Non-HVAC sheet metal contractors contract with clients to fabricate, assemble, install and repair sheet metal products and equipment, such as kitchen equipment, drainpipes, gutters, cornices and flashings. Work may involve any of the following: setting up and operating fabricating machines to cut, bend and straighten sheet metal; shaping metal over anvils, blocks or forms using a hammer; operating soldering and welding equipment to join sheet metal parts; and inspecting, assembling and smoothing seams and joints of burred surfaces.1
Typically, only contractors require licenses, not sheet metal workers 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-one states license non-HVAC sheet metal contractors working on residential properties. On average, states require nearly a year (356 days) of education and experience, $302 in fees, and about one exam. All in all, 17 states require at least one exam (California requires three). These requirements rank as the 43rd most burdensome.
Burden Rank | State | States Licensed | Fees | Estimated Calendar Days Lost | Education | Experience | Exams | Minimum Grade | Minimum Age |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Nevada | 31 | $1,078 | 1460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
2 | California | 31 | $579 | 1460 | 4 years | 3 | 0 | 18 | |
3 | Hawaii | 31 | $615 | 1460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
4 | Florida | 31 | $364 | 1460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
5 | Massachusetts | 31 | $370 | 1095 | 3 years | 1 | 12 | 17 | |
6 | Arizona | 31 | $906 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
7 | Maryland | 31 | $433 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
8 | Virginia | 31 | $320 | 731 | 8 clock hours | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
9 | New Mexico | 31 | $249 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
10 | Utah | 31 | $354 * | 733 * | 20 clock hours * | 2 years * | 2 * | 0 | 0 |
11 | South Carolina | 31 | $50 | 365 | 1 years | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
12 | Mississippi | 31 | $290 | 67 | 3 jobs, contractors | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
13 | Michigan | 31 | $286 | 14 | 60 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
14 | Oregon | 31 | $385 | 3 | 16 clock hours | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
15 | Louisiana | 31 | $460 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
16 | Rhode Island | 31 | $200 | 1 | 5 clock hours | 0 | 0 | 18 | |
17 | North Dakota | 31 | $125 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | ||
18 | Tennessee | 31 | $305 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
19 | D C | 31 | $442 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
20 | North Carolina | 31 | $145 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
21 | West Virginia | 31 | $132 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
22 | Alabama | 31 | $350 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
23 | Alaska | 31 | $300 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
24 | Connecticut | 31 | $220 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
25 | Washington | 31 | $113 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
26 | New Jersey | 31 | $110 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
27 | Arkansas | 31 | $50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
27 | Iowa | 31 | $50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
27 | Pennsylvania | 31 | $50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
30 | Idaho | 31 | $30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
31 | Nebraska | 31 | $0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |