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.
Barber
License required in 51 states
34th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
5th most heavily regulated occupation among moderate-income occupations
What They Do
Barbers or stylists provide barbering services, such as cutting, trimming, shampooing and styling hair, trimming beards, or giving shaves.Licensing
All 50 states and D.C. require a license to work as a barber. On average, these laws require $154 in fees, over a year (368 days) of education and experience, and about two exams—the 34th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. And because barbers are licensed so widely, the occupation ranks as the fifth most widely and onerously licensed.
License requirements vary widely across states. Nevada is the most burdensome state, requiring four exams, $165 in fees, and nearly 900 days of education and experience (1,500 hours of barber school and an 18-month apprenticeship). At the other end of the spectrum, New York requires three exams, $70 in fees and about 54 days of education (231 hours of coursework).
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 | Nevada | 51 | $165 | 896 | 1500 clock hours | 18 months | 4 | 10 | 18 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 51 | $164 | 779 | 1000 clock hours | 18 months | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | North Dakota | 51 | $250 | 727 | 1550 clock hours | 1 years | 2 | 12 | 18 |
| 4 | South Dakota | 51 | $300 | 715 | 1500 clock hours | 1 years | 3 | 10 | 17 |
| 5 | North Carolina | 51 | $270 | 722 | 1528 clock hours | 1 years | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Minnesota | 51 | $182 | 613 | 1500 clock hours | 1500 clock hours | 4 | 10 | 0 |
| 7 | Kentucky | 51 | $400 | 532 | 1500 clock hours | 6 months | 2 | 12 | 18 |
| 8 | Nebraska | 51 | $200 | 490 | 2100 clock hours | Lots | 2 | 12 | 17 |
| 9 | Iowa | 51 | $135 | 490 | 2100 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 16 | |
| 10 | Ohio | 51 | $120 | 420 | 1800 clock hours | 2 | 8 | 18 | |
| 11 | Michigan | 51 | $30 | 420 | 1800 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 17 | |
| 12 | Kansas | 51 | $180 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 3 | 12 | 16 | |
| 13 | Louisiana | 51 | $72 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 3 | 12 | 18 | |
| 14 | D C | 51 | $230 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 18 | |
| 15 | Tennessee | 51 | $215 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 17 | |
| 16 | Delaware | 51 | $218 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 16 | |
| 17 | Arkansas | 51 | $115 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 3 | 8 | 17 | |
| 18 | Alaska | 51 | $315 | 385 | 1650 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 19 | Montana | 51 | $80 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 2 | 12 | 18 | |
| 20 | Rhode Island | 51 | $75 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 2 | 12 | 18 | |
| 21 | South Carolina | 51 | $175 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 2 | 9 | 17 | |
| 22 | Arizona | 51 | $140 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 16 | |
| 23 | California | 51 | $125 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 17 | |
| 24 | Illinois | 51 | $157 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 1 | 12 | 16 | |
| 25 | Maine | 51 | $41 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 17 | |
| 26 | Oklahoma | 51 | $60 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 2 | 8 | 16 | |
| 27 | Georgia | 51 | $30 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 2 | 7 | 16 | |
| 28 | Mississippi | 51 | $85 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 2 | 12 | 0 | |
| 29 | Colorado | 51 | $155 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 16 | |
| 30 | Indiana | 51 | $84 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 31 | Texas | 51 | $55 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 16 | |
| 32 | Virginia | 51 | $275 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 33 | Hawaii | 51 | $45 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 1 | 0 | 17 | |
| 34 | New Mexico | 51 | $160 | 280 | 1200 clock hours | 3 | 10 | 17 | |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | 51 | $150 | 292 | 1250 clock hours | 2 | 8 | 16 | |
| 36 | West Virginia | 51 | $134 | 280 | 1200 clock hours | 2 | 12 | 18 | |
| 37 | Oregon | 51 | $100 | 315 | 1500 Hours | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| 38 | Florida | 51 | $428 | 280 | 1200 clock hours | 1 | 0 | 16 | |
| 39 | Vermont | 51 | $110 | 233 | 1000 clock hours | 3 | 12 | 18 | |
| 40 | Alabama | 51 | $235 | 233 | 1000 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 16 | |
| 41 | Wyoming | 51 | $185 | 233 | 1000 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 17 | |
| 42 | Wisconsin | 51 | $391 | 233 | 1000 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 43 | Maryland | 51 | $50 | 280 | 1200 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 44 | Idaho | 51 | $100 | 210 | 900 clock hours | 3 | 10 | 17 | |
| 45 | New Jersey | 51 | $80 | 210 | 900 clock hours | 2 | 12 | 17 | |
| 46 | Missouri | 51 | $45 | 233 | 1000 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 17 | |
| 47 | Washington | 51 | $25 | 233 | 1000 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 17 | |
| 48 | Utah | 51 | $234 | 233 | 1000 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 49 | Connecticut | 51 | $100 | 233 | 1000 clock hours | 1 | 8 | 0 | |
| 50 | New Hampshire | 51 | $129 | 187 | 800 clock hours | 2 | 12 | 16 | |
| 51 | New York | 51 | $70 | 54 | 3 clock hours and 218 clock hours | 3 | 0 | 17 |