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.
Earth Driller, Water Well
License required in 51 states
13th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
3rd most heavily regulated occupation among moderate-income occupations
What They Do
Earth drillers operate a variety of drills, such as rotary, churn and pneumatic, to tap sub-surface water for the creation of water wells. This report looks at what is required to run one’s own business as an earth driller only.Licensing
All 50 states and D.C. require water well earth drillers to obtain licenses. On average, these laws require $356 in fees, over two years (837 days) of education and experience, and about two exams—the 13th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied here. And because water well earth drillers are also licensed everywhere, the occupation is the third most widely and onerously licensed.
License requirements vary widely across states. While 41 states require education or experience, the time required ranges from one to over six years. The number of required exams also varies widely, from zero in four states to five in Utah. Fees follow a similar pattern: Arizona and Nevada require over $1,000, but Illinois, Michigan and Nebraska require $50 or less.
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 | $1,178 | 2190 | 6 years | 3 | 0 | 18 | |
| 2 | Maryland | 51 | $750 | 2190 | 6 years | 3 | 0 | 18 | |
| 3 | Virginia | 51 | $460 | 2203 | 56 clock hours | 6 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 4 | Arkansas | 51 | $750 | 1825 | 5 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 5 | Connecticut | 51 | $371 | 1825 | 5 years | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | South Dakota | 51 | $200 | 1825 | 5 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | West Virginia | 51 | $565 | 1460 | 4 years | 4 | 0 | 18 | |
| 8 | California | 51 | $579 | 1460 | 4 years | 3 | 0 | 18 | |
| 9 | Hawaii | 51 | $615 | 1460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 10 | Minnesota | 51 | $325 | 1460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | Maine | 51 | $268 | 1460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 12 | New Jersey | 51 | $350 | 1095 | 3 years | 1 | 12 | 0 | |
| 13 | Arizona | 51 | $1,031 | 1095 | 3 years | 3 | 0 | 18 | |
| 14 | Mississippi | 51 | $620 | 1095 | 3 years | 4 | 0 | 21 | |
| 15 | Washington | 51 | $188 | 1265 | 32 Continuing Education Units | 5400 clock hours | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Vermont | 51 | $290 | 1095 | 3 years | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| 17 | Massachusetts | 51 | $275 | 1095 | 3 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 18 | New Hampshire | 51 | $185 | 1095 | 3 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 19 | Tennessee | 51 | $557 | 730 | 2 years | 3 | 10 | 18 | |
| 20 | Michigan | 51 | $40 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 12 | 18 | |
| 21 | Utah | 51 | $350 | 730 | 2 years | 5 | 0 | 21 | |
| 22 | South Carolina | 51 | $417 | 730 | 2 years | 3 | 0 | 18 | |
| 23 | Colorado | 51 | $230 | 730 | 2 years | 3 | 0 | 21 | |
| 24 | Georgia | 51 | $725 | 730 | 2 years | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| 25 | Louisiana | 51 | $470 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 26 | New Mexico | 51 | $200 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 20 | |
| 27 | Kentucky | 51 | $315 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
| 28 | Missouri | 51 | $90 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 29 | Iowa | 51 | $450 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 30 | Delaware | 51 | $180 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
| 31 | Florida | 51 | $150 | 732 | 12 clock hours | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | 51 | $100 | 731 | 6 clock hours | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 20 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | 51 | $550 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 34 | Illinois | 51 | $50 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
| 35 | Alabama | 51 | $275 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 36 | Texas | 51 | $267 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 37 | Idaho | 51 | $260 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 38 | North Carolina | 51 | $250 | 546 | 18 months | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
| 39 | Oregon | 51 | $170 | 365 | 1 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
| 40 | Montana | 51 | $375 | 365 | 1 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 41 | North Dakota | 51 | $300 | 365 | 1 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 42 | Wyoming | 51 | $440 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 18 | ||
| 43 | Nebraska | 51 | $38 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 19 | ||
| 44 | Indiana | 51 | $125 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | ||
| 45 | D C | 51 | $655 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 46 | New York | 51 | $150 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 47 | Rhode Island | 51 | $200 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 48 | Kansas | 51 | $135 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 49 | Alaska | 51 | $300 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 50 | Ohio | 51 | $250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 51 | Pennsylvania | 51 | $88 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |