Plumber License from Michigan to Wisconsin: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) — Division of Professional Credentialing ↗
A plumbing license transfers from Michigan to Wisconsin by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) — Division of Professional Credentialing, verify your Michigan license, and meet Wisconsin's endorsement requirements. Wisconsin does NOT waive its journeyman plumber examination for any out-of-state applicant and has no reciprocity agreements; every applicant must pass the Wisconsin journeyman plumber exam. Out-of-state plumbers qualify to sit that exam by 'comity' — documenting an out-of-state 5-year apprenticeship (minimum 576 hours of related instruction), or having passed a journeyman exam in another state and practiced at least 5 years under a license the Department finds substantially similar to Wis. Stat. ch. 145 — so no fresh Wisconsin apprenticeship is required, but the Wisconsin exam is mandatory.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Michigan is not among the states Wisconsin names for an automatic exam waiver, so this move runs on the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) — Division of Professional Credentialing's individual endorsement or equivalency review rather than a guarantee. Wisconsin does NOT waive its journeyman plumber examination for any out-of-state applicant and has no reciprocity agreements; every applicant must pass the Wisconsin journeyman plumber exam. Out-of-state plumbers qualify to sit that exam by 'comity' — documenting an out-of-state 5-year apprenticeship (minimum 576 hours of related instruction), or having passed a journeyman exam in another state and practiced at least 5 years under a license the Department finds substantially similar to Wis. Stat. ch. 145 — so no fresh Wisconsin apprenticeship is required, but the Wisconsin exam is mandatory. 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 → Wisconsin
| Michigan (current) | Wisconsin (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.) | $180 ($180 journeyman plumber credential fee (4-year term) per the DSPS Trades fee schedule; a nonrefundable application fee and a journeyman examination fee are also collected and are calculated within LicensE (not itemized on the fee schedule). Master plumber term fee is $500) |
| 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. | DSPS does not publish a fixed processing time; the applicant is made exam-eligible after DSPS reviews the submitted application and documents |
| Licensing authority | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs — Bureau of Construction Codes (BCC), Plumbing | Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) — Division of Professional Credentialing |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Wisconsin sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Wisconsin's current requirements on the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) — Division of Professional Credentialing website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) — Division of Professional Credentialing (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Complete a plumbing apprenticeship (Wisconsin-registered, or an out-of-state 5-year program with at least 576 hours of related instruction) recognized under Wis. Stat. section 106.025 or the U.S. DOL.
- Alternatively, have passed a journeyman plumber exam in another state and practiced at least five years under a journeyman (or equivalent) license the Department finds substantially similar to Wisconsin's (Form 3126T).
- Pass the two-part Wisconsin journeyman plumber examination.
- Apply and pay all fees through the DSPS LicensE portal; master plumber is a higher, separately-examined credential.
- Pay the fees ($180 ($180 journeyman plumber credential fee (4-year term) per the DSPS Trades fee schedule; a nonrefundable application fee and a journeyman examination fee are also collected and are calculated within LicensE (not itemized on the fee schedule). Master plumber term fee is $500)) and allow DSPS does not publish a fixed processing time; the applicant is made exam-eligible after DSPS reviews the submitted application and documents.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Wisconsin accept a Michigan plumbing license?
A plumbing license transfers from Michigan to Wisconsin by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) — Division of Professional Credentialing, verify your Michigan license, and meet Wisconsin's endorsement requirements. Wisconsin does NOT waive its journeyman plumber examination for any out-of-state applicant and has no reciprocity agreements; every applicant must pass the Wisconsin journeyman plumber exam. Out-of-state plumbers qualify to sit that exam by 'comity' — documenting an out-of-state 5-year apprenticeship (minimum 576 hours of related instruction), or having passed a journeyman exam in another state and practiced at least 5 years under a license the Department finds substantially similar to Wis. Stat. ch. 145 — so no fresh Wisconsin apprenticeship is required, but the Wisconsin exam is mandatory.
Which exam applies moving from Michigan to Wisconsin?
Wisconsin does NOT waive its journeyman plumber examination for any out-of-state applicant and has no reciprocity agreements; every applicant must pass the Wisconsin journeyman plumber exam. Out-of-state plumbers qualify to sit that exam by 'comity' — documenting an out-of-state 5-year apprenticeship (minimum 576 hours of related instruction), or having passed a journeyman exam in another state and practiced at least 5 years under a license the Department finds substantially similar to Wis. Stat. ch. 145 — so no fresh Wisconsin apprenticeship is required, but the Wisconsin exam is mandatory.
What does the Michigan-to-Wisconsin move cost and how long does it take?
$180 ($180 journeyman plumber credential fee (4-year term) per the DSPS Trades fee schedule; a nonrefundable application fee and a journeyman examination fee are also collected and are calculated within LicensE (not itemized on the fee schedule). Master plumber term fee is $500); processing DSPS does not publish a fixed processing time; the applicant is made exam-eligible after DSPS reviews the submitted application and documents.
Can I keep my Michigan plumbing license after I'm licensed in Wisconsin?
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.
- Wisconsin DSPS Form #3126 — Journeyman Plumber Application Information (comity / out-of-state pathways; every pathway still requires passing the Wisconsin exam) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Wisconsin DSPS — Trades Renewal Dates and Fees (Journeyman Plumber $180, 4-year term) ↗ (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
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