Plumber License from Nevada to Pennsylvania: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: No statewide board — plumber licensing is handled by Pennsylvania municipalities (e.g., Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections; Allegheny County Health Department for the Pittsburgh area) ↗
No — Pennsylvania has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Nevada plumbing license holders. You must apply to the No statewide board — plumber licensing is handled by Pennsylvania municipalities (e.g., Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections; Allegheny County Health Department for the Pittsburgh area) as a new applicant and meet Pennsylvania's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Full re-application
There is nothing at the state level to transfer your Nevada license into: Pennsylvania issues no statewide plumbing license, so plumbers there are licensed at the contractor level or by cities and counties. Not applicable — Pennsylvania has no state-level plumber license, so there is no statewide exam to waive or transfer; each municipality sets its own plumber licensing and exam rules (for example, Philadelphia requires passing the ICC-based Journeyman Plumber Examination on the Philadelphia Code). The move is a local or contractor-board application, not a reciprocity filing — identify the authority that governs your worksite and work from its exam, experience, and fee rules. Your Nevada license may count toward a local experience requirement, but Pennsylvania has no state credential for it to reciprocate into.
What changes, Nevada → Pennsylvania
| Nevada (current) | Pennsylvania (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $250–$340 ($250 exam/application fee (computer or paper); $340 if taken at a Prometric test center (additional $90). No separate reciprocity fee — NBOPE offers no reciprocity. Reschedule/cancel penalties of $35-$50 may apply) | No statewide fee. Fees are set locally; for example, Philadelphia's journeyman plumber license is $126 initial (including a $25 non-refundable application fee) and $126 annual renewal. |
| Processing time | ~4 weeks (NBOPE/NITC directs applicants to allow up to 4 weeks to process the application and payment before an exam may be scheduled) | No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality. |
| Licensing authority | Nevada Board of Plumbing Examiners (NBOPE) — nonprofit statewide plumbing examiners board, in partnership with Clark County | No statewide board — plumber licensing is handled by Pennsylvania municipalities (e.g., Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections; Allegheny County Health Department for the Pittsburgh area) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Pennsylvania sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Pennsylvania's initial-licensure requirements on the No statewide board — plumber licensing is handled by Pennsylvania municipalities (e.g., Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections; Allegheny County Health Department for the Pittsburgh area) website (linked below).
- Expect to meet Pennsylvania'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 (No statewide fee. Fees are set locally; for example, Philadelphia's journeyman plumber license is $126 initial (including a $25 non-refundable application fee) and $126 annual renewal.).
- Allow No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Pennsylvania accept a Nevada plumbing license?
No — Pennsylvania has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Nevada plumbing license holders. You must apply to the No statewide board — plumber licensing is handled by Pennsylvania municipalities (e.g., Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections; Allegheny County Health Department for the Pittsburgh area) as a new applicant and meet Pennsylvania's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
Which exam applies moving from Nevada to Pennsylvania?
Not applicable — Pennsylvania has no state-level plumber license, so there is no statewide exam to waive or transfer; each municipality sets its own plumber licensing and exam rules (for example, Philadelphia requires passing the ICC-based Journeyman Plumber Examination on the Philadelphia Code).
What does the Nevada-to-Pennsylvania move cost and how long does it take?
No statewide fee. Fees are set locally; for example, Philadelphia's journeyman plumber license is $126 initial (including a $25 non-refundable application fee) and $126 annual renewal.; processing No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality..
Can I keep my Nevada plumbing license after I'm licensed in Pennsylvania?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Nevada 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.
- City of Philadelphia — Get a Journeyman Plumber License (representative municipal program; requirements and fees; no state license) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NBOPE — Journeyman Plumber certification requirements (4 yrs / 8,000 hrs; allow up to 4 weeks) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NBOPE — Exam Information (2024 UPC, two-part exam, 75% / 113 points, 3-year validity) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NBOPE — Certification Application for Journeyman and Master Plumber (Form 850-06 Rev 02-12-26; $250 exam / $340 Prometric) ↗ (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]