Plumber License from Pennsylvania to Colorado: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Colorado State Plumbing Board — Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), Division of Professions and Occupations ↗
A plumbing license transfers from Pennsylvania to Colorado by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Colorado State Plumbing Board — Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), Division of Professions and Occupations, verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Colorado's endorsement requirements. Colorado has no bilateral state-to-state reciprocity; it licenses out-of-state plumbers by endorsement, accepting successful completion of a comparable state plumbing examination (based on a plumbing-code edition adopted by the Colorado board) in lieu of the Colorado examination, provided the applicant currently holds an active license in the endorsing state and meets the apprenticeship/experience requirement; applicants who cannot document a comparable exam must qualify and pass the Colorado examination.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Pennsylvania is not among the states Colorado names for an automatic exam waiver, so this move runs on the Colorado State Plumbing Board — Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), Division of Professions and Occupations's individual endorsement or equivalency review rather than a guarantee. Colorado has no bilateral state-to-state reciprocity; it licenses out-of-state plumbers by endorsement, accepting successful completion of a comparable state plumbing examination (based on a plumbing-code edition adopted by the Colorado board) in lieu of the Colorado examination, provided the applicant currently holds an active license in the endorsing state and meets the apprenticeship/experience requirement; applicants who cannot document a comparable exam must qualify and pass the Colorado examination. Bring your Pennsylvania 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, Pennsylvania → Colorado
| Pennsylvania (current) | Colorado (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | No statewide fee. Fees are set locally; for example, Philadelphia's journeyman plumber license is $126 initial (including a $25 non-refundable application fee) and $126 annual renewal. | Application/endorsement fee not verifiable on the official DPO site (dpo.colorado.gov returned HTTP 403 to automated access on 2026-07-21); fees are paid through DPO Online Services |
| Processing time | No statewide process; processing time is set by each municipality. | No board-stated processing time |
| Licensing authority | No statewide board — plumber licensing is handled by Pennsylvania municipalities (e.g., Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections; Allegheny County Health Department for the Pittsburgh area) | Colorado State Plumbing Board — Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), Division of Professions and Occupations |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Colorado sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Colorado's current requirements on the Colorado State Plumbing Board — Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), Division of Professions and Occupations website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Colorado State Plumbing Board — Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), Division of Professions and Occupations (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Currently hold an active plumbing license issued by the endorsing state.
- Complete a state- or federally-approved/registered apprenticeship program, or the required years/type of experience for the comparable Colorado license (residential ~3,400 hrs; journeyworker ~6,800 hrs; master ~8,500 hrs).
- Show successful completion of a comparable state plumbing examination based on a plumbing-code edition adopted by the Colorado State Plumbing Board.
- Meet the requirements of section 12-155-116, C.R.S.
- Pay the fees (Application/endorsement fee not verifiable on the official DPO site (dpo.colorado.gov returned HTTP 403 to automated access on 2026-07-21); fees are paid through DPO Online Services) and allow No board-stated processing time.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Colorado accept a Pennsylvania plumbing license?
A plumbing license transfers from Pennsylvania to Colorado by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Colorado State Plumbing Board — Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), Division of Professions and Occupations, verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Colorado's endorsement requirements. Colorado has no bilateral state-to-state reciprocity; it licenses out-of-state plumbers by endorsement, accepting successful completion of a comparable state plumbing examination (based on a plumbing-code edition adopted by the Colorado board) in lieu of the Colorado examination, provided the applicant currently holds an active license in the endorsing state and meets the apprenticeship/experience requirement; applicants who cannot document a comparable exam must qualify and pass the Colorado examination.
Which exam applies moving from Pennsylvania to Colorado?
Colorado has no bilateral state-to-state reciprocity; it licenses out-of-state plumbers by endorsement, accepting successful completion of a comparable state plumbing examination (based on a plumbing-code edition adopted by the Colorado board) in lieu of the Colorado examination, provided the applicant currently holds an active license in the endorsing state and meets the apprenticeship/experience requirement; applicants who cannot document a comparable exam must qualify and pass the Colorado examination.
What does the Pennsylvania-to-Colorado move cost and how long does it take?
Application/endorsement fee not verifiable on the official DPO site (dpo.colorado.gov returned HTTP 403 to automated access on 2026-07-21); fees are paid through DPO Online Services; processing No board-stated processing time.
Can I keep my Pennsylvania plumbing license after I'm licensed in Colorado?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Pennsylvania 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.
- Colorado State Plumbing Board Rules 3 CCR 720-1.4 — Applications and Licensing (license by endorsement text) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Colorado DPO — State Plumbing Board (homepage / applications) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- City of Philadelphia — Get a Journeyman Plumber License (representative municipal program; requirements and fees; no state license) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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