Plumber License from Illinois to Alaska: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development — Labor Standards and Safety Division, Mechanical Inspection Section ↗
A plumbing license transfers from Illinois to Alaska by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development — Labor Standards and Safety Division, Mechanical Inspection Section, verify your Illinois license, and meet Alaska's endorsement requirements. Alaska waives its plumber journeyman exam for an applicant who holds a plumbing journeyman certificate or license from any U.S. jurisdiction the department finds has substantially similar requirements (judged on required work hours, a testing requirement, and registered-apprenticeship membership); an applicant from a jurisdiction that is not substantially similar must document 8,000 hours and pass the Alaska journeyman exam (70% to pass). No bilateral agreement is required — any qualifying jurisdiction is eligible (per 8 AAC 90.111/.112, effective Aug 8, 2025)..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Illinois is not among the states Alaska names for an automatic exam waiver, so this move runs on the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development — Labor Standards and Safety Division, Mechanical Inspection Section's individual endorsement or equivalency review rather than a guarantee. Alaska waives its plumber journeyman exam for an applicant who holds a plumbing journeyman certificate or license from any U.S. jurisdiction the department finds has substantially similar requirements (judged on required work hours, a testing requirement, and registered-apprenticeship membership); an applicant from a jurisdiction that is not substantially similar must document 8,000 hours and pass the Alaska journeyman exam (70% to pass). No bilateral agreement is required — any qualifying jurisdiction is eligible (per 8 AAC 90.111/.112, effective Aug 8, 2025).. Bring your Illinois 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, Illinois → Alaska
| Illinois (current) | Alaska (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $225 (Application fee for a plumber registered or licensed in Chicago or outside Illinois is $225 (an in-state Illinois licensed-apprentice applicant pays $175); a separate $150 plumber's license fee applies on issuance (68 Ill. Adm. Code 750.1100). The City-of-Chicago reciprocity (license without exam) carries a $150 license fee. Returned-check fee $100) | $50–$250 ($50 nonrefundable application fee + $200 journeyman certificate fee (2-year term) for a full reciprocal COF ($250 total); a one-year provisional COF is $50 application + $100 certificate ($150)) |
| Processing time | No board-stated processing time; the examination application is due at least 30 days before the examination date | Board states 7-10 business days for trainee certificates and renewals; no processing time stated for reciprocal/journeyman applications, and the division notes delays from an outdated system and limited staff |
| Licensing authority | Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) — Plumbing Program | Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development — Labor Standards and Safety Division, Mechanical Inspection Section |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Alaska sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Alaska's current requirements on the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development — Labor Standards and Safety Division, Mechanical Inspection Section website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development — Labor Standards and Safety Division, Mechanical Inspection Section (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold a current plumbing journeyman certificate/license from another U.S. jurisdiction, held at least one full year (for a provisional certificate and for reciprocity).
- Document 8,000 hours of legally obtained plumbing work experience if applying by examination (up to 1,000 classroom hours may substitute).
- Pass the Alaska plumber journeyman examination (70%) unless licensed in a substantially similar jurisdiction.
- Provisional (1-year) certificate holders may not perform fuel gas work.
- Pay the fees ($50–$250 ($50 nonrefundable application fee + $200 journeyman certificate fee (2-year term) for a full reciprocal COF ($250 total); a one-year provisional COF is $50 application + $100 certificate ($150))) and allow Board states 7-10 business days for trainee certificates and renewals; no processing time stated for reciprocal/journeyman applications, and the division notes delays from an outdated system and limited staff.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Alaska accept a Illinois plumbing license?
A plumbing license transfers from Illinois to Alaska by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development — Labor Standards and Safety Division, Mechanical Inspection Section, verify your Illinois license, and meet Alaska's endorsement requirements. Alaska waives its plumber journeyman exam for an applicant who holds a plumbing journeyman certificate or license from any U.S. jurisdiction the department finds has substantially similar requirements (judged on required work hours, a testing requirement, and registered-apprenticeship membership); an applicant from a jurisdiction that is not substantially similar must document 8,000 hours and pass the Alaska journeyman exam (70% to pass). No bilateral agreement is required — any qualifying jurisdiction is eligible (per 8 AAC 90.111/.112, effective Aug 8, 2025)..
Which exam applies moving from Illinois to Alaska?
Alaska waives its plumber journeyman exam for an applicant who holds a plumbing journeyman certificate or license from any U.S. jurisdiction the department finds has substantially similar requirements (judged on required work hours, a testing requirement, and registered-apprenticeship membership); an applicant from a jurisdiction that is not substantially similar must document 8,000 hours and pass the Alaska journeyman exam (70% to pass). No bilateral agreement is required — any qualifying jurisdiction is eligible (per 8 AAC 90.111/.112, effective Aug 8, 2025)..
What does the Illinois-to-Alaska move cost and how long does it take?
$50–$250 ($50 nonrefundable application fee + $200 journeyman certificate fee (2-year term) for a full reciprocal COF ($250 total); a one-year provisional COF is $50 application + $100 certificate ($150)); processing Board states 7-10 business days for trainee certificates and renewals; no processing time stated for reciprocal/journeyman applications, and the division notes delays from an outdated system and limited staff.
Can I keep my Illinois plumbing license after I'm licensed in Alaska?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Illinois 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.
- Alaska DOLWD Mechanical Inspection — Certificates of Fitness Statutes & Regulations, Aug 2025 (8 AAC 90.111 reciprocity; 90.112 provisional; 90.130 journeyman; AS 18.62.030 fees; FAQ) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Alaska DOLWD Mechanical Inspection — home page ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Illinois DPH — Application for Examination for Plumber's License (fees $175 in-state / $225 out-of-state; out-of-state section; 4-year 225 ILCS 320/10(d) requirement) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Illinois DPH — Application for Plumber's License Reciprocity with the City of Chicago License Without Examination ($150 fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- 68 Ill. Adm. Code 750.1100 — Plumbers' and Apprentice Plumbers' Examination and Licensure Fees (Legal Information Institute) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Illinois DPH — Plumbing program (license types, license verification link) ↗ (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]