> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cslid.nascla.memorang.app/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Reciprocity rankings
> Which states have the most reciprocity partners across all boards, ranked from most to fewest agreements.
Reciprocity agreements change frequently and may be board-specific, trade-specific, or limited to exam waivers only. Always verify the current status of any agreement directly with the licensing authority before relying on it.
## What reciprocity means for contractors
Reciprocity means one state will recognize part of your credentials from another state — usually waiving the trade exam, but still requiring a state-specific business and law exam, financial statements, and insurance. Full reciprocity (no additional requirements) is rare. Most agreements are limited to specific trades or license levels.
A high count does not mean universal reciprocity. Many states have board-specific agreements that only cover certain trades. An electrician may have reciprocity in 15 states while a general contractor from the same home state has zero.
## Most reciprocity-friendly jurisdictions
Ranked by total number of unique reciprocal partner states across all boards and trades. States with the broadest agreements offer the most portability for multi-state contractors.
| Rank | Jurisdiction | Unique partner states | Boards with reciprocity | Reciprocity model |
| ---- | ----------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------- | ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 1 | [New Hampshire](/docs/jurisdictions/new-hampshire) | 31 | 1 (Electrical) | Electrical only — master/journeyman agreements with 21 states; journeyman-only with 10 additional states |
| 2 | [Arkansas](/docs/jurisdictions/arkansas) | 23 | 4 | GC board (AL, LA, MS, TN), Electrical Journeyman (18 states), Electrical Master (OR, ND), Alarm (LA, OK, TN) |
| 3 | [Alabama](/docs/jurisdictions/alabama) | 21 | 5 | GC (AR, LA, MS, NC, TN), HVAC (LA, MS, SC, TN, WV), Electrical (GA, LA, MS, NC, OH, SC, TN, VA), Fire Marshal (16 states) |
| 4 | [Idaho](/docs/jurisdictions/idaho) | 16 | 3 | Electrical Journeyman (14 states), Plumbing Journeyman (MT, OR, WA); no GC registration reciprocity |
| 5 | [Wyoming](/docs/jurisdictions/wyoming) | 16 | 1 (Electrical) | Journeyman (AK, AR, CO, ID, IA, ME, MN, MT, NE, NH, NM, ND, OK, OR, SD, TX), Master (ID, IA, SD) |
| 6 | [Nebraska](/docs/jurisdictions/nebraska) | 14 | 2 | Electrical Contractor (IA, MN, SD, TX), Journeyman (14 states via multi-state group) |
| 7 | [Colorado](/docs/jurisdictions/colorado) | 14 | 1 (Electrical) | Journeyman electrical only (AK, AR, ID, IA, MN, MT, NE, NH, NM, ND, OK, SD, UT, WY); plumbing by endorsement |
| 8 | [Iowa](/docs/jurisdictions/iowa) | 13 | 2 | Electrical (AK, AR, CO, MN, MT, NE, NH, ND, OK, SD, TX, WI, WY), Plumbing/Mechanical (SD) |
| 9 | [Minnesota](/docs/jurisdictions/minnesota) | 11 | 1 (Electrical) | Master/Journeyman (NE, ND, SD), Multi-State Journeyman (AK, AR, CO, ID, MT, UT, WA, WY) |
| 10 | [New Mexico](/docs/jurisdictions/new-mexico) | 11 | 1 (Electrical) | Multi-state journeyman electrician group (AK, AR, CO, ID, MT, NE, OK, SD, TX, UT, WY) |
| 11 | [North Carolina](/docs/jurisdictions/north-carolina) | 10 | 2 | GC exam waivers (AL, FL, MS, SC, TN + NASCLA), Electrical (AL, FL, GA, MS, OH, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV) |
| 12 | [South Carolina](/docs/jurisdictions/south-carolina) | 10 | 2 | CLB exam waivers (AL, GA, LA, MS, NC, OH, PA, TN, TX, UT), RBC (AL, GA, LA, NC, UT) |
| 13 | [Oklahoma](/docs/jurisdictions/oklahoma) | 10 | 2 | Electrical Journeyman (AK, AR, CO, ID, MT, NE, NM, SD, TX, WY), Plumbing Journeyman (AR) |
| 14 | [Ohio](/docs/jurisdictions/ohio) | 10 | 1 (OCILB) | Master-level: AL, AR, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV across electrical, HVAC, plumbing, refrigeration |
| 15 | [Mississippi](/docs/jurisdictions/mississippi) | 9 | 1 | Exam waivers with AL (5 boards), AR, FL, GA, LA, NC, OH, SC (2 boards), TN |
| 16 | [Oregon](/docs/jurisdictions/oregon) | 7 | 2 | Electrical Journeyman (AR, ID, ME, MT, UT, WA, WY), Supervising (AR, UT), Plumbing (ID, MT) |
| 17 | [Florida](/docs/jurisdictions/florida) | 5 | 2 | Construction (CA, LA, MS, NC, GA + NASCLA), Electrical endorses exams from 9 states but no formal reciprocity |
| 18 | [Maine](/docs/jurisdictions/maine) | 5 | 1 (Electrical) | Master (NH, VT), Journeyman (ID, NH, ND, OR, VT) |
| 19 | [Delaware](/docs/jurisdictions/delaware) | 5 | 1 (Asbestos) | Asbestos Class A reciprocity with Region III states (MD, PA, VA, WV, DC) |
| 20 | [California](/docs/jurisdictions/california) | 4 | 1 | Limited exam waivers with AZ, LA, NV, NC; also accepts NASCLA B-General Building |
| 21 | [South Dakota](/docs/jurisdictions/south-dakota) | 4 | 2 | Electrical by equivalence; Plumbing (IA, MN, MT, ND + IPC/NITC exam holders) |
| 22 | [West Virginia](/docs/jurisdictions/west-virginia) | 4 | 3 | HVAC (AL), Electrical (NC, OH, TN), General Building (TN), Plumbing (OH), Manufactured Home (OH) |
| 23 | [Texas](/docs/jurisdictions/texas) | 4 | 2 | A/C & Refrigeration (GA, SC), Master Electrician (LA, NC) |
| 24 | [Georgia](/docs/jurisdictions/georgia) | 3 | 2 | Residential (LA, MS, SC), General (LA, MS) |
| 25 | [Kentucky](/docs/jurisdictions/kentucky) | 3 | 2 | HVAC and Electrical (OH), Electrical (VA, WV); case-by-case for equivalent credentials |
| 26 | [Maryland](/docs/jurisdictions/maryland) | 3 | 3 | Electrical Master (DE, VA, WV), Plumbing (DE), HVACR (DE, VA) |
| 27 | [Nevada](/docs/jurisdictions/nevada) | 3 | 1 | Limited endorsement with AZ, CA, UT; licensure by endorsement for equivalent states |
| 28 | [North Dakota](/docs/jurisdictions/north-dakota) | 3 | 2 | Electrical (MN, MT, SD), Plumbing (MN, SD; journeyman with MT) |
| 29 | [Washington](/docs/jurisdictions/washington) | 2 | 2 | Plumbing Journeyman (ID), Electrical (OR for certain licenses) |
| 30 | [Vermont](/docs/jurisdictions/vermont) | 2 | 2 | Electrical (NH, ME), Plumbing by endorsement from equivalent states |
| 31 | [Louisiana](/docs/jurisdictions/louisiana) | 2+ | 2 | Plumbing (TX, AR); contractors board accepts passing exam scores from any state |
| 32 | [Tennessee](/docs/jurisdictions/tennessee) | Multiple | 1 | Trade exam waivers with multiple state contractor boards (referenced by AL, AR, FL, GA, MS, NC, OH, SC, WV) |
| 33 | [Massachusetts](/docs/jurisdictions/massachusetts) | 1 | 1 | Electrical only (NH for Master and Journeyman) |
| 34 | [Wisconsin](/docs/jurisdictions/wisconsin) | 1 | 1 | Electrical only (IA for Master Journeyman) |
## States with no reciprocity agreements
These jurisdictions have no formal reciprocity agreements. Out-of-state contractors must meet all requirements from scratch, including examinations.
| Jurisdiction | Notes |
| ----------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [Alaska](/docs/jurisdictions/alaska) | No reciprocity; may recognize exams from Prometric or other testing firms case-by-case |
| [Connecticut](/docs/jurisdictions/connecticut) | No reciprocity highlighted in source material |
| [District of Columbia](/docs/jurisdictions/district-of-columbia) | No reciprocity highlighted in source material |
| [Guam](/docs/jurisdictions/guam) | No reciprocity agreements with any U.S. state or territory |
| [Hawaii](/docs/jurisdictions/hawaii) | No reciprocity; equivalent experience from other jurisdictions may substitute for some requirements |
| [Illinois](/docs/jurisdictions/illinois) | No reciprocity highlighted; no state-level GC licensing |
| [Indiana](/docs/jurisdictions/indiana) | No reciprocity with any other state for plumbing |
| [Kansas](/docs/jurisdictions/kansas) | KDOT does not honor prequalification from other states |
| [Michigan](/docs/jurisdictions/michigan) | No reciprocity; out-of-state licenses may be reviewed for exam eligibility |
| [New York](/docs/jurisdictions/new-york) | No reciprocity with any other state |
| [Pennsylvania](/docs/jurisdictions/pennsylvania) | No reciprocity with any other state |
| [Rhode Island](/docs/jurisdictions/rhode-island) | No reciprocity highlighted in source material |
| [Virgin Islands](/docs/jurisdictions/virgin-islands) | No reciprocal agreements with any U.S. state or territory |
## The multi-state electrical reciprocity network
The largest reciprocity network in the country is the multi-state journeyman electrician agreement. These states mutually recognize each other's journeyman electrician exams, allowing licensed electricians to obtain credentials without retesting.
**Member states**: Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
This network covers 18 states. If you hold a journeyman electrician license originally obtained by examination in any of these states, you can apply for licensure in the others without retaking the trade exam — though you may still need to meet experience requirements and pay local fees.
Reciprocity typically waives only the trade exam. Most states still require you to pass their state-specific business and law exam, submit financial statements, provide insurance certificates, and pay application fees. "Reciprocity" rarely means "automatic license."
## Understanding reciprocity types
| Reciprocity type | What it means | Example |
| ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Full exam waiver | Trade exam waived; B\&L exam still required | Alabama GC ↔ Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee |
| Exam endorsement | Your exam from another state is accepted as equivalent | Minnesota accepts NE, ND, SD electrical exams |
| Licensure by endorsement | Experience and license history reviewed; may waive exam | Nevada endorses applicants licensed 4+ years in equivalent states |
| Multi-state agreement | Group of states mutually recognize each other | 18-state electrical journeyman network |
| Case-by-case | No agreement, but board may evaluate on individual basis | Alaska, Michigan, New Jersey |
If you work in multiple states, start with the multi-state electrical network and states with the broadest GC reciprocity (Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina). Build your license portfolio strategically — each new license in a reciprocity hub unlocks faster paths into partner states.