Plumber License from Georgia to Vermont: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Vermont Department of Public Safety — Division of Fire Safety (Plumbers' Examining Board) ↗
A plumbing license transfers from Georgia to Vermont by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Vermont Department of Public Safety — Division of Fire Safety (Plumbers' Examining Board), verify your Georgia license, and meet Vermont's endorsement requirements. Vermont MAY issue a journeyman (or master/specialty) plumber license WITHOUT examination under 26 V.S.A. section 2194 to a plumber previously licensed by another state or municipality, but only if (i) that state/municipality maintains licensing standards equivalent to Vermont's and (ii) the applicant proves he or she is a bona fide licensee; the exam exemption applies only where the issuing state has a like exemption or reciprocal agreement in place for Vermont licensees. Applicants who do not meet those conditions must pass the Vermont plumber exam. In practice the Division of Fire Safety 'universal license' application requires a certified letter of licensure from the issuing state, proof of all apprenticeship/schooling required for that license, and 8,000 hours of experience.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Georgia is not among the states Vermont names for an automatic exam waiver, so this move runs on the Vermont Department of Public Safety — Division of Fire Safety (Plumbers' Examining Board)'s individual endorsement or equivalency review rather than a guarantee. Vermont MAY issue a journeyman (or master/specialty) plumber license WITHOUT examination under 26 V.S.A. section 2194 to a plumber previously licensed by another state or municipality, but only if (i) that state/municipality maintains licensing standards equivalent to Vermont's and (ii) the applicant proves he or she is a bona fide licensee; the exam exemption applies only where the issuing state has a like exemption or reciprocal agreement in place for Vermont licensees. Applicants who do not meet those conditions must pass the Vermont plumber exam. In practice the Division of Fire Safety 'universal license' application requires a certified letter of licensure from the issuing state, proof of all apprenticeship/schooling required for that license, and 8,000 hours of experience. Bring your Georgia 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, Georgia → Vermont
| Georgia (current) | Vermont (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $80–$160 (Journeyman ~$80 ($70 application + $10 processing); master ~$160 ($150 application + $10 processing) per the Division's plumbing exam/initial-application form. Examination administered by PSI with a separate exam fee paid to PSI; that exam is waived only for a qualifying reciprocity applicant under Rule 121-2-.03. Fee figures obtained via search extraction of the Division's official forms because the sos.ga.gov fee-schedule PDF returned HTTP 403 on direct load) | $90 ($90 journeyman plumber license application fee; master $120; specialist P1/P2/P3 $50 per specialty field. Checks payable to the Division of Fire Safety) |
| Processing time | No board-stated processing time in weeks; the Division publishes exam dates and application deadlines and an application must be approved before the scheduled examination | No board-stated processing time; applications are reviewed by the Plumbers' Examining Board and must be received or postmarked at least two weeks before a board meeting date |
| Licensing authority | Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (Office of the Secretary of State) | Vermont Department of Public Safety — Division of Fire Safety (Plumbers' Examining Board) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Vermont sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Vermont's current requirements on the Vermont Department of Public Safety — Division of Fire Safety (Plumbers' Examining Board) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Vermont Department of Public Safety — Division of Fire Safety (Plumbers' Examining Board) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold an equivalent out-of-state (or municipal) plumber license and obtain a certified letter of licensure from the issuing state (26 V.S.A. section 2194; photocopy not accepted).
- Exam exemption applies only if the issuing state maintains equivalent standards AND offers Vermont licensees a like exemption or reciprocal agreement.
- Document 8,000 hours of experience (journeyman) on Employer Affidavit of Experience forms plus proof of all required apprenticeship/schooling.
- Complete the required trades energy education module and include the completion certificate; the application must be signed and notarized.
- Pay the fees ($90 ($90 journeyman plumber license application fee; master $120; specialist P1/P2/P3 $50 per specialty field. Checks payable to the Division of Fire Safety)) and allow No board-stated processing time; applications are reviewed by the Plumbers' Examining Board and must be received or postmarked at least two weeks before a board meeting date.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Vermont accept a Georgia plumbing license?
A plumbing license transfers from Georgia to Vermont by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Vermont Department of Public Safety — Division of Fire Safety (Plumbers' Examining Board), verify your Georgia license, and meet Vermont's endorsement requirements. Vermont MAY issue a journeyman (or master/specialty) plumber license WITHOUT examination under 26 V.S.A. section 2194 to a plumber previously licensed by another state or municipality, but only if (i) that state/municipality maintains licensing standards equivalent to Vermont's and (ii) the applicant proves he or she is a bona fide licensee; the exam exemption applies only where the issuing state has a like exemption or reciprocal agreement in place for Vermont licensees. Applicants who do not meet those conditions must pass the Vermont plumber exam. In practice the Division of Fire Safety 'universal license' application requires a certified letter of licensure from the issuing state, proof of all apprenticeship/schooling required for that license, and 8,000 hours of experience.
Which exam applies moving from Georgia to Vermont?
Vermont MAY issue a journeyman (or master/specialty) plumber license WITHOUT examination under 26 V.S.A. section 2194 to a plumber previously licensed by another state or municipality, but only if (i) that state/municipality maintains licensing standards equivalent to Vermont's and (ii) the applicant proves he or she is a bona fide licensee; the exam exemption applies only where the issuing state has a like exemption or reciprocal agreement in place for Vermont licensees. Applicants who do not meet those conditions must pass the Vermont plumber exam. In practice the Division of Fire Safety 'universal license' application requires a certified letter of licensure from the issuing state, proof of all apprenticeship/schooling required for that license, and 8,000 hours of experience.
What does the Georgia-to-Vermont move cost and how long does it take?
$90 ($90 journeyman plumber license application fee; master $120; specialist P1/P2/P3 $50 per specialty field. Checks payable to the Division of Fire Safety); processing No board-stated processing time; applications are reviewed by the Plumbers' Examining Board and must be received or postmarked at least two weeks before a board meeting date.
Can I keep my Georgia plumbing license after I'm licensed in Vermont?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Georgia 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.
- 26 V.S.A. section 2194 — Examinations not required; temporary licenses (without-exam licensing only for equivalent-standard states with a like exemption/reciprocal agreement) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Vermont Division of Fire Safety — Plumbing licensing page ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Vermont Division of Fire Safety — Plumbers License Application (universal-license reciprocity: certified letter, schooling proof, 8,000 hours; fees $90/$120/$50) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia Rules & Regulations 121-2 (Qualifications) incl. Rule 121-2-.03 Statewide License by Reciprocity ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia Rules & Regulations 121-3 (Application for Licensure — 1-yr journeyman / 5-yr master experience, exam minimum score 70) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia SOS — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (board page) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Georgia SOS — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers FAQ (reciprocity statement) ↗ (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]