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.
Paving Contractor (Commercial) Occupational Licensing
License required in 24 states
28th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$361
What They Do
Paving contractors contract with clients to apply concrete, asphalt or other materials to road beds, parking lots, or airport runways and taxiways, or to tamp gravel, dirt or other materials. Typically, only contractors require licenses, not the paving equipment operators 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.
Paving Contractor (Commercial) Licensing Overview
Twenty-four states require a licence to work as a Paving Contractor (Commercial). On average, these laws require $361 in fees, 417 days of education and about 1 exam. Paving Contractor (Commercial) Licenses have the 28th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Fees for a license exceed $1000 in Nevada.
Where is a Paving Contractor (Commercial) the most regulated?
Out of the 24 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Paving Contractor (Commercial) has the highest burden in Nevada. Nevada requires $1040 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Paving Contractor (Commercial) the least regulated?
Out of the 24 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Paving Contractor (Commercial) has the lowest burden in Nebraska. Nebraska requires $0 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is a Paving Contractor (Commercial) license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Paving Contractor (Commercial) costs the most in Nevada. Nevada requires $1040 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Paving Contractor (Commercial) license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Paving 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 Paving Contractor (Commercial) license?
An occupational license for a Paving 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 Paving Contractor (Commercial) license?
An occupational license for a Paving 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 Paving Contractor (Commercial) license?
To obtain an occupational license for a Paving Contractor (Commercial) there is at least one exam required in: Nevada, California, Hawaii, Arizona, Oregon, New Mexico, Virginia, South Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia. California requires 3 exams.
Twenty-four states license paving 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. Twelve states require no experience. On average, states require 508 days of education and experience, $365 in fees ($1,078 in Nevada), and one exam. These high barriers give commercial paving contractors the 28th 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 | Arizona | 68 | $846 | 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 | $310 | 730 | None | 2 years | 2 | 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 | $502 | 67 | None | 3 jobs, contractors | 2 | 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 | North Dakota | 65 | $100 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 17 | Tennessee | 69 | $307 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 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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