Plumber License from North Carolina to South Carolina: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation — Residential Builders Commission ↗
Yes — South Carolina has a reciprocity arrangement covering North Carolina license holders. Apply to the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation — Residential Builders Commission under its reciprocity/endorsement track; typically you skip the national exam and complete state-specific requirements only.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Reciprocity agreement
North Carolina is on South Carolina's reciprocity list, which puts this move on the streamlined track — on two conditions. Your North Carolina license must have been earned by examination, not grandfathered in, and be active and in good standing; where it is, South Carolina waives its journeyman exam and the requirements below are what it still insists on. South Carolina waives only the technical (Residential Plumbing) portion of its exam for an applicant who holds a residential plumbing license obtained BY EXAMINATION, current and in good standing, in North Carolina or Mississippi — the only two states with a residential-plumbing Exam Waiver Agreement (grandfathered or waived-in licensees do not qualify); every applicant, including waiver applicants, must still pass the South Carolina Business Management and Law exam, and all others must pass both the Residential Plumbing technical exam and the Business/Law exam. One caution: these agreements are directional and revocable. This page's verification date is when we last confirmed North Carolina on South Carolina's list; the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation — Residential Builders Commission link is the live truth.
What changes, North Carolina → South Carolina
| North Carolina (current) | South Carolina (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $30–$150 ($100 per examination section; $30 application fee and $150 annual license fee (Board fee schedule per its relocation/military provisions); South Carolina Technical Examination Waiver applicants still pay for and pass the NC business exam; CastleBranch background report is at the applicant's expense) | $135–$355 ($135 application processing fee plus a $220 license fee due after passing the exam(s), both payable to LLR-Residential Builders Commission; PSI exam fees paid separately to PSI; $10,000 surety bond required if work exceeds $5,000; renews biennially by June 30 of odd years) |
| Processing time | 4–6 weeks (Board-stated application-processing time; add time to schedule and pass the exam(s) with PSI) | 3–6 weeks (Commission staff review applications within 15 business days; allow another 15 business days if additional information is requested; license issued within 3 business days after approval) |
| Licensing authority | North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors | South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation — Residential Builders Commission |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — South Carolina sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm South Carolina's current requirements on the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation — Residential Builders Commission website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the reciprocity application to the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation — Residential Builders Commission (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Document one year of hands-on residential plumbing experience under a licensed residential plumber (or appropriately licensed professional), gained within the preceding five years.
- Pass the South Carolina Residential Business Management and Law exam (PSI) — required even when the technical exam is waived.
- For the exam waiver, hold a residential plumbing license obtained by examination in North Carolina or Mississippi and submit an out-of-state license verification.
- Submit a full credit report; post a $10,000 surety bond if performing work exceeding $5,000 (labor plus materials).
- Pay the fees ($135–$355 ($135 application processing fee plus a $220 license fee due after passing the exam(s), both payable to LLR-Residential Builders Commission; PSI exam fees paid separately to PSI; $10,000 surety bond required if work exceeds $5,000; renews biennially by June 30 of odd years)) and allow 3–6 weeks (Commission staff review applications within 15 business days; allow another 15 business days if additional information is requested; license issued within 3 business days after approval).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does South Carolina accept a North Carolina plumbing license?
Yes — South Carolina has a reciprocity arrangement covering North Carolina license holders. Apply to the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation — Residential Builders Commission under its reciprocity/endorsement track; typically you skip the national exam and complete state-specific requirements only.
Which exam applies moving from North Carolina to South Carolina?
South Carolina waives only the technical (Residential Plumbing) portion of its exam for an applicant who holds a residential plumbing license obtained BY EXAMINATION, current and in good standing, in North Carolina or Mississippi — the only two states with a residential-plumbing Exam Waiver Agreement (grandfathered or waived-in licensees do not qualify); every applicant, including waiver applicants, must still pass the South Carolina Business Management and Law exam, and all others must pass both the Residential Plumbing technical exam and the Business/Law exam.
What does the North Carolina-to-South Carolina move cost and how long does it take?
$135–$355 ($135 application processing fee plus a $220 license fee due after passing the exam(s), both payable to LLR-Residential Builders Commission; PSI exam fees paid separately to PSI; $10,000 surety bond required if work exceeds $5,000; renews biennially by June 30 of odd years); processing 3–6 weeks (Commission staff review applications within 15 business days; allow another 15 business days if additional information is requested; license issued within 3 business days after approval).
Can I keep my North Carolina plumbing license after I'm licensed in South Carolina?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the North Carolina 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.
- SC Residential Builders Commission — Residential Plumbing Contractor FAQ (fees, NC/MS technical-exam waiver, bond, renewal) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- SC Contractor's Licensing Board — Reciprocity/Waiver Agreements (commercial plumbing PB: Ohio, Tennessee CMC/CMC-A, MASC Master Plumbing) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NC Plumbing/Heating/Fire Sprinkler Board — Exam Application Packet 2026-01 (classes, 4,000-hr experience, $100/exam, SC technical waiver, G.S. 87-21(g), 4-6 wk processing) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating & Fire Sprinkler Contractors (board home) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NC Board — Applicant Information (license classifications; SC Technical Examination Waiver) ↗ (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]