Plumber License from Ohio to Indiana: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) — Indiana Plumbing Commission ↗
A plumbing license transfers from Ohio to Indiana by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) — Indiana Plumbing Commission, verify your Ohio license, and meet Indiana's endorsement requirements. Indiana Code 25-28.5-1-19 (verified current as of 2026-01-01) provides that an out-of-state journeyman plumber 'shall without examination, be granted a license' by the Indiana Plumbing Commission IF the other jurisdiction's licensing requirements were substantially equal to Indiana's when the applicant was last licensed AND that jurisdiction grants Indiana licensees the same reciprocal privilege; the statute names no partner states and no official list of qualifying states was located, so an applicant must confirm eligibility with the Commission, and anyone who does not meet the substantial-equivalence/mutuality test must be approved by the Commission and pass the Indiana journeyman plumber examination.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Ohio is not among the states Indiana names for an automatic exam waiver, so this move runs on the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) — Indiana Plumbing Commission's individual endorsement or equivalency review rather than a guarantee. Indiana Code 25-28.5-1-19 (verified current as of 2026-01-01) provides that an out-of-state journeyman plumber 'shall without examination, be granted a license' by the Indiana Plumbing Commission IF the other jurisdiction's licensing requirements were substantially equal to Indiana's when the applicant was last licensed AND that jurisdiction grants Indiana licensees the same reciprocal privilege; the statute names no partner states and no official list of qualifying states was located, so an applicant must confirm eligibility with the Commission, and anyone who does not meet the substantial-equivalence/mutuality test must be approved by the Commission and pass the Indiana journeyman plumber examination. 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 → Indiana
| Ohio (current) | Indiana (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.) | $15–$30 (Per 860 IAC 1-1-2.1: journeyman plumber initial license fee is $15 in odd-numbered years or $30 in even-numbered years (biennial cycle; renewal $30 due before Dec 1 of each odd-numbered year). A reciprocity applicant pays the license fee with no exam; a non-reciprocity applicant also pays a $30 Commission examination fee plus the separate exam-vendor (Prove/ICC) fee. All PLA fees are non-refundable) |
| Processing time | No board-stated processing time; reciprocity applications are approved or denied by board review. | No board-stated processing time in weeks; a non-reciprocity application must be reviewed and approved for eligibility by the Indiana Plumbing Commission before the applicant may register for the exam. All in.gov hosts refused direct connections during research |
| Licensing authority | Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) — Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance | Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) — Indiana Plumbing Commission |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Indiana sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Indiana's current requirements on the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) — Indiana Plumbing Commission website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) — Indiana Plumbing Commission (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a current journeyman plumber license/registration in the same category in another state, territory, country, or province.
- The issuing jurisdiction's requirements must have been substantially equal to Indiana's when last licensed, and it must grant Indiana licensees the same reciprocity/mutuality (IC 25-28.5-1-19).
- Be at least eighteen (18) years of age.
- Applicants who do not qualify for reciprocity must document an approved four-year apprenticeship (about 6,400 hours on-the-job training plus 576 classroom hours) or an out-of-state license, be approved by the Commission, and pass the Indiana journeyman examination (vendor Prove/ICC, provexam.com).
- Pay the fees ($15–$30 (Per 860 IAC 1-1-2.1: journeyman plumber initial license fee is $15 in odd-numbered years or $30 in even-numbered years (biennial cycle; renewal $30 due before Dec 1 of each odd-numbered year). A reciprocity applicant pays the license fee with no exam; a non-reciprocity applicant also pays a $30 Commission examination fee plus the separate exam-vendor (Prove/ICC) fee. All PLA fees are non-refundable)) and allow No board-stated processing time in weeks; a non-reciprocity application must be reviewed and approved for eligibility by the Indiana Plumbing Commission before the applicant may register for the exam. All in.gov hosts refused direct connections during research.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Indiana accept a Ohio plumbing license?
A plumbing license transfers from Ohio to Indiana by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) — Indiana Plumbing Commission, verify your Ohio license, and meet Indiana's endorsement requirements. Indiana Code 25-28.5-1-19 (verified current as of 2026-01-01) provides that an out-of-state journeyman plumber 'shall without examination, be granted a license' by the Indiana Plumbing Commission IF the other jurisdiction's licensing requirements were substantially equal to Indiana's when the applicant was last licensed AND that jurisdiction grants Indiana licensees the same reciprocal privilege; the statute names no partner states and no official list of qualifying states was located, so an applicant must confirm eligibility with the Commission, and anyone who does not meet the substantial-equivalence/mutuality test must be approved by the Commission and pass the Indiana journeyman plumber examination.
Which exam applies moving from Ohio to Indiana?
Indiana Code 25-28.5-1-19 (verified current as of 2026-01-01) provides that an out-of-state journeyman plumber 'shall without examination, be granted a license' by the Indiana Plumbing Commission IF the other jurisdiction's licensing requirements were substantially equal to Indiana's when the applicant was last licensed AND that jurisdiction grants Indiana licensees the same reciprocal privilege; the statute names no partner states and no official list of qualifying states was located, so an applicant must confirm eligibility with the Commission, and anyone who does not meet the substantial-equivalence/mutuality test must be approved by the Commission and pass the Indiana journeyman plumber examination.
What does the Ohio-to-Indiana move cost and how long does it take?
$15–$30 (Per 860 IAC 1-1-2.1: journeyman plumber initial license fee is $15 in odd-numbered years or $30 in even-numbered years (biennial cycle; renewal $30 due before Dec 1 of each odd-numbered year). A reciprocity applicant pays the license fee with no exam; a non-reciprocity applicant also pays a $30 Commission examination fee plus the separate exam-vendor (Prove/ICC) fee. All PLA fees are non-refundable); processing No board-stated processing time in weeks; a non-reciprocity application must be reviewed and approved for eligibility by the Indiana Plumbing Commission before the applicant may register for the exam. All in.gov hosts refused direct connections during research.
Can I keep my Ohio plumbing license after I'm licensed in Indiana?
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.
- Indiana Code 25-28.5-1-19 — Reciprocity ('shall without examination be granted a license' under substantial-equivalence + mutuality; current as of 2026-01-01) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- 860 IAC 1-1-2.1 — Indiana Plumbing Commission fee schedule (Legal Information Institute) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Indiana PLA — Plumbing Licensing Information ↗ (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
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