Plumber License from New York to Delaware: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners — Division of Professional Regulation ↗
A plumbing license transfers from New York to Delaware by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners — Division of Professional Regulation, verify your New York license, and meet Delaware's endorsement requirements. Delaware issues only Master Plumber licenses (no state journeyman license). It grants licensure by reciprocity — without the Delaware master examination — to Master Plumbers currently licensed in a state with substantially similar standards, presently Connecticut, Iowa and Maryland, with no additional experience required; Master Plumbers from 14 other named states qualify by reciprocity only after documenting at least 7 years of practice after Master licensure; applicants from any other jurisdiction have their state's law reviewed and otherwise qualify by examination (apprenticeship by-pass exam).
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
New York is not among the states Delaware names for an automatic exam waiver, so this move runs on the Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners — Division of Professional Regulation's individual endorsement or equivalency review rather than a guarantee. Delaware issues only Master Plumber licenses (no state journeyman license). It grants licensure by reciprocity — without the Delaware master examination — to Master Plumbers currently licensed in a state with substantially similar standards, presently Connecticut, Iowa and Maryland, with no additional experience required; Master Plumbers from 14 other named states qualify by reciprocity only after documenting at least 7 years of practice after Master licensure; applicants from any other jurisdiction have their state's law reviewed and otherwise qualify by examination (apprenticeship by-pass exam). Bring your New York 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, New York → Delaware
| New York (current) | Delaware (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | Set locally and varies by municipality; e.g., the New York City Master Plumber written-exam application (LIC41) fee is $525, with a separate practical-exam application (LIC42) — other cities/counties differ | $173 ($173 non-refundable Master Plumber application fee submitted through DELPROS; the biennial renewal fee is stated at renewal time) |
| Processing time | No statewide process; timelines are set by each municipal licensing authority | No board-stated processing time |
| Licensing authority | No New York State plumber licensing board — plumbing is licensed municipally (representative program: New York City Department of Buildings) | Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners — Division of Professional Regulation |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Delaware sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Delaware's current requirements on the Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners — Division of Professional Regulation website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners — Division of Professional Regulation (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a current, good-standing Master Plumber license in another U.S. jurisdiction.
- Reciprocity with no added experience is limited to substantially-similar states (currently Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland).
- Reciprocity from Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia or West Virginia requires proof of at least 7 years of practice after Master licensure.
- Delaware has no state journeyman plumber license; the 'journeyman certificate' is an apprenticeship-completion credential (e.g., via the Delaware Department of Labor), not a board license.
- Pay the fees ($173 ($173 non-refundable Master Plumber application fee submitted through DELPROS; the biennial renewal fee is stated at renewal time)) and allow No board-stated processing time.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Delaware accept a New York plumbing license?
A plumbing license transfers from New York to Delaware by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners — Division of Professional Regulation, verify your New York license, and meet Delaware's endorsement requirements. Delaware issues only Master Plumber licenses (no state journeyman license). It grants licensure by reciprocity — without the Delaware master examination — to Master Plumbers currently licensed in a state with substantially similar standards, presently Connecticut, Iowa and Maryland, with no additional experience required; Master Plumbers from 14 other named states qualify by reciprocity only after documenting at least 7 years of practice after Master licensure; applicants from any other jurisdiction have their state's law reviewed and otherwise qualify by examination (apprenticeship by-pass exam).
Which exam applies moving from New York to Delaware?
Delaware issues only Master Plumber licenses (no state journeyman license). It grants licensure by reciprocity — without the Delaware master examination — to Master Plumbers currently licensed in a state with substantially similar standards, presently Connecticut, Iowa and Maryland, with no additional experience required; Master Plumbers from 14 other named states qualify by reciprocity only after documenting at least 7 years of practice after Master licensure; applicants from any other jurisdiction have their state's law reviewed and otherwise qualify by examination (apprenticeship by-pass exam).
What does the New York-to-Delaware move cost and how long does it take?
$173 ($173 non-refundable Master Plumber application fee submitted through DELPROS; the biennial renewal fee is stated at renewal time); processing No board-stated processing time.
Can I keep my New York plumbing license after I'm licensed in Delaware?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the New York 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.
- Delaware DPR — Master Plumber Licensure (reciprocity: substantially-similar states and 7-year states) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Delaware DPR — Board of Plumbing fee schedule (Master Plumber $173) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NYC Department of Buildings — Obtain a Master Plumber License (7-yr experience, written+practical exams, $525 LIC41 fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NYC Department of Buildings — Obtain a Journeyman Plumber Registration ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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