Plumber License from Illinois to Georgia: Does It Transfer? (2026)

A plumbing license transfers from Illinois to Georgia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board — Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (Office of the Secretary of State), verify your Illinois license, and meet Georgia's endorsement requirements. Under Board Rule 121-2-.03 ('Statewide License by Reciprocity') Georgia may issue a journeyman or master plumber license WITHOUT its own examination to an applicant holding a current out-of-state license that was granted by passing an exam given by a board whose examination and requirements are substantially equal to Georgia's and that offers a reciprocal privilege to Georgia licensees; however, the Division's FAQ states Georgia currently has no reciprocity with any state, so in practice out-of-state applicants must pass the Georgia plumber examination (minimum score 70).

Under Board Rule 121-2-.03 ('Statewide License by Reciprocity') Georgia may issue a journeyman or master plumber license WITHOUT its own examination to an applicant holding a current out-of-state license that was granted by passing an exam given by a board whose examination and requirements are substantially equal to Georgia's and that offers a reciprocal privilege to Georgia licensees; however, the Division's FAQ states Georgia currently has no reciprocity with any state, so in practice out-of-state applicants must pass the Georgia plumber examination (minimum score 70).

$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); processing 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.

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.