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.
Bus Driver, City/Transit Occupational Licensing
License required in 51 states
60th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$123
What They Do
Bus drivers, also known as motor coach operators, drive a bus or motor coach on regular route operations, charters and private carriages. They may assist passengers with baggage and collect fares or tickets.
Bus Driver, City/Transit Licensing Overview
All 50 states and D.C. require a licence to work as a Bus Driver, City/Transit. On average, these laws require $123 in fees, 108 days of education and about 5 exam. Bus Driver, City/Transit Licenses have the 60th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied.
Where is a Bus Driver, City/Transit the most regulated?
Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Bus Driver, City/Transit has the highest burden in New Jersey. New Jersey requires $169 in fees, 5 exams, 3 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Bus Driver, City/Transit the least regulated?
Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Bus Driver, City/Transit has the lowest burden in New Mexico. New Mexico requires $18 in fees, 5 exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is a Bus Driver, City/Transit license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Bus Driver, City/Transit costs the most in Washington. Washington requires $335 in fees, 5 exams, no experience, and 94 clock hours education.
Where is a Bus Driver, City/Transit license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Bus Driver, City/Transit costs the least in New Mexico. New Mexico requires $18 in fees, 5 exams, no experience, and no education.
Where does it take the longest to obtain a Bus Driver, City/Transit license?
An occupational license for a Bus Driver, City/Transit takes the longest to obtain in New Jersey, Rhode Island.It takes 1095 days (3 years).
Where is it fastest to obtain a Bus Driver, City/Transit license?
An occupational license for a Bus Driver, City/Transit takes the least time to obtain in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, Wyoming (0 days).
What states require exams for a Bus Driver, City/Transit license?
To obtain an occupational license for a Bus Driver, City/Transit there is at least one exam required in: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming. Texas requires 6 exams.
All 50 states and D.C. require a license to work as a city or transit bus driver. On average, these laws require $106 in fees, 100 days of education and experience, and five exams. Altogether, these requirements are the 61st most burdensome of the 102 occupations studied. However, because bus drivers are licensed by all states and D.C., the occupation ranks as the eighth most widely and onerously licensed.
Each state requires five exams, fees ranging from $18 (New Mexico) to $335 (Washington), and a minimum age of between 16 and 21. Ten states require prior driving experience of one (Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Oregon and Utah), two (Rhode Island and West Virginia) or three years (New Jersey). Instead of driving experience, Washington requires completion of an eight-day (36-hour) training course. The other 40 states have no experience or training requirements.
States Ranked by Average Licensing Burden for 102 Lower-Income Occupations
More Burdensome Less Burdensome
Based on data released in November 2022| Burden Rank | State | Occupations Licensed | Fees | Estimated Calendar Days Lost | Education | Experience | Exams | Minimum Grade | Minimum Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Alaska | 64 | $160 | 365 | None | 1 years | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 18 | Alabama | 63 | $118 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 21 |
| 34 | Arkansas | 72 | $92 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | Arizona | 68 | $35 | 365 | None | 1 years | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 33 | California | 75 | $98 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 16 | Colorado | 34 | $311 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 14 | Connecticut | 65 | $219 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 21 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | 61 | $245 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 21 |
| 9 | Delaware | 42 | $53 | 365 | None | 1 years | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 38 | Florida | 55 | $82 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 32 | Georgia | 41 | $100 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 19 | Hawaii | 64 | $105 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 21 |
| 36 | Iowa | 71 | $86 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 5 | Idaho | 66 | $190 | 365 | None | 1 years | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 22 | Illinois | 41 | $55 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 21 |
| 4 | Indiana | 37 | $171 | 365 | None | 1 years | 5 | 0 | 21 |
| 42 | Kansas | 35 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 39 | Kentucky | 38 | $65 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 23 | Louisiana | 77 | $184 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 29 | Massachusetts | 50 | $150 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 30 | Maryland | 58 | $140 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 17 | Maine | 46 | $124 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 21 |
| 39 | Michigan | 48 | $65 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 44 | Minnesota | 35 | $49 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 36 | Missouri | 33 | $86 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 45 | Mississippi | 65 | $101 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 17 |
| 50 | Montana | 32 | $27 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 25 | North Carolina | 66 | $177 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 49 | North Dakota | 65 | $28 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 41 | Nebraska | 61 | $52 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 35 | New Hampshire | 37 | $90 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 1 | New Jersey | 54 | $169 | 1095 | None | 3 years | 5 | 0 | 21 |
| 51 | New Mexico | 66 | $18 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 15 | Nevada | 75 | $162 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 21 |
| 42 | New York | 41 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 27 | Ohio | 40 | $167 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | 42 | $123 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 6 | Oregon | 69 | $188 | 365 | None | 1 years | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 46 | Pennsylvania | 50 | $37 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | 70 | $158 | 1095 | None | 3 years | 5 | 0 | 21 |
| 47 | South Carolina | 60 | $34 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 26 | South Dakota | 32 | $171 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 21 | Tennessee | 69 | $71 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 21 |
| 11 | Texas | 38 | $133 | 0 | None | None | 6 | 0 | 18 |
| 8 | Utah | 64 | $139 | 365 | None | 1 years | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 48 | Virginia | 72 | $30 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 28 | Vermont | 31 | $153 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 12 | Washington | 76 | $335 | 22 | 94 clock hours | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 42 | $269 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | West Virginia | 67 | $169 | 730 | None | 2 years | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 24 | Wyoming | 26 | $180 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
License to Work
The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.
View Report