TradePath
All trades Electrician HVAC Method

Florida Welder License: Requirements, Cost & Timeline

No state license is required for this trade in Florida. Here is what you actually need, and where the local rules still apply.

Last checked 2026-11-06•Sources: 2 official pages•Pay data: 2024
State fees
—
Time to finish
—
Median pay
$49,250
per year, statewide
State license
Not required
No state licensing board for welding (DBPR licenses contractors, not welders)

Do you need a license?

Florida does not license this trade at the state level. That does not mean no rules apply — counties and cities may require a local business licence or registration, and employers may require certifications that are not government-issued. If you plan to contract directly with the public, check the local requirements for the city or county you will work in.

Florida has no state welder license and no mandated apprenticeship hours. AWS/AWS D1.1, ASME and similar credentials are private certifications required by employers or clients. Contracting for structural welding requires a CILB Specialty Structure/Structural Steel category license or a local license.

Steps to get licensed

  1. No state license is required to work as a welder for an employer.
  2. Employers typically require private welding certifications such as AWS D1.1 (voluntary, not a state license).
  3. Structural welding on buildings must be performed by a licensed contractor and inspected under the Florida Building Code.
  4. Contracting directly for welding work may require a CILB Structural Steel or Specialty contractor license, or a local license.

What it costs

The figures below are what the state charges. Training is separate and quotes vary by provider — a community-college programme and a private trade school can differ by thousands for the same licence.

Fee amounts for Florida were not published in a form we could verify. Use the official page below for the current schedule.

Full cost breakdown for Florida →

What it pays in Florida

Median annual wage for Welder in Florida: $49,250 ($23.68/hour), across 15,120 jobs. That is the midpoint — half of people in this trade earn more, half less.

Pay detail for Florida, and how it compares →

Other states

StateState feesTimeMedian pay
California——$59,170
Texas——$53,410

Common questions

Do you need a license to be a Welder in Florida?

No state license is required.

How much does a Welder license cost in Florida?

The state does not publish a fee schedule we could verify.

How long does it take to get a Welder license in Florida?

The board does not publish a fixed hour requirement.

What does a Welder make in Florida?

The median is $49,250 a year ($23.68 an hour) statewide, per BLS OEWS May 2024.

Sources