Idaho plumbing license reciprocity is available at the journeyman level only, and only for plumbers currently licensed in Montana, Washington, or Oregon. Each of the three states carries its own conditions, and all three share one non-negotiable baseline: you must have earned your current license by passing a state-administered examination. Applications go through the Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) and its State Plumbing Board.
Which States Qualify and Under What Conditions
The three reciprocity agreements each attach their own prerequisites:
- Montana: Your current journeyman license must have been issued by examination, and you need to document four years of schooling and on-the-job training.
- Washington: You must have held your journeyman license for at least one year and be a current Washington resident when you apply.
- Oregon: You must have held your journeyman license for at least six months, again earned by passing a qualifying examination.
If you hold a license from any other state, reciprocity is not an option. Apprentice credentials, contractor licenses, and specialty designations are also outside the agreements, even if issued by Montana, Washington, or Oregon.1Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. BCRE Reciprocal Info Washington’s own licensing agency confirms the reciprocal arrangement on its site as well.2Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. Plumber Certification
The Exam-Passed Requirement Is the One That Trips People Up
Across all three states, your license must have been earned by passing a state examination. If you were licensed through a local city exam, a grandfather provision, or any pathway that didn’t involve a formal state exam, you don’t qualify for Idaho reciprocity regardless of how long you’ve worked or how senior your current credential is. The license verification sent from your home state’s licensing board has to confirm the exam-based qualification, so there’s no working around this at the application stage.
What You Submit
The core document is the Plumbing Journeyman Application from the DOPL website. You’ll provide standard identification, including your Social Security number (required under Idaho Code 73-122), mailing address, contact information, your out-of-state license number, and confirmation that the license is active.3Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. Plumbing Journeyman Application
Two verification forms travel with the application:
- A License Verification Form sent directly from your current state’s licensing authority to Idaho DOPL. It must confirm that your license is active and was obtained by examination. Because it comes from the board rather than from you, authenticity isn’t in question.
- A Work Verification Form documenting supervised plumbing installation hours. Idaho’s standard journeyman pathway requires 8,000 hours of supervised work plus 576 hours of approved schooling, and the DOPL reciprocity sheet frames the equivalent as “proof of 4 years schooling and OJT.” Reciprocity applicants should be ready to document comparable training and field experience from their home state.1Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. BCRE Reciprocal Info
If You Have a Criminal Conviction
Idaho requires all occupational license applicants to disclose criminal convictions, no matter when the offense occurred and even if it resulted in a withheld judgment or suspended sentence. DOPL uses a separate inquiry process to decide whether a conviction disqualifies you. You submit a Disclosure Statement with court documents, probation or parole records, and a description of your rehabilitation, along with a non-refundable $25 fee. The board makes its determination under Idaho Code 67-9410.4Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. Disclosure Statement for Inquiry on Impact of Criminal Conviction If you’re unsure whether a past conviction will be a problem, filing the inquiry before the full application can save you the application fee and weeks of waiting.
Fees and Processing
The journeyman application fee is $22.50. Once your application is approved, the initial license fee of $29.40 is paid before credentials issue.5Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. State Plumbing Board These are separate charges: the application fee covers DOPL’s review, and the license fee issues the credential. Submit the application packet to DOPL in Boise. The plumbing board then verifies your credentials, experience documentation, and license verification, which typically takes several weeks.
If You’re Licensed in a State That Doesn’t Have Reciprocity
Plumbers licensed outside Montana, Washington, and Oregon can’t shortcut the process. You’ll need to qualify through one of Idaho’s standard pathways and sit for the state plumbing exam:
- Apprenticeship pathway: 576 hours of instruction at a board-approved apprenticeship program plus 8,000 hours of supervised plumbing installation work.3Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. Plumbing Journeyman Application
- Work experience pathway: 16,000 hours of supervised plumbing work, without the formal schooling component. Pipefitting and appliance specialty hours don’t count.3Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. Plumbing Journeyman Application
Documented hours from another state can count toward the work experience pathway, which usually makes it the more realistic route for an experienced out-of-state plumber. The Idaho journeyman exam itself runs four hours, covers the state plumbing code, and allows reference materials including the Idaho State Plumbing Code and the Uniform Plumbing Code. The exam is required; experience alone doesn’t substitute for it.
Contractors and Military Applicants
Reciprocity covers the journeyman license only. A plumbing contractor license is a separate application with its own exam, a $2,000 surety bond, and a $147 license fee.6Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. Plumbing Contractor Application You generally need the journeyman license first, so reciprocity applicants planning to run a business should secure journeyman credentials before pursuing the contractor application.
Active-duty military members, honorably discharged veterans, and spouses of service members or veterans receive expedited processing on DOPL applications, and Idaho allows credit for relevant military training toward experience requirements. Active military members may also qualify for a renewal fee waiver under Idaho Code 67-2606.7Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. Military Service Members, Veterans and Spouses The expedited handling is real, but the documentation you need to assemble is the same as for any other applicant, so contact DOPL early if you’re relocating on orders.