102 Lower-income Occupations
For its 2017 report License to Work, the Institute for Justice documented the requirements to get a license for 102 lower-income occupations across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Read more about the research methods.
State Profiles
For its 2017 report License to Work, the Institute for Justice documented the requirements to get a license for 102 lower-income occupations across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Read more about the research methods.
Select A State
What is Occupational Licensing?
An “occupational license” is, put simply, government permission to work in a particular field. To earn the license, an aspiring worker must clear various hurdles, such as earning a certain amount of education or training or passing an exam. In the 1950s, only one in 20 U.S. workers needed the government’s permission to pursue their chosen occupation. Today, that figure stands at almost one in four.
Animal Control Officer
License required in 7 states
93rd most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
85th most heavily regulated occupation among moderate-income occupations
What They Do
Animal control officers handle animals in order to investigate mistreatment or to control abandoned, dangerous or unattended animals.Licensing
Seven states require a license to work as an animal control officer. On average, these laws require $26 in fees, 12 days of education and about one written exam—the 93rd most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Also, because animal control officers are not widely licensed, the occupation ranks as the 85th most widely and onerously licensed.
Fees range from $0 in four states to $75 in Texas. And although all seven states require education, the hours range from 12 in Texas to 100 in Michigan. Florida, Texas and Wisconsin also require passage of at least one exam.
License to Work
The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2017.
States Ranked by Average Licensing Burden for 102 Lower-Income Occupations
More Burdensome Less Burdensom
Based on data released in November 2017| Burden Rank | State | States Licensed | Fees | Estimated Calendar Days Lost | Education | Experience | Exams | Minimum Grade | Minimum Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | 7 | $0 | 23 | 100 clock hours | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2 | Virginia | 7 | $0 | 20 | 84 clock hours | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | New Jersey | 7 | $0 | 11 | 45 clock hours | 0 | 0 | 18 | |
| 4 | Maine | 7 | $50 | 11 | 45 clock hours | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | Wisconsin | 7 | $60 | 9 | 40 clock hours | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | Florida | 7 | $0 | 9 | 40 clock hours | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | Texas | 7 | $75 | 2 | 12 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 0 |