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.
Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) Occupational Licensing
License required in 25 states
31st most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$345
What They Do
Drywall installation contractors, also known as hanger contractors, contract with clients to apply plasterboard or other wallboard to ceilings or interior walls of buildings and apply or mount acoustical tiles or blocks, strips or sheets of shock-absorbing materials to ceilings and walls of buildings to reduce or reflect sound. The materials may be of decorative quality. The category includes lathers who fasten wooden, metal or rockboard lath to walls, ceilings or partitions of buildings to provide a support base for plaster, fireproofing or acoustical material. Typically, only contractors require licenses, not the drywall installers 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.
Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) Licensing Overview
Twenty-five states require a licence to work as a Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial). On average, these laws require $345 in fees, 400 days of education and about 1 exam. Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) Licenses have the 31st most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied.
Where is a Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) the most regulated?
Out of the 25 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) has the highest burden in California. California requires $579 in fees, 3 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) the least regulated?
Out of the 25 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) has the lowest burden in Nebraska. Nebraska requires $0 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is a Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) costs the most in Nevada. Nevada requires $995 in fees, 1 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) 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 Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) license?
An occupational license for a Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) takes the longest to obtain in Oregon. It takes 1463 days (4 years and 3 days). Oregon requires $310 in fees, 1 exams, 4 years experience, and 16 clock hours education.
Where is it fastest to obtain a Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) license?
An occupational license for a Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) takes the least time to obtain in Arizona, North Carolina, Rhode Island, District of Columbia, Tennessee, North Dakota, West Virginia, Alaska, Washington, Iowa, Idaho, Nebraska (0 days).
What states require exams for a Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) license?
To obtain an occupational license for a Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) there is at least one exam required in: California, Nevada, Hawaii, Florida, Oregon, New Mexico, Virginia, South Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Arizona, Louisiana, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia. California requires 3 exams.
Twenty-five states license drywall installation contractors working on commercial properties. Eleven states require between two and five years of experience working under a licensed contractor. Alabama and Mississippi require completion of three contracted jobs. Twelve states require no experience. On average, states require 517 days of education and experience, $365 in fees ($983 in Nevada), and one exam. These high barriers give commercial drywall installation contractors the 25th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied.
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 | California | 75 | $579 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 2 | Nevada | 75 | $995 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 1 | 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 | Oregon | 69 | $310 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 6 | New Mexico | 66 | $324 | 730 | None | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 7 | Virginia | 72 | $320 | 731 | 8 clock hours | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 8 | South Carolina | 60 | $250 | 730 | None | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Arkansas | 72 | $180 | 365 | None | 1 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Mississippi | 65 | $640 | 67 | None | 3 jobs, contractors | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Alabama | 63 | $492 | 67 | None | 3 jobs, contractors | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Arizona | 68 | $546 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 13 | Louisiana | 77 | $400 | 0.2 | 1 clock hours | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | North Carolina | 66 | $154 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | 70 | $200 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | 61 | $655 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Tennessee | 69 | $307 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | North Dakota | 65 | $100 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 19 | Utah | 64 | $405 | 4 | 25 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | West Virginia | 67 | $142 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Alaska | 64 | $350 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Washington | 76 | $118 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Iowa | 71 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Idaho | 66 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | 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.
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