman plumber license is issued | No board-stated processing time; since 2024 all applications, exams, and renewals are filed through Maine's online licensing system. |
| Licensing authority | California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) | Maine Plumbers' Examining Board (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Maine sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Maine's current requirements on the Maine Plumbers' Examining Board (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Maine Plumbers' Examining Board (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- For reciprocity: hold a license in a state whose standards and experience requirements are at least equivalent to Maine's and that grants reciprocal privileges to Maine licensees, and file a sworn application with a certified statement verifying that licensure (Title 32 sec. 3504-A).
- Standard journeyman path: complete at least 4,000 hours (about two years) as a licensed trainee plumber, or at least 2,000 hours as a licensed journeyman-in-training, then pass the journeyman exam with at least 70%.
- Undergo a criminal background check.
- File the application, fee, and license fee through Maine's online licensing system (required since January 1, 2024).
- Pay the fees ($200 ($200 journeyman plumber license fee (biennial renewal also $200); +$21 criminal background check fee (surcharge, not in the range). A separate examination fee applies on the exam track but was not listed on the official fee schedule.)) and allow No board-stated processing time; since 2024 all applications, exams, and renewals are filed through Maine's online licensing system..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Maine accept a California plumbing license?
A plumbing license transfers from California to Maine by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Maine Plumbers' Examining Board (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation), verify your California license, and meet Maine's endorsement requirements. Maine may issue a journeyman plumber license without its exam to an applicant licensed in another state whose licensing standards and experience requirements are at least equivalent to Maine's and that grants Maine plumbers the same privilege (Title 32 sec. 3504-A); no partner states are named, and an applicant who does not meet that equivalency/reciprocal test must pass the Maine journeyman exam.
Which exam applies moving from California to Maine?
Maine may issue a journeyman plumber license without its exam to an applicant licensed in another state whose licensing standards and experience requirements are at least equivalent to Maine's and that grants Maine plumbers the same privilege (Title 32 sec. 3504-A); no partner states are named, and an applicant who does not meet that equivalency/reciprocal test must pass the Maine journeyman exam.
What does the California-to-Maine move cost and how long does it take?
$200 ($200 journeyman plumber license fee (biennial renewal also $200); +$21 criminal background check fee (surcharge, not in the range). A separate examination fee applies on the exam track but was not listed on the official fee schedule.); processing No board-stated processing time; since 2024 all applications, exams, and renewals are filed through Maine's online licensing system..
Can I keep my California plumbing license after I'm licensed in Maine?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the California credential active on its own renewal and continuing-education schedule and you hold both, which is common for plumbers working near a state line.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Maine Revised Statutes Title 32 sec. 3504-A — Reciprocity (Plumbers' Examining Board) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Maine OPOR — Plumbers' Examining Board individual licenses (fees, experience hours) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Maine OPOR — Plumbers' Examining Board online license verification lookup (ALMS) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- CSLB — C-36 Plumbing Contractor classification detail (plumbing licensed only at contractor level) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- CSLB — Reciprocal Classifications List (C-36 reciprocity maps only to Arizona C-37/C-37R) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- CSLB — Reciprocity Exam Requirements (trade portion may be waived; Law & Business exam still required; 5-year license) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]