New Jersey

New Jersey Licensing Overview

New Jersey licenses 54 out of 102 lower-income occupations (more than half of the occupations included in the study) . The state’s licensing laws are more burdensome than most other states. The state's licensing laws rank 14th in the nation. New Jersey licensed occupations includes occupations that are rarely licensed elsewhere. Few other states license Animal Control Officer (7 other).

On average, New Jersey requires $279 in licensing fees, 422 days of education and about 1 exam. Fees for a license exceed $1000 for Midwife, Direct Entry.

Which occupation in a New Jersey is the most regulated?

Out of the 54 occupations that require an occupational license in New Jersey, a license for Preschool Teacher, Public School has the highest burden. A Preschool Teacher, Public School license requires $752 in fees, 3 exams, 2 years experience, and 4 years of education.

Which occupation in a New Jersey is the least regulated?

Out of the 54 occupations that require an occupational license in New Jersey, a license for Animal Breeder has the lowest burden. A Animal Breeder license requires $18 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no of education.

Which occupational license in New Jersey is the most expensive?

An occupational license in New Jersey costs the most for Midwife, Direct Entry. A Midwife, Direct Entry license requires $1610 in fees, 1 exams, no experience, and 2 years of education.

Which occupational license in New Jersey is the least expensive?

An occupational license for in New Jersey costs the least for Animal Control Officer, Milk Sampler where the license costs $0.

Which occupational license in New Jersey takes the most time to obtain?

In New Jersey, an occupational license takes the most time (due to required education/experience) for Coach, Head (High School Sports). It takes 2192 days (6 years and 2 days) total. A Coach, Head (High School Sports) license requires $712 in fees, 3 exams, 2 years experience, and 4 years & 14 clock hours of education.

Which occupational license in New Jersey takes the least time to obtain?

In New Jersey, an occupational license takes the least time due to required education/experience (0 days) for Pharmacy Technician, Truck Driver, Other, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Gaming Supervisor, Slot Supervisor, Taxi Driver/Chauffeur, Milk Sampler, Landscape Contractor (Residential), Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential), Cement Finishing Contractor (Residential), Door Repair Contractor (Residential), Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential), Floor Sander Contractor (Residential), Glazier Contractor (Residential), Insulation Contractor (Residential), Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential), Mason Contractor (Residential), Painting Contractor (Residential), Paving Contractor (Residential), Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential), Terrazzo Contractor (Residential), Fisher, Commercial, Gaming Cage Worker, Gaming Dealer, Landscape Contractor (Commercial), Animal Breeder.

In New Jersey, which occupational licenses require exams?

In New Jersey, to obtain an occupational license there is at least one exam required for: Preschool Teacher, Public School, Coach, Head (High School Sports), HVAC Contractor (Commercial), HVAC Contractor (Residential), Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial), Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential), Athletic Trainer, Security Alarm Installer, Earth Driller, Water Well, Locksmith, School Bus Driver, Bus Driver, City/Transit, Optician, Midwife, Direct Entry, Fire Alarm Installer, Cosmetologist, Barber, Shampooer, Crane Operator, Makeup Artist, Skin Care Specialist, Manicurist, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, Pest Control Applicator, Truck Driver, Other, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Emergency Medical Technician, Milk Sampler. Earth Driller, Water Well, School Bus Driver require 6 exams.

New Jersey licenses 54 of the 102 lower-income occupations studied here. Its laws rank as the 16th most burdensome and require, on average, $224 in fees, 422 days of education and experience, and around one exam. New Jersey ranks as the 28th most broadly and onerously licensed state.

New Jersey licenses several occupations rarely licensed elsewhere. For example, few other states license animal control officers (six), locksmiths (13), taxi drivers and chauffeurs (15), or crane operators (17). Among those, locksmiths and crane operators are particularly onerously licensed. Locksmiths face unusually high education and experience requirements—roughly 732 days, comprising two years of experience and 10 hours of education. By comparison, the average across licensed states is just 54 days lost to education and experience. And crane operators pay fees that are more than double the average across licensed states: $475 versus $225.

New Jersey also imposes burdens on some occupations that seem excessive compared to those for other occupations that may present greater risks to the public. For example, its education and experience requirements for barbers and cosmetologists are much higher than those for EMTs. Barbers must study for 900 hours (roughly 210 days) and cosmetologists for 1,200 hours (roughly 280 days), while EMTs need only 110 hours of education and 10 hours of experience (roughly 27 days total). New Jersey could improve job prospects for its lower-income residents by lifting or easing its heavy licensing burdens for barbers, cosmetologists and other occupations, or—if government regulation is necessary—by replacing them with less restrictive regulatory alternatives such as inspections or voluntary certification.

Burden Rank	Occupation	Number of States that License	Fees	Education/Experience (Days)	Education	Experience	Exams	Minimum Grade	Minimum Age
1	Preschool Teacher, Public School	50	752	2190	4 years	2 years	3	12	18
2	Coach, Head (High School Sports)	47	712	2192	4 years & 14 clock hours	2 years	3	12	18
3	HVAC Contractor (Commercial)	37	331	1825	None	5 years	2	0	21
3	HVAC Contractor (Residential)	35	331	1825	None	5 years	2	0	21
3	Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial)	37	331	1825	None	5 years	2	0	21
3	Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential)	36	331	1825	None	5 years	2	0	21
7	Athletic Trainer	49	530	1460	4 years	None	1	12	18
8	Security Alarm Installer	37	271	1460	None	4 years	1	12	18
9	Earth Driller, Water Well	51	725	1095	None	3 years	6	12	0
10	Locksmith	12	348	1095	None	3 years	1	12	18
11	School Bus Driver	51	171	1095	None	3 years	6	0	21
12	Bus Driver, City/Transit	51	169	1095	None	3 years	5	0	21
13	Optician	22	899	851	2 years	4 months	5	12	17
14	Midwife, Direct Entry	37	1610	730	2 years	None	1	0	18
15	Fire Alarm Installer	39	605	730	None	2 years	2	0	18
16	Cosmetologist	51	179	280	1200 clock hours	None	2	12	17
17	Barber	51	95	210	900 clock hours	None	2	12	17
18	Shampooer	33	90	210	900 clock hours	None	2	12	17
19	Crane Operator	16	540	233	None	1000 clock hours	2	0	18
20	Makeup Artist	37	179	140	600 clock hours	None	2	12	17
21	Skin Care Specialist	51	95	140	600 clock hours	None	2	12	17
22	Manicurist	51	140	70	300 clock hours	None	2	12	17
23	Vegetation Pesticide Applicator	51	690	29	4.5 clock hours	120 clock hours	4	0	18
24	Pharmacy Technician	44	85	0	None	None	0	12	18
25	Pest Control Applicator	51	460	10	4.5 clock hours	40 clock hours	2	0	18
26	Truck Driver, Other	51	167	0	None	None	4	0	18
26	Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer	51	167	0	None	None	4	0	18
28	Emergency Medical Technician	51	163	26	110 clock hours	None	2	0	18
29	Massage Therapist	45	195	117	500 clock hours	None	0	0	0
30	Security Guard, Unarmed	34	141	4	24 clock hours	None	0	0	18
31	Gaming Supervisor	31	750	0	None	None	0	0	0
31	Slot Supervisor	29	750	0	None	None	0	0	0
33	Taxi Driver/Chauffeur	13	53	0	None	None	0	0	21
34	Animal Control Officer	7	0	15	65 clock hours	None	0	0	18
35	Milk Sampler	43	0	0	None	None	2	0	0
36	Landscape Contractor (Residential)	48	185	0	None	None	0	0	0
37	Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential)	30	110	0	None	None	0	0	0
37	Cement Finishing Contractor (Residential)	30	110	0	None	None	0	0	0
37	Door Repair Contractor (Residential)	29	110	0	None	None	0	0	0
37	Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential)	30	110	0	None	None	0	0	0
37	Floor Sander Contractor (Residential)	27	110	0	None	None	0	0	0
37	Glazier Contractor (Residential)	30	110	0	None	None	0	0	0
37	Insulation Contractor (Residential)	30	110	0	None	None	0	0	0
37	Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential)	30	110	0	None	None	0	0	0
37	Mason Contractor (Residential)	31	110	0	None	None	0	0	0
37	Painting Contractor (Residential)	27	110	0	None	None	0	0	0
37	Paving Contractor (Residential)	28	110	0	None	None	0	0	0
37	Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential)	31	110	0	None	None	0	0	0
37	Terrazzo Contractor (Residential)	28	110	0	None	None	0	0	0
50	Fisher, Commercial	43	102	0	None	None	0	0	0
51	Gaming Cage Worker	30	95	0	None	None	0	0	0
51	Gaming Dealer	29	95	0	None	None	0	0	0
53	Landscape Contractor (Commercial)	47	75	0	None	None	0	0	0
54	Animal Breeder	29	18	0	None	None	0	0	0

New Jersey Occupational Licensing

54 out of 102 moderate-income occupations licensed

14th most burdensome licensing laws for moderate-income occupations

Average Fees for Licenses:$279