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.
Insulation Contractor (Commercial) Occupational Licensing
License required in 24 states
33rd most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$338
What They Do
Insulation contractors contract with clients to line and cover structures with insulating materials. They may work with batt, roll or blown insulation materials. Typically, only contractors require licenses, not the insulators 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.
Insulation Contractor (Commercial) Licensing Overview
Twenty-four states require a licence to work as an Insulation Contractor (Commercial). On average, these laws require $338 in fees, 386 days of education and about 1 exam. Insulation Contractor (Commercial) Licenses have the 33rd most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Fees for a license exceed $1000 in Nevada.
Where is an Insulation Contractor (Commercial) the most regulated?
Out of the 24 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Insulation Contractor (Commercial) has the highest burden in Nevada. Nevada requires $1040 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.
Where is an Insulation Contractor (Commercial) the least regulated?
Out of the 24 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Insulation Contractor (Commercial) has the lowest burden in Nebraska. Nebraska requires $0 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is an Insulation Contractor (Commercial) license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Insulation Contractor (Commercial) costs the most in Nevada. Nevada requires $1040 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.
Where is an Insulation Contractor (Commercial) license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Insulation 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 an Insulation Contractor (Commercial) license?
An occupational license for a Insulation 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 an Insulation Contractor (Commercial) license?
An occupational license for a Insulation Contractor (Commercial) takes the least time to obtain in North Carolina, Rhode Island, District of Columbia, Tennessee, North Dakota, West Virginia, Alaska, Washington, Iowa, Idaho, Nebraska (0 days).
What states require exams for an Insulation Contractor (Commercial) license?
To obtain an occupational license for an Insulation Contractor (Commercial) there is at least one exam required in: Nevada, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Arizona, Virginia, New Mexico, South Carolina, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia. California requires 3 exams.
Twenty-five states license insulation contractors working on commercial properties. Ten states require between two and five years of experience working under a licensed contractor. Alabama and Mississippi require completion of three contracted jobs. Thirteen states require no experience. On average, states require 458 days of education and experience, $366 in fees ($1,033 in Nevada), and around one exam. These high barriers give commercial insulation contractors the 35th 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 | New Mexico | 66 | $255 | 730 | None | 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 | Alabama | 63 | $492 | 67 | None | 3 jobs, contractors | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Mississippi | 65 | $520 | 67 | None | 3 jobs, contractors | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Louisiana | 77 | $400 | 0.2 | 1 clock hours | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | North Carolina | 66 | $154 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | 70 | $200 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | 61 | $655 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Tennessee | 69 | $307 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | North Dakota | 65 | $100 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 18 | Utah | 64 | $405 | 4 | 25 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | West Virginia | 67 | $142 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Alaska | 64 | $350 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Washington | 76 | $118 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Iowa | 71 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Idaho | 66 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | 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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