What is Occupational Licensing?
An “occupational license” is, put simply, government permission to work in a particular field. To earn the license, an aspiring worker must clear various hurdles, such as earning a certain amount of education or training or passing an exam. In the 1950s, only one in 20 U.S. workers needed the government’s permission to pursue their chosen occupation. Today, that figure stands at almost one in four.
Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) Occupational Licensing
License required in 31 states
44th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$288
What They Do
Non-HVAC sheet metal contractors contract with clients to fabricate, assemble, install and repair sheet metal products and equipment, such as kitchen equipment, drainpipes, gutters, cornices and flashings. Work may involve any of the following: setting up and operating fabricating machines to cut, bend and straighten sheet metal; shaping metal over anvils, blocks or forms using a hammer; operating soldering and welding equipment to join sheet metal parts; and inspecting, assembling and smoothing seams and joints of burred surfaces.[c]Adapted from https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/47-2211.00 and Nev. Admin. Code § 624.300.[/c] Typically, only contractors require licenses, not sheet metal workers who work for them. In some states, licensing requirements differ based on the setting. Those with a residential license may work only on residential properties, while those with a commercial license may work on commercial properties. Other states require the same license regardless of the setting, and this report records that license in both settings. Many states have contract minimums before the contractor’s license applies. See Appendix B for details.
Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) Licensing Overview
Thirty-one states (more than half of states) require a licence to work as a Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential). On average, these laws require $288 in fees, 333 days of education and about 1 exam. Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) Licenses have the 44th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Fees for a license exceed $1000 in Nevada.
Where is a Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) the most regulated?
Out of the 31 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) has the highest burden in Nevada. Nevada requires $1040 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) the least regulated?
Out of the 31 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) has the lowest burden in Nebraska. Nebraska requires $0 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is a Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) costs the most in Nevada. Nevada requires $1040 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) costs the least in Nebraska. Nebraska requires $0 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where does it take the longest to obtain a Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) license?
An occupational license for a Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) takes the longest to obtain in Nevada, California, Hawaii, Florida.It takes 1460 days (4 years).
Where is it fastest to obtain a Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) license?
An occupational license for a Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) takes the least time to obtain in North Carolina, Tennessee, North Dakota, District of Columbia, West Virginia, Alabama, Alaska, Louisiana, Connecticut, Washington, New Jersey, Iowa, Arkansas, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Nebraska (0 days).
What states require exams for a Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) license?
To obtain an occupational license for a Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) there is at least one exam required in: Nevada, California, Hawaii, Florida, Massachusetts, Arizona, Maryland, Virginia, New Mexico, Mississippi, Michigan, Oregon, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia. California requires 3 exams.
Thirty-one states license non-HVAC sheet metal contractors working on residential properties. On average, states require nearly a year (356 days) of education and experience, $302 in fees, and about one exam. All in all, 17 states require at least one exam (California requires three). These requirements rank as the 43rd most burdensome.
States Ranked by Average Licensing Burden for 102 Lower-Income Occupations
More Burdensome Less Burdensome
Based on data released in November 2022| Burden Rank | State | Occupations Licensed | Fees | Estimated Calendar Days Lost | Education | Experience | Exams | Minimum Grade | Minimum Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | 75 | $1,040 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 2 | California | 75 | $579 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Hawaii | 64 | $694 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 4 | Florida | 55 | $364 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 50 | $400 | 1095 | None | 3 years | 1 | 12 | 17 |
| 6 | Arizona | 68 | $546 | 730 | None | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 7 | Maryland | 58 | $433 | 730 | None | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 8 | Virginia | 72 | $320 | 731 | 8 clock hours | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 9 | New Mexico | 66 | $255 | 730 | None | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | South Carolina | 60 | $50 | 365 | None | 1 years | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Mississippi | 65 | $290 | 67 | None | 3 jobs, contractors | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Michigan | 48 | $294 | 14 | 60 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 13 | Oregon | 69 | $310 | 3 | 16 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 14 | North Carolina | 66 | $154 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | 70 | $200 | 0.8 | 5 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 16 | Tennessee | 69 | $307 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | North Dakota | 65 | $100 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | 61 | $442 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Utah | 64 | $405 | 4 | 25 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | West Virginia | 67 | $142 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Alabama | 63 | $350 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Alaska | 64 | $350 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Louisiana | 77 | $255 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Connecticut | 65 | $220 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Washington | 76 | $118 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | New Jersey | 54 | $110 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | Iowa | 71 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Arkansas | 72 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Idaho | 66 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | 50 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Nebraska | 61 | $0 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
License to Work
The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.
View Report