Trade licensing overview · glazier
How glazier licensing works — Hawaii
How this trade is regulated in Hawaii. none-in-pilot-states The framework below describes the national pathway most glaziers in Hawaii follow.
Glazing is not a state-licensed trade as a person-level credential in any Trades Navigator pilot state; California requires a C-17 Glazing Contractor license for the contracting business, not the worker. Most glaziers qualify through the IUPAT / Finishing Trades Institute four-year apprenticeship or through non-union DOL-registered programs, layered with OSHA fall-protection training and manufacturer or industry installation certifications.
Glazier wages in Hawaii · BLS OES A01 2024
Wages are state-level annual figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program (A01 2024). Specific glazier earnings in Hawaii vary by metro area, employer type, union membership, and years of experience. Verify the current state and metro figures on the BLS OES site (bls.gov/oes).
What this trade actually looks like in Hawaii
Glazier work in Hawaii is small-volume and concentrated on Oahu, with hospitality, military, and federal commercial construction driving storefront and curtain-wall scope. Salt-environment and trade-wind exposure shape framing, fastener, and sealant specs across the islands. Material freight from the mainland adds cost and lead time to almost every job. IUPAT density in Hawaii is moderate. Outer-island work runs in smaller crews with longer mobilization.
Where they work
Honolulu and the rest of Oahu (Waikiki hospitality, downtown, Pearl Harbor and Hickam, university, Ko Olina), Maui (Kaanapali and Wailea hospitality, Kahului commercial), Hawaii Island (Kona resort coast, Hilo), and Kauai (Lihue and resort) carry the scope. Federal and military construction at Pearl Harbor-Hickam and Schofield Barracks is steady.
Pay context
BLS OES national median for glaziers (47-2121) was $50,360 in May 2024. Hawaii statewide medians typically sit above the national figure on the all-worker line, partially offsetting one of the highest cost-of-living indices in the country, especially on housing. Pull the current Hawaii median from BLS OES 47-2121 by state. The Honolulu MSA table is the most representative for Oahu-based work. See https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_hi.htm.
Training pathway
Hawaii has registered IUPAT Glaziers apprenticeship intake through the Hawaii District Council and Local 1889; check directly for current cycles. The Hawaii Building and Construction Trades Council coordinates building-trades pre-apprenticeship pipelines. Honolulu Community College and other UH system community colleges run construction tech programs. Open-shop contractors operate alongside, particularly in residential and small-commercial.
Considerations
If you care about island life, federal and hospitality scope, and a union pathway through the Hawaii District Council, the state is a viable but small-volume market. If you care about housing affordability or large curtain-wall pipelines, Hawaii's cost structure and project mix will not match larger mainland metros. Salt-environment glazing experience picked up here is highly portable to other coastal markets.
Hawaii glazier snapshot
| MSA | Employed | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 260 | $92,110 |
STATE LICENSE STATUS
No pilot state (TX, CA, FL, NY, IL) issues a person-level glazier license. California requires a C-17 Glazing Contractor classification through the Contractors State License Board for any business contracting glazing work (https://www.cslb.ca.gov/About_Us/Library/Licensing_Classifications/C-17_-_Glazing.aspx), but employees of a licensed contractor are not individually licensed. Florida has no separate glazing specialty license under the Construction Industry Licensing Board (http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/construction-industry/); glazing falls under general or specialty contractor registration where dollar thresholds trigger it. Texas, New York, and Illinois have no statewide glazier credential, though local jurisdictions may require business registration or scaffold / hoisting permits. Architectural glazing authority typically travels with the contractor's license, OSHA credentials, and manufacturer certifications rather than a personal state card.
IUPAT / FTI APPRENTICESHIP
The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) represents glaziers as one of its core crafts alongside painters, drywall finishers, and sign and display workers (https://iupatglaziers.com/). Training runs through the Finishing Trades Institute (FTI) and its network of local FTI Training Centers (https://www.finishingtradesinstitute.org/), typically a four-year registered apprenticeship combining on-the-job hours with related classroom instruction. Curriculum covers architectural glazing, storefront systems, curtain wall, auto glass, and related subtracks depending on the local market. Registered IUPAT glazier apprenticeships appear in the DOL RAPIDS database and are searchable through the federal apprenticeship finder (https://www.apprenticeship.gov/apprenticeship-job-finder). The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists glaziers under SOC 47-2121 and documents apprenticeship as a primary entry route (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/glaziers.htm).
SAFETY
OSHA 10-hour and 30-hour Construction Outreach courses are the baseline safety credentials for glazing work (https://www.osha.gov/training/outreach/construction). Curtain-wall and high-rise glazing trigger OSHA fall-protection requirements under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M, which mandates protection for work at heights of six feet or more in construction (https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926SubpartM). Scaffold work is governed by 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L (https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926SubpartL). PPE for glass handling includes cut-resistant gloves and sleeves, eye protection, and, for large lites, vacuum lifts or suction-cup rigs rated to the panel weight. Silica exposure rules under 29 CFR 1926.1153 apply when cutting or grinding glazing substrates (https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.1153).
SPECIALTY CERTIFICATIONS
The Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA) publishes installation standards and training for fenestration products including windows, curtain walls, and storefront systems (https://safety.fgia.com/). AAMA (the Architectural Aluminum Manufacturers Association, now part of FGIA) certifications cover curtain-wall and architectural-aluminum systems (https://fgiaonline.org/). Auto glass replacement work is governed by the Auto Glass Safety Council's AGRSS standard (ANSI/AGRSS 002-2015) for retention-system integrity in crash scenarios, with Registered Member Company credentials issued by the Auto Glass Safety Council (https://www.agsc.org/). Manufacturer-specific certifications from firms such as Kawneer, YKK AP, and Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope are commonly required on commercial curtain-wall projects and are documented at the project-submittal level rather than through a government registry.
NON-UNION PATHWAY
Non-union glazing contractors employ a substantial share of residential and small-commercial glaziers, particularly in right-to-work states. Entry in this track is typically through direct hire as a helper with on-the-job training, supplemented by DOL-registered non-union apprenticeship programs listed in the RAPIDS apprenticeship finder (https://www.apprenticeship.gov/apprenticeship-job-finder). Some employers rely on in-house certification tied to specific curtain-wall or storefront systems, plus OSHA 10/30 cards and manufacturer training. BLS OOH notes that glaziers enter the field through apprenticeship, technical school, or on-the-job training, with median wage and employment figures reported at the national level (https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/glaziers.htm). Regardless of union status, federal OSHA fall-protection and silica rules apply equally on the jobsite.