Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential)
License required by 30 states
38th most burdensome licensing requirements.
38th most widely and onerously licensed occupation.
Iron and steel contractors contract with clients to raise, place and unite iron or steel girders, columns and other structural members to form completed structures or structural frameworks. They may also erect metal storage tanks and assemble prefabricated metal buildings.
Typically, only contractors require licenses, not the steel fabricators or welders 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.
Thirty states license iron and steel contractors working on residential properties. On average, states require over a year (392 days) of education and experience, $318 in fees, and about one exam. All in all, 18 states require at least one exam (California requires three). These requirements rank as the 38th most burdensome.
States With Licenses
| Burden Rank | State | States Licensed | Fees | Estimated Calendar Days Lost | Education | Experience | Exams | Minimum Grade | Minimum Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | 30 | $1,078 | 1460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 2 | California | 30 | $579 | 1460 | 4 years | 3 | 0 | 18 | |
| 3 | Arizona | 30 | $826 | 1460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 4 | Hawaii | 30 | $615 | 1460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 5 | Florida | 30 | $364 | 1460 | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 30 | $500 | 1095 | 3 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
| 7 | New Mexico | 30 | $318 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 8 | Maryland | 30 | $433 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
| 9 | Virginia | 30 | $320 | 731 | 8 clock hours | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | Utah | 30 | $354 * | 733 * | 20 clock hours * | 2 years * | 2 * | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | South Carolina | 30 | $270 | 365 | 1 years | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 12 | Mississippi | 30 | $290 | 67 | 3 jobs, contractors | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 13 | Oregon | 30 | $410 | 3 | 16 clock hours | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
| 14 | Louisiana | 30 | $460 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 15 | West Virginia | 30 | $174 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 16 | Rhode Island | 30 | $200 | 1 | 5 clock hours | 0 | 0 | 18 | |
| 17 | Alabama | 30 | $403 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 18 | North Dakota | 30 | $125 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | ||
| 19 | Tennessee | 30 | $305 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 20 | D C | 30 | $442 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 21 | North Carolina | 30 | $145 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 22 | Alaska | 30 | $300 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 23 | Connecticut | 30 | $220 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 24 | Washington | 30 | $113 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 25 | New Jersey | 30 | $110 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 26 | Arkansas | 30 | $50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 26 | Iowa | 30 | $50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 26 | Pennsylvania | 30 | $50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 29 | Idaho | 30 | $30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 30 | Nebraska | 30 | $0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
