Plumber License from Ohio to Mississippi: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) — licenses plumbing CONTRACTORS only; no individual journeyman/master plumber license is issued by the state ↗
No — Mississippi has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Ohio plumbing license holders. You must apply to the Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) — licenses plumbing CONTRACTORS only; no individual journeyman/master plumber license is issued by the state as a new applicant and meet Mississippi's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
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Verdict
Full re-application
There is nothing at the state level to transfer your Ohio license into: Mississippi issues no statewide plumbing license, so plumbers there are licensed at the contractor level or by cities and counties. Not applicable at the individual level: Mississippi issues no state journeyman or master plumber license to individuals, so there is no state journeyman exam to waive or transfer, and individual plumbers are licensed (where required) only by cities/municipalities. At the state level only plumbing CONTRACTORS/companies are licensed, by the Mississippi State Board of Contractors; that contractor reciprocity waives only the trade exam, and every contractor applicant must still pass the Mississippi Law and Business Management exam.. 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 Ohio license may count toward a local experience requirement, but Mississippi has no state credential for it to reciprocate into.
What changes, Ohio → Mississippi
| Ohio (current) | Mississippi (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.) | No individual state journeyman/master plumber license exists, so there is no state application fee; MSBOC contractor Certificate of Responsibility fees are company-level and separate, and any municipal plumber license fee is set locally. |
| Processing time | No board-stated processing time; reciprocity applications are approved or denied by board review. | Not applicable; the state issues no individual journeyman plumber license. |
| Licensing authority | Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) — Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance | Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) — licenses plumbing CONTRACTORS only; no individual journeyman/master plumber license is issued by the state |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Mississippi sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Mississippi's initial-licensure requirements on the Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) — licenses plumbing CONTRACTORS only; no individual journeyman/master plumber license is issued by the state website (linked below).
- Expect to meet Mississippi'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 individual state journeyman/master plumber license exists, so there is no state application fee; MSBOC contractor Certificate of Responsibility fees are company-level and separate, and any municipal plumber license fee is set locally.).
- Allow Not applicable; the state issues no individual journeyman plumber license..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Mississippi accept a Ohio plumbing license?
No — Mississippi has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Ohio plumbing license holders. You must apply to the Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) — licenses plumbing CONTRACTORS only; no individual journeyman/master plumber license is issued by the state as a new applicant and meet Mississippi's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
Which exam applies moving from Ohio to Mississippi?
Not applicable at the individual level: Mississippi issues no state journeyman or master plumber license to individuals, so there is no state journeyman exam to waive or transfer, and individual plumbers are licensed (where required) only by cities/municipalities. At the state level only plumbing CONTRACTORS/companies are licensed, by the Mississippi State Board of Contractors; that contractor reciprocity waives only the trade exam, and every contractor applicant must still pass the Mississippi Law and Business Management exam..
What does the Ohio-to-Mississippi move cost and how long does it take?
No individual state journeyman/master plumber license exists, so there is no state application fee; MSBOC contractor Certificate of Responsibility fees are company-level and separate, and any municipal plumber license fee is set locally.; processing Not applicable; the state issues no individual journeyman plumber license..
Can I keep my Ohio plumbing license after I'm licensed in Mississippi?
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.
- MSBOC — Reciprocity (contractor trade-exam waiver; Business & Law exam still required) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- MSBOC — Classifications (plumbing is a company/contractor classification) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- MSBOC — Frequently Asked Questions (who must be licensed) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- MSBOC — One-Stop-Shop (monetary thresholds and contractor license search) ↗ (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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