Building licensis , permits , fee , and test?

Thread Starter

Mathematics!

Joined Jul 21, 2008
1,036
I am wondering in the trade world how licenses , permits , fee , inspection and test go? ( basically the difference)

Example:
I would imagine if a person just didn't go thru the testing but had a lot of electrical experiences/information and felt confident that he could wire a whole house ... etc and did it (that would technically not be going by the book) but if he after that had a professional inspector come in and the inspect said it was (as good or better then the professionals in terms of building code ) then it should fly. :)

So the test/licensing would be just for an initial to get your foot in the door to those trades correct? ( though I think it is a bad ideal to rule people that don't fall into this category and know it) But for selecting an apprentice maybe that is the most logical way :)

Also curious about

1) are the test for journeyman , masters electrician , or plumbing tests or other building tests. different then getting a permit or being licensees in a particular state ?
Like can anybody go in an take/pass the license exam to get your licenses to work on that particular trade... or do you first have to pass a journeyman or masters ...etc. Basically what is the difference in the license exam , and the journeyman , master exams? Also how does the permits fit in ( i.e who can pull a permit or what does it take to get a permit is this a written test or just a fee you pay? )

Obviously for the journeyman , or masters there is a certain amount of experience involved as well as just passing a test but what about the license exam...

2) Note I am not restricting to electricians and I am not restricting to residential/home building tests also want to know it for the commercial or industrial based building tests.

So I am hopeing there is a few people that are in the commercial or industrial building trades that could tell me more about what test they had to take or how it works in the non-residential building sector for there specific trade i.e electrical , plumbing , carpentry , metalwork/masonry , contractor/building manager/architect/project manager/regional planner.

I have to say I have seen the practice exams for the journeyman and master exam but don't know how different it would be for the licensing exam would it be hard or easier. ( journeyman exam was way easier then the master one though from what I read on the practice exam)

Thanks
 
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PackratKing

Joined Jul 13, 2008
847
I could be all wet, .. I think to take anything in a union test above trade apprentice, you have to be in the union, and complete their apprenticeship before you can go for journeyman...or master for that matter.

Insofar as individual non-union STATE, [ such as civil service] licensing, I believe anyone that can prove proficiency at the given trade, can be licensed. I could be wrong on that point as well, but I could pass any trade licensing exam thrown at me with no trouble at all...

Unions are very selective of who gets in... Screw 'em ...:D
 
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WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,978
Why are you asking something like this in an electronics forum? Go ask the people that know the answer. If you want to know about union certification, call the union and ask. If you want to know about state licensing procedures, call the state licensing board in the state you have questions about. Ask them what, if any, difference there is between the different terms.
 

tcmtech

Joined Nov 4, 2013
2,867
Why are you asking something like this in an electronics forum? Go ask the people that know the answer.
Seems like perfectly valid question to me. Many people who work with electronics as hobby have regular jobs and work experience with other aspects of electrical including general wiring and system design and installation.

I would imagine if a person just didn't go thru the testing but had a lot of electrical experiences/information and felt confident that he could wire a whole house ... etc and did it (that would technically not be going by the book) but if he after that had a professional inspector come in and the inspect said it was (as good or better then the professionals in terms of building code ) then it should fly.
Yes that is legal on most places and done a lot. That's how I get around the licensing issue when I do custom wiring work for other people. ;)
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,978
Seems like perfectly valid question to me. Many people who work with electronics as hobby have regular jobs and work experience with other aspects of electrical including general wiring and system design and installation.
Notice that he's not asking just about other aspects of electrical. He's asking about trades in general (and specifically mentions plumbing).

The answers vary greatly from trade to trade and state to state. Most of the answers can be had for a particular state by going to that state's licensing board's website and spending a few minutes reading the FAQ. At that point you have the answers directly from the entity that counts -- namely the entity that is going to enforce the laws if you run afoul of them.
 

Georacer

Joined Nov 25, 2009
5,182
This is the Offtopic section so everything but the restricted topics are game.

Of course, if you don't know, don't want or don't care to answer no-one forces anyone to do so.
The same holds even for reading the thread.
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,978
I'm not saying that it's not a legal topic. I'm making a suggestion to the OP that a better way to get solid information about what he is asking is to contact the people that know the answers.
 

tcmtech

Joined Nov 4, 2013
2,867
I'm making a suggestion to the OP that a better way to get solid information about what he is asking is to contact the people that know the answers.
Well then he certainly would not benefit from talking to the contractors around here!

If asked around here the only reply is "Who wants to know?" and if you do not represent someone they have to answer to (Customer does not count either) you will not get an answer.

Believe me over the years I have tried. :mad:
 

inwo

Joined Nov 7, 2013
2,419
In Minnesota, electrical tests require minimal experience working under for licensed contractor.

Can be in another state.

Took my A master and A master inspector tests in neighboring Wi. last year.
My only experience was Mn.

The sad thing is the requirement of continued education. It's just a scam to put money in the pockets of inspection dept., higher ups, who run the schools.

I haven't really needed a license for 20 years, but keep paying for the classes and renewals.

Now that I'm retiring, I'll let them expire, to save a few hundred dollars a year. :(

Totally agree with needing some hands on experience.
Wired my own house after not being in the business for many years and had to ask friends for advice to get started.
 

Thread Starter

Mathematics!

Joined Jul 21, 2008
1,036
Notice that he's not asking just about other aspects of electrical. He's asking about trades in general (and specifically mentions plumbing).

The answers vary greatly from trade to trade and state to state. Most of the answers can be had for a particular state by going to that state's licensing board's website and spending a few minutes reading the FAQ. At that point you have the answers directly from the entity that counts -- namely the entity that is going to enforce the laws if you run afoul of them
Well I was kind of wondering if there was a general procedure / testing methodology used in all states or is it just totally different and one has to check each individual state... i.e was wondering if one could pass all the exams for a particular state like MA would he pretty much be able to pass any states exam with minimal effort. (logically I would say yes but never looked at the differences between the tests from state to state in difficulty but I have heard MA is one of the hardest states to get licensed in)

Also for the non-residential building exams i.e the commercial/industrial exams are they much more difficult then the residential trades exam. Or I am not even sure if there is a difference in the licensing procedure for homes as opposed to industrial like if one was a master electrician how hard or how much difficulty in transitioning from a residential building to industrial building interms of exams go. Or is it once you obtain a master electricians license you could pretty much have some confidents that you will do well in any aspect of electrical field weather it is industry or residential that you want to pursue ... ( what I am getting at is is there a master electrician test for each sector like residential , commercial , or industrial... or is it once you get a master electrician exam you have the knowledge to do work in any of the 3. i.e there is not separate exams for the different 3 building sectors) ???

And yes the better thing would be to go to the website or licensing board direct but that would only tell me one state at a time... and I didn't really want to waste time analyzing each state when I can talk to the world here :)
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,619
One thing I noticed when I came to Canada, was a lack of quality apprenticeship schemes maybe the US is the same?
Europe has traditionally had a set curriculum in the past for apprenticeship trade training.
Max.
 

loosewire

Joined Apr 25, 2008
1,686
Non compete contracts are popular with large contractors ,they don't have to

worry about anything. They work mostly on self insured projects ,where

they can take there time and have many jobs going at once. They never

run out of work. Most cities have there chosen few ,very large contractors

that control the sub-contractor market.
 
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WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,978
Well then he certainly would not benefit from talking to the contractors around here!

If asked around here the only reply is "Who wants to know?" and if you do not represent someone they have to answer to (Customer does not count either) you will not get an answer.

Believe me over the years I have tried. :mad:
My experience has been the opposite. Very seldom have I gotten a cold shoulder and when it has happened I've usually gotten the impression it was because they were wondering if I was trying to figure out a way to compete with them or undercut them.

I've had long, interesting conversations with both the managers and the on-site workers in almost every job I've had done, be it getting a few hours electrical work done by an independent contractor or getting a new roof put on, siding and windows installed, concrete poured, the house inspected, you name it. I remember talking to a guy that ran a small company that did concrete work when I was trying to get two patios installed in the house I was getting ready for sale. I had asked for prices for each separately and a price for doing them both together. The numbers seemed a bit odd and when I asked him he explained the main issues that drove the differences such as having to wheelbarrow the concrete around to the back as opposed to being able to set up a chute directly to the forms in front. We got to talking and he also explained how they used to call around the various concrete companies to see if they had extra concrete at the end of the day that could be bought for a cheap price but now they worked almost exclusively with one company because the volume of work they did in that particular area turned out to be a good match such that the concrete company was willing to give them their extra concrete from their trucks in that area when available in exchange for this guy using them for nearly all of their larger jobs.
 

tcmtech

Joined Nov 4, 2013
2,867
My experience has been the opposite. Very seldom have I gotten a cold shoulder and when it has happened I've usually gotten the impression it was because they were wondering if I was trying to figure out a way to compete with them or undercut them.

Depends on who you are talking to around here as well. The electrical and HVAC contractors are by far the worst around here and most known for over priced sloppy work.

The other trades people are for the most part way nicer to talk with! :)
 

shortbus

Joined Sep 30, 2009
10,045
And yes the better thing would be to go to the website or licensing board direct but that would only tell me one state at a time... and I didn't really want to waste time analyzing each state when I can talk to the world here :)
So what your saying is -
1. You just want anecdotal information, rather than the real information?
2. Your willing to waste our time, rather than your own.
3. Your bored and lonely and just wanted something to do.
4. Like all your other questions, similar to this one, your never going to actually do anything to further your life with the information you get.
 

loosewire

Joined Apr 25, 2008
1,686
Undercover Boss ,hedge fund money will buy a large contracting firm and start taking

the country with management working under the contractors license. The next thing

you know they are in many state's and cities. The money they give away is given by

sponsors. Watch the money race to the top 1% ,what do you think.
 

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
And yes the better thing would be to go to the website or licensing board direct but that would only tell me one state at a time... and I didn't really want to waste time analyzing each state when I can talk to the world here :)
Nobody in their right mind would know all the procedures for licensing each trade in all 50 states. YOU are not going to get 350 licenses. In fact, I expect you will never get 2 licenses, and I'd bet money that you will never get 3 licenses. That doesn't mean the lovable and generous people here should write several books to answer your question, and that is what it would take to answer you properly. You are asking nice people to waste weeks of their time researching something you are never going to do anything about, and I think that is very selfish of you.
 
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