Plumber License from Wisconsin to Illinois: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) — Plumbing Program ↗
No — Illinois has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Wisconsin plumbing license holders. You must apply to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) — Plumbing Program as a new applicant and meet Illinois's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
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Verdict
Full re-application
Illinois has no plumbing reciprocity or endorsement covering Wisconsin, so this is a full journeyman application either way. Illinois requires every out-of-state plumber to pass the Illinois plumber's licensing examination; the application's out-of-state section accepts prior apprenticeship/licensure toward the four-year experience prerequisite but does not waive the exam. The only license-WITHOUT-examination pathway is for a holder of a current City of Chicago plumber's license (an intra-Illinois municipal reciprocity), not for licensees of other states. The productive plan: gather proof of the apprenticeship or on-the-job hours you logged in Wisconsin, register for Illinois's journeyman exam, and treat your experience as exam preparation and as credit toward Illinois's experience requirement. Budget a new-applicant timeline and order your certified license history early — it is the long-lead item.
What changes, Wisconsin → Illinois
| Wisconsin (current) | Illinois (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $180 ($180 journeyman plumber credential fee (4-year term) per the DSPS Trades fee schedule; a nonrefundable application fee and a journeyman examination fee are also collected and are calculated within LicensE (not itemized on the fee schedule). Master plumber term fee is $500) | $225 (Application fee for a plumber registered or licensed in Chicago or outside Illinois is $225 (an in-state Illinois licensed-apprentice applicant pays $175); a separate $150 plumber's license fee applies on issuance (68 Ill. Adm. Code 750.1100). The City-of-Chicago reciprocity (license without exam) carries a $150 license fee. Returned-check fee $100) |
| Processing time | DSPS does not publish a fixed processing time; the applicant is made exam-eligible after DSPS reviews the submitted application and documents | No board-stated processing time; the examination application is due at least 30 days before the examination date |
| Licensing authority | Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) — Division of Professional Credentialing | Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) — Plumbing Program |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Illinois sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review Illinois's initial-licensure requirements on the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) — Plumbing Program website (linked below).
- Expect to meet Illinois'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 ($225 (Application fee for a plumber registered or licensed in Chicago or outside Illinois is $225 (an in-state Illinois licensed-apprentice applicant pays $175); a separate $150 plumber's license fee applies on issuance (68 Ill. Adm. Code 750.1100). The City-of-Chicago reciprocity (license without exam) carries a $150 license fee. Returned-check fee $100)).
- Allow No board-stated processing time; the examination application is due at least 30 days before the examination date.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Illinois accept a Wisconsin plumbing license?
No — Illinois has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Wisconsin plumbing license holders. You must apply to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) — Plumbing Program as a new applicant and meet Illinois's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
Which exam applies moving from Wisconsin to Illinois?
Illinois requires every out-of-state plumber to pass the Illinois plumber's licensing examination; the application's out-of-state section accepts prior apprenticeship/licensure toward the four-year experience prerequisite but does not waive the exam. The only license-WITHOUT-examination pathway is for a holder of a current City of Chicago plumber's license (an intra-Illinois municipal reciprocity), not for licensees of other states.
What does the Wisconsin-to-Illinois move cost and how long does it take?
$225 (Application fee for a plumber registered or licensed in Chicago or outside Illinois is $225 (an in-state Illinois licensed-apprentice applicant pays $175); a separate $150 plumber's license fee applies on issuance (68 Ill. Adm. Code 750.1100). The City-of-Chicago reciprocity (license without exam) carries a $150 license fee. Returned-check fee $100); processing No board-stated processing time; the examination application is due at least 30 days before the examination date, plus the exam and experience-documentation costs of qualifying as a new applicant.
Can I keep my Wisconsin plumbing license after I'm licensed in Illinois?
Yes — plumbing licenses in different jurisdictions run independently. Keep the Wisconsin 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.
- Illinois DPH — Application for Examination for Plumber's License (fees $175 in-state / $225 out-of-state; out-of-state section; 4-year 225 ILCS 320/10(d) requirement) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Illinois DPH — Application for Plumber's License Reciprocity with the City of Chicago License Without Examination ($150 fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- 68 Ill. Adm. Code 750.1100 — Plumbers' and Apprentice Plumbers' Examination and Licensure Fees (Legal Information Institute) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Illinois DPH — Plumbing program (license types, license verification link) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Wisconsin DSPS Form #3126 — Journeyman Plumber Application Information (comity / out-of-state pathways; every pathway still requires passing the Wisconsin exam) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Wisconsin DSPS — Trades Renewal Dates and Fees (Journeyman Plumber $180, 4-year term) ↗ (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]