Plumber License from Washington to Idaho: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) — State Plumbing Board ↗
Yes — Idaho has a reciprocity arrangement covering Washington license holders. Apply to the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) — State Plumbing Board 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
Washington is on Idaho's reciprocity list, which puts this move on the streamlined track — on two conditions. Your Washington license must have been earned by examination, not grandfathered in, and be active and in good standing; where it is, Idaho waives its journeyman exam and the requirements below are what it still insists on. Idaho waives its journeyman plumber written examination for reciprocity applicants who hold an active journeyman license obtained BY EXAMINATION in Montana, Oregon, or Washington and who meet the experience and residency conditions ('No written examination shall be required for the reciprocal certificate when reciprocating from' these states); every other applicant must pass the IAPMO-based Idaho journeyman examination. One caution: these agreements are directional and revocable. This page's verification date is when we last confirmed Washington on Idaho's list; the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) — State Plumbing Board link is the live truth.
What changes, Washington → Idaho
| Washington (current) | Idaho (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $242.7 (Idaho reciprocal journey level applicants pay the $242.70 journey level certification fee (exam waived). Non-reciprocal out-of-state applicants pay a $202.10 examination application fee (plus a PSI scheduling fee) and then the $242.70 certification fee; a one-time 120-day temporary work permit is $100.30) | Idaho DOPL journeyman plumber license fees are prorated and reciprocity applicants pay the standard application/license fee, but the exact figure could not be confirmed on a directly loaded DOPL fee schedule because every idaho.gov host was unreachable (connection refused) from the research environment; one search result cited a $147 three-year license fee and another cited roughly $29 license / $22 renewal — the two conflict, so no figure is asserted. Confirm on the DOPL fee schedule |
| Processing time | L&I does not publish a fixed processing time; out-of-state credentials are reviewed before the applicant may test or receive a reciprocal certificate, and approved applications are valid for one year | No board-stated processing time in weeks |
| Licensing authority | Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) — Plumber Certification Program | Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) — State Plumbing Board |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Idaho sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Idaho's current requirements on the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) — State Plumbing Board website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the reciprocity application to the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) — State Plumbing Board (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Reciprocity: hold an active out-of-state journeyman license obtained by examination in Montana, Oregon, or Washington, shown on a DOPL License Verification Form.
- Reciprocity from Montana or Oregon: document completion of an apprenticeship program and 8,000 hours of work experience.
- Reciprocity from Washington: document 8,000 or 16,000 hours of work experience.
- Applicants reciprocating from Montana or Washington must be a resident of the state where they are licensed at the time of application.
- Standard (non-reciprocity) applicants must document 8,000 hours of supervised experience and pass the IAPMO examination; specialty/appliance/pipe-fitting hours do not count toward journeyman experience.
- Pay the fees (Idaho DOPL journeyman plumber license fees are prorated and reciprocity applicants pay the standard application/license fee, but the exact figure could not be confirmed on a directly loaded DOPL fee schedule because every idaho.gov host was unreachable (connection refused) from the research environment; one search result cited a $147 three-year license fee and another cited roughly $29 license / $22 renewal — the two conflict, so no figure is asserted. Confirm on the DOPL fee schedule) and allow No board-stated processing time in weeks.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Idaho accept a Washington plumbing license?
Yes — Idaho has a reciprocity arrangement covering Washington license holders. Apply to the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) — State Plumbing Board under its reciprocity/endorsement track; typically you skip the national exam and complete state-specific requirements only.
Which exam applies moving from Washington to Idaho?
Idaho waives its journeyman plumber written examination for reciprocity applicants who hold an active journeyman license obtained BY EXAMINATION in Montana, Oregon, or Washington and who meet the experience and residency conditions ('No written examination shall be required for the reciprocal certificate when reciprocating from' these states); every other applicant must pass the IAPMO-based Idaho journeyman examination.
What does the Washington-to-Idaho move cost and how long does it take?
Idaho DOPL journeyman plumber license fees are prorated and reciprocity applicants pay the standard application/license fee, but the exact figure could not be confirmed on a directly loaded DOPL fee schedule because every idaho.gov host was unreachable (connection refused) from the research environment; one search result cited a $147 three-year license fee and another cited roughly $29 license / $22 renewal — the two conflict, so no figure is asserted. Confirm on the DOPL fee schedule; processing No board-stated processing time in weeks.
Can I keep my Washington plumbing license after I'm licensed in Idaho?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Washington 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.
- Idaho DOPL — State Plumbing Board FAQs (reciprocity states and conditions) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Idaho DOPL — Plumbing Journeyman Application Instructions (exam waiver for reciprocity; 8,000-hour experience; IAPMO exam) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Idaho DOPL — Montana plumbing reciprocity agreement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Idaho DOPL — Oregon plumbing reciprocity agreement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Oregon BCD — Reciprocal agreement, Idaho journeyman plumber (mirror) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Washington L&I — Plumber Examination (Idaho reciprocity, out-of-state review, 120-day temporary permit, $202.10 exam fee, $100.30 permit) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Washington L&I — Get or Renew Your Plumber Certification (fees incl. $242.70 journey level certification; F627-008-000 application form) ↗ (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]