Fire Alarm Installer
License required in 39 states
10th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
18th most heavily regulated occupation among moderate-income occupations
What They Do
Fire alarm installers install, program, maintain or repair fire alarm wiring and equipment, and ensure that work is in accordance with relevant codes. This report looks at what is required to run one’s own fire alarm installation business at the commercial level.Licensing
Thirty-nine states require a license to work as a fire alarm installer. On average, these laws require $557 in fees, about two and a half years (915 days) of education and experience, and around two exams—the 10th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied here. The occupation is the 18th most widely and onerously licensed.
License requirements vary widely across states. For example, Connecticut and Tennessee each require six years (2,190 days) of education or experience, but five states require no education or experience. Similarly, five states require four exams, but two require none. Fees also vary, from $0 in Kansas to $1,665 in Louisiana.
States Ranked by Average Licensing Burden for 102 Lower-Income Occupations
More Burdensome Less Burdensom
Based on data released in November 2017Burden Rank | State | States Licensed | Fees | Estimated Calendar Days Lost | Education | Experience | Exams | Minimum Grade | Minimum Age |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Connecticut | 39 | $435 | 2190 | 6 years | 3 | 0 | 18 | |
2 | Tennessee | 39 | $985 | 2190 | 2 years | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
3 | Louisiana | 39 | $1,665 | 1827 | 11 clock hours | 5 years | 4 | 0 | 18 |
4 | Arkansas | 39 | $1,443 | 1825 | 5 years | 4 | 0 | 18 | |
5 | Iowa | 39 | $1,208 | 1825 | 5 years | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
6 | Nevada | 39 | $1,545 | 1460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
7 | Washington | 39 | $676 | 1471 | 48 clock hours | 4 years | 4 | 0 | 16 |
8 | Arizona | 39 | $956 | 1460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
9 | California | 39 | $579 | 1460 | 4 years | 3 | 0 | 18 | |
10 | Hawaii | 39 | $615 | 1460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
11 | Oklahoma | 39 | $469 | 1460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
12 | Idaho | 39 | $335 | 1460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 16 | |
13 | Oregon | 39 | $425 | 1095 | 3 years | 1 | 12 | 18 | |
14 | Florida | 39 | $684 | 1095 | 3 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
15 | Illinois | 39 | $328 | 1095 | 3 years | 1 | 0 | 21 | |
16 | North Carolina | 39 | $175 | 1095 | 3 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
17 | Minnesota | 39 | $261 | 1095 | 3 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
18 | Massachusetts | 39 | $330 | 800 | 300 clock hours | 2 years | 2 | 12 | 0 |
19 | Maine | 39 | $196 | 996 | 270 clock hours | 4000 clock hours | 1 | 0 | 0 |
20 | Michigan | 39 | $1,045 | 730 | 2 years | 4 | 0 | 20 | |
21 | West Virginia | 39 | $259 | 730 | 2 years | 4 | 0 | 18 | |
22 | Delaware | 39 | $566 | 730 | 2 years | 3 | 0 | 18 | |
23 | New Mexico | 39 | $462 | 730 | 2 years | 3 | 0 | 18 | |
24 | New Jersey | 39 | $555 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
25 | Alaska | 39 | $300 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
26 | Virginia | 39 | $320 | 731 | 8 clock hours | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
27 | Montana | 39 | $605 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
28 | Vermont | 39 | $180 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
29 | Nebraska | 39 | $85 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
30 | Wyoming | 39 | $240 | 548 | 1.5 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
31 | Georgia | 39 | $237 | 365 | 1 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
32 | Mississippi | 39 | $1,090 | 72 | 28 clock hours | 3 jobs, contractors | 2 | 0 | 0 |
33 | South Carolina | 39 | $345 | 4 | 22 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
34 | New York | 39 | $285 | 19 | 81 clock hours | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
35 | Texas | 39 | $700 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
36 | Rhode Island | 39 | $462 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
37 | Alabama | 39 | $425 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
38 | D C | 39 | $266 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
39 | Kansas | 39 | $0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |