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Auctioneer Occupational Licensing

License required in 28 states

71st most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations

Average Fee for License:$286

What They Do

Auctioneers appraise and estimate the value of items, such as paintings, antiques, jewelry, cameras, musical instruments, machinery and fixtures for loan, insurance or sale purposes and may sell merchandise at auction.[c]Adapted from http://www.occupationalinfo.org/onet/49999a.html[/c]

Auctioneer Licensing Overview

Twenty-eight states (more than half of states) require a licence to work as an Auctioneer. On average, these laws require $286 in fees, 68 days of education and about 1 exam. Auctioneer Licenses have the 71st most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied.

Where is an Auctioneer the most regulated?

Out of the 28 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Auctioneer has the highest burden in Kentucky. Kentucky requires $560 in fees, 2 exams, 1 year experience, and 92 clock hours education.

Where is an Auctioneer the least regulated?

Out of the 28 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Auctioneer has the lowest burden in Missouri. Missouri requires $52 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.

Where is an Auctioneer license the most expensive?

An occupational license for a Auctioneer costs the most in Tennessee. Tennessee requires $800 in fees, 2 exams, 6 months experience, and 50 clock hours education.

Where is an Auctioneer license the least expensive?

An occupational license for a Auctioneer costs the least in Minnesota. Minnesota requires $20 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.

Where does it take the longest to obtain an Auctioneer license?

An occupational license for a Auctioneer takes the longest to obtain in Kentucky. It takes 386 days (1 years and 21 days). Kentucky requires $560 in fees, 2 exams, 1 year experience, and 92 clock hours education.

Where is it fastest to obtain an Auctioneer license?

An occupational license for a Auctioneer takes the least time to obtain in Illinois, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Wisconsin, Maine, Minnesota, Washington, Hawaii, Missouri (0 days).

What states require exams for an Auctioneer license?

To obtain an occupational license for an Auctioneer there is at least one exam required in: Kentucky, Alabama, Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, Mississippi, Florida, South Carolina, Illinois, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Indiana, Virginia, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Maine. Alabama, Ohio, West Virginia require 3 exams.

Thirty states require a license to work as an auctioneer. On average, these laws cost aspiring auctioneers $278 in fees and 94 days in education and experience and require them to pass an exam—the 68th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. However, because auctioneers are licensed by more than half of states, the occupation ranks as the 47th most widely and onerously licensed.

License requirements vary widely across states. Tennessee has the most burdensome requirements at about 756 days lost to education and experience (two years of experience as an apprentice and 110 hours of auction education), two exams, and $750 in fees. At the other end of the spectrum, Missouri requires only payment of a $52 fee. Fourteen states require education (between about seven and 140 days) and no experience, while 11 states require no education or experience at all.

States Ranked by Average Licensing Burden for 102 Lower-Income Occupations

More Burdensome Less Burdensome
Based on data released in November 2022

State Licensing Requirements

Select a chart to view:
Burden Rank State Occupations Licensed Fees Estimated Calendar Days Lost Education Experience Exams Minimum Grade Minimum Age
1 Kentucky 38 $560 386 92 clock hours 1 years 2 12 18
2 Alabama 63 $540 385 85 clock hours 1 years 3 0 19
3 Ohio 40 $240 379 10 days 1 years 3 0 18
4 Tennessee 69 $800 193 50 clock hours 6 months 2 12 18
5 West Virginia 67 $250 202 87.5 clock hours 6 months 3 0 18
6 Pennsylvania 50 $277 140 20 credit hours None 1 0 0
7 Georgia 41 $420 19 80 clock hours None 1 12 18
8 North Carolina 66 $338 19 80 clock hours None 1 12 18
9 Texas 38 $152 19 80 clock hours None 1 12 18
10 Mississippi 65 $300 11 7.5 days None 1 12 18
11 Florida 55 $445 19 80 clock hours None 1 0 18
12 South Carolina 60 $435 19 80 clock hours None 1 0 18
13 Illinois 41 $271 0 None None 1 12 18
14 Louisiana 77 $300 19 80 clock hours None 1 0 18
15 New Hampshire 37 $275 19 80 clock hours None 1 0 18
16 Massachusetts 50 $100 19 83 clock hours None 1 0 18
17 Indiana 37 $105 19 80 clock hours None 1 0 18
18 Virginia 72 $65 19 80 clock hours None 1 0 18
19 Arkansas 72 $334 0 None None 2 0 18
20 District of Columbia 61 $740 0 None None 0 0 18
21 North Dakota 65 $50 14 60 clock hours None 0 0 18
22 Wisconsin 42 $173 0 None None 1 0 18
23 Maine 46 $421 0 None None 1 0 0
24 Minnesota 35 $20 0 None None 0 0 18
25 Vermont 31 $100 9 40 clock hours None 0 0 0
26 Washington 76 $155 0 None None 0 0 0
27 Hawaii 64 $100 0 None None 0 0 0
28 Missouri 33 $52 0 None None 0 0 0

License to Work

The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.

View Report