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.
Pipelayer Contractor Occupational Licensing
License required in 27 states
21st most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$356
What They Do
Pipelayer contractors contract with clients to lay pipe for storm or sanitation sewers, drains and water mains. Work may involve any of the following: grading trenches or culverts, positioning pipe, or sealing joints. This report looks only at contractors, not the pipelayer workers who work for them, though they may also be licensed. Many states have contract minimums before the contractor’s license applies. See Appendix B for details.
Pipelayer Contractor Licensing Overview
Twenty-seven states (more than half of states) require a licence to work as a Pipelayer Contractor. On average, these laws require $356 in fees, 479 days of education and about 1 exam. Pipelayer Contractor Licenses have the 21st most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Fees for a license exceed $1000 in Nevada.
Where is a Pipelayer Contractor the most regulated?
Out of the 27 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Pipelayer Contractor has the highest burden in Nevada. Nevada requires $1040 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Pipelayer Contractor the least regulated?
Out of the 27 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Pipelayer Contractor has the lowest burden in Nebraska. Nebraska requires $0 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is a Pipelayer Contractor license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Pipelayer Contractor costs the most in Nevada. Nevada requires $1040 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Pipelayer Contractor license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Pipelayer Contractor 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 Pipelayer Contractor license?
An occupational license for a Pipelayer Contractor 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 Pipelayer Contractor license?
An occupational license for a Pipelayer Contractor takes the least time to obtain in Alaska, District of Columbia, Iowa, Idaho, Louisiana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia (0 days).
What states require exams for a Pipelayer Contractor license?
To obtain an occupational license for a Pipelayer Contractor there is at least one exam required in: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia. California, New Mexico require 3 exams.
Twenty-seven states license pipelayer contractors. On average, these laws impose $377 in fees, 546 days in education and experience, and around one exam—the 22nd most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. However, because pipelayers are licensed by only slightly more than half the states, the occupation ranks as the 46th most widely and onerously licensed.
License requirements vary widely across states. Twelve states require between two and five years of experience working under a licensed contractor, while another two (Alabama and Mississippi) require completion of three contracted jobs. Twelve states require no education or experience. Similarly, California and New Mexico require three exams, while eight states require none.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | Alaska | 64 | $350 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Alabama | 63 | $492 | 67 | None | 3 jobs, contractors | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Arkansas | 72 | $180 | 365 | None | 1 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Arizona | 68 | $896 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | California | 75 | $579 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | 61 | $655 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Florida | 55 | $364 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 6 | Georgia | 41 | $317 | 1462 | 12 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 4 | Hawaii | 64 | $694 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 25 | Iowa | 71 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Idaho | 66 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Louisiana | 77 | $400 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Mississippi | 65 | $640 | 67 | None | 3 jobs, contractors | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | North Carolina | 66 | $154 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 20 | North Dakota | 65 | $100 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 27 | Nebraska | 61 | $0 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | New Mexico | 66 | $324 | 730 | None | 2 years | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 1 | Nevada | 75 | $1,040 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 7 | Oregon | 69 | $310 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | 70 | $200 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | South Carolina | 60 | $310 | 730 | None | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Tennessee | 69 | $307 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Utah | 64 | $405 | 4 | 25 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Virginia | 72 | $320 | 731 | 8 clock hours | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 24 | Washington | 76 | $118 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | 42 | $165 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 17 | West Virginia | 67 | $195 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
License to Work
The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.
View Report