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Paving Contractor (Residential) Occupational Licensing

License required in 28 states

56th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations

Average Fee for License:$279

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 (Residential) Licensing Overview

Twenty-eight states (more than half of states) require a licence to work as a Paving Contractor (Residential). On average, these laws require $279 in fees, 250 days of education and about 1 exam. Paving Contractor (Residential) Licenses have the 56th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Fees for a license exceed $1000 in Nevada.

Where is a Paving Contractor (Residential) the most regulated?

Out of the 28 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Paving Contractor (Residential) has the highest burden in Nevada. Nevada requires $1040 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.

Where is a Paving Contractor (Residential) the least regulated?

Out of the 28 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Paving Contractor (Residential) has the lowest burden in Nebraska. Nebraska requires $0 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.

Where is a Paving Contractor (Residential) license the most expensive?

An occupational license for a Paving Contractor (Residential) costs the most in Nevada. Nevada requires $1040 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.

Where is a Paving Contractor (Residential) license the least expensive?

An occupational license for a Paving 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 Paving Contractor (Residential) license?

An occupational license for a Paving Contractor (Residential) takes the longest to obtain in Nevada, California, Hawaii.It takes 1460 days (4 years).

Where is it fastest to obtain a Paving Contractor (Residential) license?

An occupational license for a Paving Contractor (Residential) takes the least time to obtain in Arizona, North Carolina, North Dakota, Tennessee, District of Columbia, West Virginia, Alabama, Alaska, Louisiana, Connecticut, Washington, New Jersey, Iowa, Arkansas, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Nebraska (0 days).

What states require exams for a Paving Contractor (Residential) license?

To obtain an occupational license for a Paving Contractor (Residential) there is at least one exam required in: Nevada, California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Maryland, Virginia, Mississippi, Arizona, Oregon, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia. California requires 3 exams.

Twenty-eight states license paving contractors working on residential properties. On average, states require 329 days of education and experience, $295 in fees, and about one exam. All in all, 14 states require at least one exam (California requires three). These requirements rank as the 49th most burdensome.

States Ranked by Average Licensing Burden for 102 Lower-Income Occupations

More Burdensome Less Burdensome
Based on data released in November 2022

State Licensing Requirements

Select a chart to view:
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 New Mexico 66 $324 730 None 2 years 2 0 18
5 Maryland 58 $433 730 None 2 years 1 0 18
6 Virginia 72 $320 731 8 clock hours 2 years 1 0 18
7 South Carolina 60 $50 365 None 1 years 0 0 0
8 Mississippi 65 $290 67 None 3 jobs, contractors 2 0 0
9 Arizona 68 $416 0 None None 2 0 18
10 Oregon 69 $310 3 16 clock hours None 1 0 18
11 North Carolina 66 $154 0 None None 1 0 18
12 Rhode Island 70 $200 0.8 5 clock hours None 0 0 18
13 North Dakota 65 $100 0 None None 0 0 18
14 Tennessee 69 $307 0 None None 1 0 0
15 Utah 64 $405 4 25 clock hours None 0 0 0
16 District of Columbia 61 $442 0 None None 0 0 0
17 West Virginia 67 $142 0 None None 1 0 0
18 Alabama 63 $350 0 None None 0 0 0
18 Alaska 64 $350 0 None None 0 0 0
20 Louisiana 77 $255 0 None None 0 0 0
21 Connecticut 65 $220 0 None None 0 0 0
22 Washington 76 $118 0 None None 0 0 0
23 New Jersey 54 $110 0 None None 0 0 0
24 Iowa 71 $50 0 None None 0 0 0
25 Arkansas 72 $50 0 None None 0 0 0
25 Idaho 66 $50 0 None None 0 0 0
25 Pennsylvania 50 $50 0 None None 0 0 0
28 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.

View Report