Plumber License from Indiana to Illinois: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) — Plumbing Program ↗
No — Illinois has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Indiana plumbing license holders. You must apply to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) — Plumbing Program as a new applicant and meet Illinois's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
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Verdict
Full re-application
Illinois has no plumbing reciprocity or endorsement covering Indiana, so this is a full journeyman application either way. Illinois requires every out-of-state plumber to pass the Illinois plumber's licensing examination; the application's out-of-state section accepts prior apprenticeship/licensure toward the four-year experience prerequisite but does not waive the exam. The only license-WITHOUT-examination pathway is for a holder of a current City of Chicago plumber's license (an intra-Illinois municipal reciprocity), not for licensees of other states. The productive plan: gather proof of the apprenticeship or on-the-job hours you logged in Indiana, register for Illinois's journeyman exam, and treat your experience as exam preparation and as credit toward Illinois's experience requirement. Budget a new-applicant timeline and order your certified license history early — it is the long-lead item.
What changes, Indiana → Illinois
| Indiana (current) | Illinois (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $15–$30 (Per 860 IAC 1-1-2.1: journeyman plumber initial license fee is $15 in odd-numbered years or $30 in even-numbered years (biennial cycle; renewal $30 due before Dec 1 of each odd-numbered year). A reciprocity applicant pays the license fee with no exam; a non-reciprocity applicant also pays a $30 Commission examination fee plus the separate exam-vendor (Prove/ICC) fee. All PLA fees are non-refundable) | $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) |
| Processing time | No board-stated processing time in weeks; a non-reciprocity application must be reviewed and approved for eligibility by the Indiana Plumbing Commission before the applicant may register for the exam. All in.gov hosts refused direct connections during research | No board-stated processing time; the examination application is due at least 30 days before the examination date |
| Licensing authority | Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) — Indiana Plumbing Commission | Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) — Plumbing Program |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Illinois sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Illinois's initial-licensure requirements on the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) — Plumbing Program website (linked below).
- Expect to meet Illinois's education/experience requirements and pass its required exams — prior out-of-state licensure may still count toward experience.
- Submit the standard (new applicant) application with fees ($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)).
- Allow No board-stated processing time; the examination application is due at least 30 days before the examination date.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Illinois accept a Indiana plumbing license?
No — Illinois has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Indiana plumbing license holders. You must apply to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) — Plumbing Program as a new applicant and meet Illinois's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
Which exam applies moving from Indiana to Illinois?
Illinois requires every out-of-state plumber to pass the Illinois plumber's licensing examination; the application's out-of-state section accepts prior apprenticeship/licensure toward the four-year experience prerequisite but does not waive the exam. The only license-WITHOUT-examination pathway is for a holder of a current City of Chicago plumber's license (an intra-Illinois municipal reciprocity), not for licensees of other states.
What does the Indiana-to-Illinois move cost and how long does it take?
$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); processing No board-stated processing time; the examination application is due at least 30 days before the examination date, plus the exam and experience-documentation costs of qualifying as a new applicant.
Can I keep my Indiana plumbing license after I'm licensed in Illinois?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Indiana 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.
- 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)
- Indiana Code 25-28.5-1-19 — Reciprocity ('shall without examination be granted a license' under substantial-equivalence + mutuality; current as of 2026-01-01) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- 860 IAC 1-1-2.1 — Indiana Plumbing Commission fee schedule (Legal Information Institute) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Indiana PLA — Plumbing Licensing Information ↗ (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]