Mason Contractor (Commercial)
License required by 26 states
24th most burdensome licensing requirements.
54th most widely and onerously licensed occupation.
Mason contractors contract with clients to lay and bind building materials, such as brick, structural tile, concrete block, cinder block, glass block and terra-cotta block, with mortar and other substances to construct or repair walls, partitions, arches, sewers and other structures.
Typically, only contractors require licenses, not the masons 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.
Twenty-six states license mason contractors working on commercial properties. Eleven states require between two and five years of experience working under a licensed contractor. Alabama and Mississippi require completion of three contracted jobs. Thirteen states require no experience. On average, states require 525 days of education and experience, $372 in fees ($1,078 in Nevada), and one exam. These high barriers give commercial mason contractors the 24th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied.
States With Licenses
| Burden Rank | State | States Licensed | Fees | Estimated Calendar Days Lost | Education | Experience | Exams | Minimum Grade | Minimum Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arkansas | 26 | $180 | 1825 | 5 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2 | Nevada | 26 | $1,078 | 1460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 3 | Arizona | 26 | $956 | 1460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 4 | California | 26 | $579 | 1460 | 4 years | 3 | 0 | 18 | |
| 5 | Hawaii | 26 | $615 | 1460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 6 | Oregon | 26 | $385 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 7 | Florida | 26 | $364 | 1460 | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
| 8 | New Mexico | 26 | $318 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 9 | Virginia | 26 | $320 | 731 | 8 clock hours | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | Utah | 26 | $549 * | 733 * | 20 clock hours * | 2 years * | 2 * | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | South Carolina | 26 | $250 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 12 | Alabama | 26 | $492 | 67 | 3 jobs, contractors | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 13 | Mississippi | 26 | $520 | 67 | 3 jobs, contractors | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 14 | Louisiana | 26 | $460 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 15 | West Virginia | 26 | $174 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 16 | Rhode Island | 26 | $200 | 1 | 5 clock hours | 0 | 0 | 18 | |
| 17 | North Dakota | 26 | $125 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | ||
| 18 | D C | 26 | $655 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 19 | Tennessee | 26 | $305 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 20 | Connecticut | 26 | $500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 21 | North Carolina | 26 | $145 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 22 | Alaska | 26 | $300 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 23 | Washington | 26 | $113 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 24 | Iowa | 26 | $50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 25 | Idaho | 26 | $30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 26 | Nebraska | 26 | $0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
