Plumber License from Michigan to District of Columbia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades — Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Occupational and Professional Licensing ↗
A plumbing license transfers from Michigan to District of Columbia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades — Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Occupational and Professional Licensing, verify your Michigan license, and meet District of Columbia's endorsement requirements. The District has no state-to-state plumber reciprocity — the Maryland/Virginia trade reciprocity DLCP publishes applies to electricians, not plumbers. DC waives its journeyman plumber examination only for applicants who prove completion of a nationally-certified apprenticeship program; all other applicants qualify by documenting experience (journeyman: 4 years / 8,000 work hours) and must pass the DC journeyman plumbing exam (open-book on the 2012 International Plumbing Code and 2012 International Fuel Gas Code). The master tier requires 8 years / 16,000 hours and its own exam.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Michigan is not among the states District of Columbia names for an automatic exam waiver, so this move runs on the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades — Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Occupational and Professional Licensing's individual endorsement or equivalency review rather than a guarantee. The District has no state-to-state plumber reciprocity — the Maryland/Virginia trade reciprocity DLCP publishes applies to electricians, not plumbers. DC waives its journeyman plumber examination only for applicants who prove completion of a nationally-certified apprenticeship program; all other applicants qualify by documenting experience (journeyman: 4 years / 8,000 work hours) and must pass the DC journeyman plumbing exam (open-book on the 2012 International Plumbing Code and 2012 International Fuel Gas Code). The master tier requires 8 years / 16,000 hours and its own exam. Bring your Michigan 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, Michigan → District of Columbia
| Michigan (current) | District of Columbia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $40–$90 ($40 journey plumber license/application fee plus $50 examination fee (MCL 339.6121, Skilled Trades Regulation Act, 2016 PA 407). The same fees apply to out-of-state applicants; the exam is administered by PSI.) | $175 (Journeyman: $65 application + $110 initial license (up to 2 years) = $175. Master: $65 + $120 = $185. Apprentice license $110. Renewals: journeyman $110, master $155) |
| Processing time | No board-stated processing time; the application, out-of-state verification, and license fee are mailed to LARA BCC and the exam is scheduled through PSI. | No board-stated processing time |
| Licensing authority | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs — Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC), Plumbing | District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades — Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Occupational and Professional Licensing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — District of Columbia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm District of Columbia's current requirements on the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades — Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Occupational and Professional Licensing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades — Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Occupational and Professional Licensing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Journeyman: document 4 years / 8,000 work hours (tax records and employment-verification letter), OR waive the journeyman exam with proof of completing a nationally-certified apprenticeship program.
- Master: document 8 years / 16,000 hours and pass the master exam.
- Provide a passport-style photo and government-issued ID and apply online through the Board of Industrial Trades.
- Pay the fees ($175 (Journeyman: $65 application + $110 initial license (up to 2 years) = $175. Master: $65 + $120 = $185. Apprentice license $110. Renewals: journeyman $110, master $155)) and allow No board-stated processing time.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does District of Columbia accept a Michigan plumbing license?
A plumbing license transfers from Michigan to District of Columbia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades — Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Occupational and Professional Licensing, verify your Michigan license, and meet District of Columbia's endorsement requirements. The District has no state-to-state plumber reciprocity — the Maryland/Virginia trade reciprocity DLCP publishes applies to electricians, not plumbers. DC waives its journeyman plumber examination only for applicants who prove completion of a nationally-certified apprenticeship program; all other applicants qualify by documenting experience (journeyman: 4 years / 8,000 work hours) and must pass the DC journeyman plumbing exam (open-book on the 2012 International Plumbing Code and 2012 International Fuel Gas Code). The master tier requires 8 years / 16,000 hours and its own exam.
Which exam applies moving from Michigan to District of Columbia?
The District has no state-to-state plumber reciprocity — the Maryland/Virginia trade reciprocity DLCP publishes applies to electricians, not plumbers. DC waives its journeyman plumber examination only for applicants who prove completion of a nationally-certified apprenticeship program; all other applicants qualify by documenting experience (journeyman: 4 years / 8,000 work hours) and must pass the DC journeyman plumbing exam (open-book on the 2012 International Plumbing Code and 2012 International Fuel Gas Code). The master tier requires 8 years / 16,000 hours and its own exam.
What does the Michigan-to-District of Columbia move cost and how long does it take?
$175 (Journeyman: $65 application + $110 initial license (up to 2 years) = $175. Master: $65 + $120 = $185. Apprentice license $110. Renewals: journeyman $110, master $155); processing No board-stated processing time.
Can I keep my Michigan plumbing license after I'm licensed in District of Columbia?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Michigan 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.
- DC DLCP Board of Industrial Trades — Plumbing/Gasfitting Application Instructions (license classes, experience, exam waiver) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- DC DLCP — Board of Industrial Trades (fees; reciprocity limited to electricians) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Michigan LARA BCC — Plumbing Examination, Licensing/Registration & Application Information ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- MCL 339.6115 — Journey plumber's license requirements (6,000 hours / 3 years) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- MCL 339.6121 — License and registration fees ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Michigan LARA BCC — Out of State License Verification form ↗ (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]