Certifications and Licensing: What You Need by Trade

Updated September 26, 2025

Table of Contents
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Licensing rules vary by state, but most trades follow a similar pattern: classroom instruction + documented hours + exam(s). Use this guide to plan your path and avoid delays.

Electrician

  • Typical path: Apprentice → Journeyman → Master
  • Hours: 4,000–8,000 OJT + related instruction (state‑specific)
  • Exam: Journeyman and Master exams (NEC‑based)
  • Links: See By Career and your State

Plumbing

  • Typical path: Apprentice → Journeyman → Master
  • Hours: Often 4–5 years OJT + classroom
  • Exam: State/municipal codes, practical components in some areas
  • Links: Best Plumbing, By Career

HVAC/R

  • Certifications: EPA Section 608 (required for refrigerants)
  • Licensing: State/local contractor or mechanical licenses vary
  • Exams: Trade knowledge + local code; often requires documented hours
  • Links: By Career, Programs

Welding

  • Certifications: AWS performance tests (e.g., 3G, 4G); employer/site‑specific procedures
  • Licensing: Typically certification‑driven rather than state license
  • Prep: Extensive hands‑on practice; safety per OSHA

Automotive

  • Certifications: ASE (after on‑the‑job experience), emissions/licensing varies by state
  • School can prepare you for entry; certifications come with experience

Medical Assisting / Dental Assisting / PCT / Phlebotomy / EKG

  • Credentials: Vary by state (RMA, CMA, DANB, CPT, CET)
  • Clinical: Immunizations, background, drug screen required by sites
  • Confirm exact titles and eligibility with your state board before enrolling

How to Plan Your Exam Timeline

  1. Confirm your state’s required license(s) and hours
  2. Ask your program how it prepares you (content + practice exams)
  3. Schedule your first eligible exam as soon as requirements are met
  4. Keep a logbook of hours and competencies — see Portfolio and Logbook

Document Everything

  • Log hours by task category weekly and get signatures
  • Save certificates, safety cards, and transcripts
  • Keep a digital backup of all records (cloud folder)

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