Plumber License from Ohio 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 Ohio 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 Ohio 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.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Ohio 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 Ohio 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, Ohio → District of Columbia
| Ohio (current) | District of Columbia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $25 ($25.00 non-refundable reciprocity application fee per trade; proof of at least $500,000 contractor liability insurance required. Non-reciprocal applicants pay a $25 exam application fee plus BCI and FBI background-check costs.) | $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; reciprocity applications are approved or denied by board review. | No board-stated processing time |
| Licensing authority | Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) — Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance | 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 Ohio plumbing license?
A plumbing license transfers from Ohio 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 Ohio 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 Ohio 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 Ohio-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 Ohio plumbing license after I'm licensed in District of Columbia?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Ohio 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)
- OCILB Examination Application (state commercial plumbing contractor license; $25 fee; five-year experience; trades include Plumbing) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- OCILB South Carolina Reciprocity Application (PL trade; exam waived for tested SC licensees; $25 per trade) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- OCILB West Virginia Mechanical Reciprocity Application (PL trade; must hold WV Master Plumber + WV Contractor license, tested not grandfathered) ↗ (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]