License to Work: A National Study of Burdens from Occupational Licensing
Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential)
Highlights
License required in 9 states53rd most burdensome licensing requirements
72nd most heavily regulated occupation
(Last updated April 24, 2012)
Definition
Drywall installer or hanger contractors contract with clients to apply plasterboard or other wallboard to ceilings or interior walls of buildings and apply or mount acoustical tiles or blocks, strips or sheets of shock-absorbing materials to ceilings and walls of buildings to reduce or reflect sound. The materials may be of decorative quality and include lathers that fasten wooden, metal or rockboard lath to walls, ceilings or partitions of buildings to provide support base for plaster, fireproofing or acoustical material.Typically, only contractors require licenses, not drywall installers who work for them. Licensing requirements differ based on the scope of the work. Those with a residential license may work only on residential properties, while those with a commercial license may work on commercial properties. In some states, work on commercial properties requires a general contractor's license that is not specific to drywall installing; the requirements are generally the same as a commercial license, and they are treated the same here.
Summary
Nine states license residential drywall installer contractors, and most of these states demand only fees or other minimal requirements. Threestates impose substantial experience requirements, however: two years in Arkansas and Maryland and one year in South Carolina. Five
states require exams.
(Last updated April 30, 2012)
State Licensing Requirements
| Burden Rank | State | Fees | Education/Experience (Days) | Exams | Minimum Grade | Minimum Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arkansas | $833 | 730 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Maryland | $379 | 730 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | South Carolina | $50 | 365 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Oregon | $345 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 5 | Louisiana | $340 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Mississippi | $200 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $90 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | $50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
(Last updated April 24, 2012)
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