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Interior Designer Occupational Licensing

License required in 3 states

1st most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations

Average Fee for License:$1492

What They Do

Interior designers plan, design and furnish interiors of residential, commercial or industrial buildings. They formulate design that is practical, aesthetic and conducive to intended purposes, such as raising productivity, selling merchandise or improving life style.

Interior Designer Licensing Overview

Three states require a licence to work as an Interior Designer. On average, these laws require $1492 in fees, 2,190 days of education and about 1 exam. Interior Designer Licenses have the 1st most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Fees for a license exceed $1000 in District of Columbia, Louisiana, Nevada.

Where is an Interior Designer the most regulated?

Out of the 3 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Interior Designer has the highest burden in District of Columbia. District of Columbia requires $1505 in fees, 1 exams, 6 years experience, and no education.

Where is an Interior Designer the least regulated?

Out of the 3 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Interior Designer has the lowest burden in Nevada. Nevada requires $1485 in fees, 1 exams, 2 years experience, and 4 years education.

Where is an Interior Designer license the most expensive?

An occupational license for a Interior Designer costs the most in District of Columbia. District of Columbia requires $1505 in fees, 1 exams, 6 years experience, and no education.

Where is an Interior Designer license the least expensive?

An occupational license for a Interior Designer costs the least in Louisiana, Nevada where the license costs $1485.

Where does it take the longest to obtain an Interior Designer license?

An occupational license for a Interior Designer takes the longest to obtain in District of Columbia, Louisiana, Nevada.It takes 2190 days (6 years).

Where is it fastest to obtain an Interior Designer license?

An occupational license for a Interior Designer takes the least time to obtain in District of Columbia, Louisiana, Nevada (2190 days).

What states require exams for an Interior Designer license?

To obtain an occupational license for an Interior Designer there is at least one exam required in: District of Columbia, Louisiana, Nevada.

Three states and D.C. license the practice of interior design. License requirements are highly uniform: All three states and D.C. require six years (2,190 days) of education or experience, between $1,120 and $1,485 in fees, and one exam. These requirements are the most burdensome of all 102 occupations studied here. However, because so few states license the practice of interior design, the occupation ranks as only the 87th most widely and onerously licensed.

States Ranked by Average Licensing Burden for 102 Lower-Income Occupations

More Burdensome Less Burdensome
Based on data released in November 2022

State Licensing Requirements

Select a chart to view:
Burden Rank State Occupations Licensed Fees Estimated Calendar Days Lost Education Experience Exams Minimum Grade Minimum Age
1 District of Columbia 61 $1,505 2190 None 6 years 1 0 18
2 Louisiana 77 $1,485 2190 5 years 1 years 1 12 0
3 Nevada 75 $1,485 2190 4 years 2 years 1 0 0

License to Work

The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.

View Report