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 Occupational Licensing
License required in 51 states
12th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$362
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.
Earth Driller, Water Well Licensing Overview
All 50 states and D.C. require a licence to work as an Earth Driller, Water Well. On average, these laws require $362 in fees, 811 days of education and about 2 exam. Earth Driller, Water Well Licenses have the 12th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Fees for a license exceed $1000 in Nevada.
Where is an Earth Driller, Water Well the most regulated?
Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Earth Driller, Water Well has the highest burden in Nevada. Nevada requires $1140 in fees, 3 exams, 6 years experience, and no education.
Where is an Earth Driller, Water Well the least regulated?
Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Earth Driller, Water Well has the lowest burden in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania requires $88 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is an Earth Driller, Water Well license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Earth Driller, Water Well costs the most in Nevada. Nevada requires $1140 in fees, 3 exams, 6 years experience, and no education.
Where is an Earth Driller, Water Well license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Earth Driller, Water Well costs the least in Nebraska. Nebraska requires $0 in fees, 2 exams, no experience, and no education.
Where does it take the longest to obtain an Earth Driller, Water Well license?
An occupational license for a Earth Driller, Water Well takes the longest to obtain in Virginia. It takes 2203 days (6 years and 13 days). Virginia requires $460 in fees, 1 exams, 6 years experience, and 56 clock hours education.
Where is it fastest to obtain an Earth Driller, Water Well license?
An occupational license for a Earth Driller, Water Well takes the least time to obtain in Wyoming, Nebraska, Indiana, District of Columbia, Rhode Island, New York, Alaska, Kansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania (0 days).
What states require exams for an Earth Driller, Water Well license?
To obtain an occupational license for an Earth Driller, Water Well there is at least one exam required in: Nevada, Maryland, Virginia, Connecticut, South Dakota, West Virginia, California, Hawaii, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, Arizona, Mississippi, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Washington, Michigan, Utah, Arkansas, Kentucky, South Carolina, Louisiana, Colorado, New Mexico, Georgia, Missouri, Wisconsin, Delaware, Florida, Oklahoma, Illinois, Iowa, Alabama, Idaho, Texas, North Carolina, Oregon, Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Indiana, Rhode Island, New York, Kansas. New Jersey requires 6 exams.
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | 75 | $1,140 | 2190 | None | 6 years | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 2 | Maryland | 58 | $525 | 2190 | None | 6 years | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Virginia | 72 | $460 | 2203 | 56 clock hours | 6 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 4 | Connecticut | 65 | $433 | 1825 | None | 5 years | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | South Dakota | 32 | $200 | 1825 | None | 5 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | West Virginia | 67 | $567 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 7 | California | 75 | $579 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 8 | Hawaii | 64 | $694 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 9 | Maine | 46 | $268 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Minnesota | 35 | $325 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | New Jersey | 54 | $725 | 1095 | None | 3 years | 6 | 12 | 0 |
| 12 | Arizona | 68 | $871 | 1095 | None | 3 years | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 13 | Mississippi | 65 | $620 | 1095 | None | 3 years | 4 | 0 | 21 |
| 14 | Vermont | 31 | $315 | 1095 | None | 3 years | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | 50 | $325 | 1095 | None | 3 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | 37 | $185 | 1095 | None | 3 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Tennessee | 69 | $557 | 730 | None | 2 years | 3 | 10 | 18 |
| 18 | Washington | 76 | $268 | 983 | 20 continuing education units | 4200 clock hours | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Michigan | 48 | $40 | 730 | None | 2 years | 2 | 12 | 18 |
| 20 | Utah | 64 | $350 | 730 | None | 2 years | 5 | 0 | 21 |
| 21 | Arkansas | 72 | $750 | 730 | None | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 22 | Kentucky | 38 | $480 | 730 | None | 2 years | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 23 | South Carolina | 60 | $417 | 730 | None | 2 years | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 24 | Louisiana | 77 | $510 | 730 | None | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 25 | Colorado | 34 | $230 | 730 | None | 2 years | 3 | 0 | 21 |
| 26 | New Mexico | 66 | $200 | 730 | None | 2 years | 3 | 0 | 20 |
| 27 | Georgia | 41 | $525 | 730 | None | 2 years | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Missouri | 33 | $110 | 730 | None | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | 42 | $100 | 739 | 39 clock hours | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 20 |
| 30 | Delaware | 42 | $180 | 730 | None | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 31 | Florida | 55 | $150 | 732 | 12 clock hours | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | 42 | $550 | 730 | None | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Illinois | 41 | $50 | 730 | None | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 34 | Iowa | 71 | $225 | 730 | None | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Alabama | 63 | $275 | 730 | None | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Idaho | 66 | $275 | 730 | None | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | Texas | 38 | $267 | 730 | None | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | North Carolina | 66 | $250 | 546 | None | 18 months | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 39 | Oregon | 69 | $170 | 365 | None | 1 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 40 | Montana | 32 | $375 | 365 | None | 1 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 41 | North Dakota | 65 | $300 | 365 | None | 1 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | Wyoming | 26 | $450 | 0 | None | None | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 43 | Nebraska | 61 | $0 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 19 |
| 44 | Indiana | 37 | $125 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 45 | District of Columbia | 61 | $655 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 46 | Rhode Island | 70 | $380 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 47 | New York | 41 | $160 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 48 | Alaska | 64 | $350 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 49 | Kansas | 35 | $145 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 50 | Ohio | 40 | $250 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 51 | Pennsylvania | 50 | $88 | 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