Licensing

• Most states require a boiler operator's license, as do many cities, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook on the University of Missouri St. Louis website. States that require such a license include Minnesota, Montana, Ohio, Maine and Arkansas. Some states require that boiler operators apply through the state Department of Labor, while others offer licensure through their departments of professional licensing. Often, there is a website that provides information regarding specific licensing requirements.
  
  

Requirements

• State licensure requirements vary greatly from one state to another. Some general requirements apply over a number of states. Applicants must often be 18 years of age, live in the state or city they plan to work in for a specified period of time, have verifiable experience, and pass a written test. When a boiler operator moves from one state or municipality to another, he might have to pass licensure again, as not all places have the same requirements or reciprocal agreements.
  
  

License Classes

• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that there are four or five different classes of boiler operator's licenses, depending on where an operator works. The various classes define what kind of boiler an operator may operate without supervision and how big the boiler may be. The highest license allows a boiler operator to run a complex facility, run all manner of boilers on the market, and supervise other boiler operators. Operators with lower licenses have restrictions regarding what type of boilers they may operate.
  
  

Qualifications and Advancement

• To even begin training as a boiler operator, it is advisable to have a background in mathematics, drafting and machining. Manual dexterity and good physical condition are other requirements, due to the nature of the work performed. Advancement in the trade is a function of meeting the requirements for more advanced licenses. Experienced boiler operators might go on to become boiler inspectors, building managers, chief engineers and building superintendents, though these positions require licenses of their own in some cases.