Licenses and exams

Trade license reciprocity: taking your license to another state

Checked against official sources · Last reviewed October 10, 2026

Reciprocity vs. endorsement

Reciprocity is an agreement between licensing boards in two states to recognize each other's licenses. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), for example, says "Texas has reciprocal licensing agreements with the states listed below" and names the partner states for each license type.

Endorsement (also called universal license recognition) is a state law telling its boards to license people who hold a license elsewhere, without a deal with each state. Utah's version is titled "License by endorsement." These laws have conditions, such as how long you've held the license and whether you're in good standing. [1][4]

Agreements are state by state, trade by trade, level by level

A reciprocity agreement covers specific license types between specific states. Texas's electrician page shows how narrow this can be:

• Master electrician: Alabama, Arkansas (master electrician), Iowa (Class A master electrician), Louisiana (state contractor's license), Nebraska, North Carolina (master electrician or unlimited electrical contractor), Ohio, and Tennessee (electrical contractor).
• Journeyman electrician: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming.
• Everything else: "Currently there are no reciprocal licensing agreements for any other license types."

Even with an agreement, there are conditions. For a Texas journeyman license by reciprocity, TDLR requires that you passed the other state's exam, held that license for at least one year, and have at least 8,000 hours under the supervision of a master electrician.

So "Texas has reciprocity with Iowa" isn't the whole answer: the question is which license, at which level. See the Texas electrician page, the reciprocity map and the trade pages for electricians, plumbers, HVAC and general contractors. [1]

Universal license recognition laws: examples

These are state laws we read in full. Each one sets its own conditions, and each board applies it to its own licenses, so ask the board whether it covers your trade and level.

Arizona (A.R.S. 32-4302). Licenses under Title 32 of the Arizona Revised Statutes go to a person who "establishes residence in this state" (or a qualifying military spouse) if, among other conditions, the person holds a license in good standing in another state in the same discipline and practice level, "has been licensed or certified by another state for at least one year," met the other state's education and experience requirements, and passed that state's exam if it required one. A board may require an exam on Arizona law.

Utah (Utah Code 58-1-302, version effective July 1, 2026). The Division of Professional Licensing "shall issue a license" to someone licensed in another state if the license covers "a similar scope of practice," the applicant has "at least one year of experience practicing under the license," and the license is in good standing. The division may refuse if it has reasonable cause to believe the applicant isn't qualified or there is a previous or pending disciplinary action.

Missouri (RSMo 324.009). If you've been licensed in another state for at least one year, the board must, within six months, waive Missouri's exam, education and experience requirements if the other state had minimum education and experience rules and verifies you met them. A board may still require an exam on Missouri law. But the law mostly leaves out the construction trades. It "shall not apply to any occupation set forth in subsection 6 of section 290.257," a list that includes electrician, plumber (including pipefitter), carpenter, roofer, sheet metal worker and sprinkler fitter, among others. It also doesn't apply to "any electrical contractor licensed under sections 324.900 to 324.945" (Missouri's statewide electrical contractor license) or to licenses "issued or required by political subdivisions" (cities and counties).

Iowa (Iowa Code 272C.12). A license must be issued "without an examination" if you hold a license in good standing in another jurisdiction with "a substantially similar scope of practice," met that jurisdiction's education and experience requirements, and passed its exam if one was required. For licenses under chapter 103 (electricians and electrical contractors) and chapter 105 (plumbers, mechanical professionals and contractors), you must also have "established residency in this state" or be a qualifying military spouse. If a board requires an Iowa law exam, it must issue a temporary license valid for three months, renewable once.

Ohio (Ohio Revised Code 4796.03, effective December 29, 2023). A licensing authority must issue a license if you hold a "substantially similar" out-of-state license, have held it for at least one year and practiced for at least one of the last five years (the board may waive this), are in good standing, and met minimum education, training, experience or exam requirements to get it, among other conditions. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]

What usually doesn't transfer

• State law exams. Arizona, Missouri and Iowa all let boards require an exam on their own state's laws.
• Fees, bonds and insurance. Missouri's law says it doesn't waive fees, bonds or proof of insurance; Arizona and Iowa require you to pay all applicable fees.
• City and county licenses. Missouri's law excludes licenses issued by political subdivisions. In states where cities or counties license a trade, check with that local office.
• Whole trades, sometimes. Missouri's law doesn't apply to electricians, plumbers and most other construction trades at all.
• Discipline or pending complaints. Arizona, Missouri and Iowa all hold or deny applications while discipline or complaints elsewhere are unresolved.

[2][3][5][7]

Military spouses and service members

A federal law, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 U.S.C. 4025a, added in January 2023 and rewritten in December 2024), covers service members and spouses who move because of military orders. If you hold a "covered license" (in good standing, never revoked or disciplined, no pending investigation), it "shall be considered valid for the scope of practice in the State of the new residence" once you apply to that state's licensing authority.

The application includes proof of the military orders, a copy of the marriage certificate for spouses, and a notarized affidavit that you meet the state's requirements and are in good standing everywhere you've been licensed. If the board can't process it within 30 days, it may issue a temporary license. The board may run a background check.

Several state laws above also have faster tracks for military spouses: for the occupations its law covers, Missouri requires its boards to waive requirements and issue a license to a qualifying military spouse within thirty days, and Arizona issues licenses to qualifying military spouses without an examination. [2][3][11]

Tips before you move

• Read the board's current list. Agreements name specific states and levels; Texas's page, for example, lists eight partner states for master electricians and ten for journeymen.
• Find the right board. CareerOneStop's License Finder, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, searches license requirements by state and occupation.
• Get your paperwork ready. For a master electrician license by reciprocity, Texas asks for an application form, a copy of your state-issued license, a letter of good standing, and proof of how long you've held a journeyman license.
• Keep records of your hours. Reciprocity and endorsement often ask for proof of experience, such as Texas's 8,000 supervised hours for journeymen.
• Know your level. Agreements and laws match licenses level by level; see journeyman vs. master for how the levels differ.

[1][12]

Questions people ask