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.
Painting Contractor (Residential) Occupational Licensing
License required in 27 states
54th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$287
What They Do
Painting contractors contract with clients to paint walls, equipment, buildings, bridges and other structural surfaces using brushes, rollers and spray guns. They may also remove old paint to prepare a surface prior to painting or mix colors or oils to obtain desired color or consistency. Typically, only contractors require licenses, not the painters 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.
Painting Contractor (Residential) Licensing Overview
Twenty-seven states (more than half of states) require a licence to work as a Painting Contractor (Residential). On average, these laws require $287 in fees, 260 days of education and about 1 exam. Painting Contractor (Residential) Licenses have the 54th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Fees for a license exceed $1000 in Nevada.
Where is a Painting Contractor (Residential) the most regulated?
Out of the 27 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Painting Contractor (Residential) has the highest burden in Nevada. Nevada requires $1040 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Painting Contractor (Residential) the least regulated?
Out of the 27 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Painting Contractor (Residential) has the lowest burden in Nebraska. Nebraska requires $0 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is a Painting Contractor (Residential) license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Painting Contractor (Residential) costs the most in Nevada. Nevada requires $1040 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Painting Contractor (Residential) license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Painting Contractor (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 Painting Contractor (Residential) license?
An occupational license for a Painting Contractor (Residential) takes the longest to obtain in California, Hawaii, Nevada.It takes 1460 days (4 years).
Where is it fastest to obtain a Painting Contractor (Residential) license?
An occupational license for a Painting Contractor (Residential) takes the least time to obtain in Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Iowa, Idaho, Louisiana, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Washington, West Virginia (0 days).
What states require exams for a Painting Contractor (Residential) license?
To obtain an occupational license for a Painting Contractor (Residential) there is at least one exam required in: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia. California requires 3 exams.
Twenty-eight states license painting contractors working on residential properties. On average, states require 277 days of education and experience, $312 in fees, and about one exam. All in all, 13 states require at least one exam (California requires three). These requirements rank as the 55th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Alaska | 64 | $350 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Alabama | 63 | $350 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Arkansas | 72 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Arizona | 68 | $596 | 730 | None | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 2 | California | 75 | $579 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 20 | Connecticut | 65 | $220 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | 61 | $442 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Hawaii | 64 | $694 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 23 | Iowa | 71 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Idaho | 66 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Louisiana | 77 | $255 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | 50 | $250 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Maryland | 58 | $433 | 730 | None | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 8 | Mississippi | 65 | $290 | 67 | None | 3 jobs, contractors | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | North Dakota | 65 | $100 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 27 | Nebraska | 61 | $0 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | New Jersey | 54 | $110 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | Nevada | 75 | $1,040 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 9 | Oregon | 69 | $310 | 3 | 16 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | 50 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | 70 | $200 | 0.80 | 5 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 7 | South Carolina | 60 | $50 | 365 | None | 1 years | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Tennessee | 69 | $307 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Utah | 64 | $405 | 4 | 25 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Virginia | 72 | $320 | 731 | 8 clock hours | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 21 | Washington | 76 | $118 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | West Virginia | 67 | $142 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 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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