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.
Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial) Occupational Licensing
License required in 22 states
35th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$334
What They Do
Floor sander and finisher contractors contract with clients to scrape and sand wooden floors to smooth surfaces using floor scraper and floor sanding machines and to apply coats of finish. Typically, only contractors require licenses, not the floor sanders 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.
Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial) Licensing Overview
Twenty-two states require a licence to work as a Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial). On average, these laws require $334 in fees, 385 days of education and about 1 exam. Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial) Licenses have the 35th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Fees for a license exceed $1000 in Nevada.
Where is a Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial) the most regulated?
Out of the 22 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial) has the highest burden in Nevada. Nevada requires $1040 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial) the least regulated?
Out of the 22 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial) has the lowest burden in Nebraska. Nebraska requires $0 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is a Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial) license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial) costs the most in Nevada. Nevada requires $1040 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial) license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Floor Sander 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 Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial) license?
An occupational license for a Floor Sander 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 Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial) license?
An occupational license for a Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial) takes the least time to obtain in North Carolina, Rhode Island, District of Columbia, North Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, Alaska, Washington, Iowa, Idaho, Nebraska (0 days).
What states require exams for a Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial) license?
To obtain an occupational license for a Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial) there is at least one exam required in: Nevada, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Arizona, Virginia, South Carolina, Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia. California requires 3 exams.
Twenty-two states license floor sander contractors working on commercial properties. Nine states require between two and five years of experience working under a licensed contractor. Alabama requires completion of three contracted jobs. Twelve states require no experience. On average, states require 485 days of education and experience, $359 in fees ($1,078 in Nevada), and one exam. These high barriers give commercial floor sander contractors the 32nd 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 | 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 | Oregon | 69 | $310 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 5 | Arizona | 68 | $546 | 730 | None | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 6 | Virginia | 72 | $320 | 731 | 8 clock hours | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 7 | South Carolina | 60 | $250 | 730 | None | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Arkansas | 72 | $180 | 365 | None | 1 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Alabama | 63 | $492 | 67 | None | 3 jobs, contractors | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Louisiana | 77 | $400 | 0.2 | 1 clock hours | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | North Carolina | 66 | $154 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 70 | $200 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | 61 | $655 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | North Dakota | 65 | $100 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 15 | Tennessee | 69 | $307 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Utah | 64 | $405 | 4 | 25 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | West Virginia | 67 | $142 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Alaska | 64 | $350 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Washington | 76 | $118 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Iowa | 71 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Idaho | 66 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | 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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