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.
Farm Labor Contractor
License required in 10 states
95th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
79th most heavily regulated occupation among moderate-income occupations
What They Do
Farm labor contractors recruit, hire, furnish and supervise seasonal or temporary agricultural laborers for a fee and may transport, house and provide meals for workers.Licensing
Ten states require a license to work as a farm labor contractor. On average, these laws cost farm labor contractors $173 in fees. Three states require exams, while every state requires a fee. These relatively low barriers give the farm labor contractor occupation the 95th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied here. The occupation is the 79th most widely and onerously licensed.
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 | Florida | 10 | $160 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | ||
| 2 | California | 10 | $843 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 3 | Oregon | 10 | $150 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 4 | Idaho | 10 | $250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 5 | New York | 10 | $103 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 6 | Wisconsin | 10 | $100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 7 | Nebraska | 10 | $40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 8 | Washington | 10 | $35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 9 | Maryland | 10 | $25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 9 | Pennsylvania | 10 | $25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |