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.
Manicurist Occupational Licensing
License required in 51 states
62nd most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$190
What They Do
Manicurists and pedicurists, also known as nail technicians, clean and shape customers’ fingernails and toenails and may polish or decorate nails.
Manicurist Licensing Overview
All 50 states and D.C. require a licence to work as a Manicurist. On average, these laws require $190 in fees, 85 days of education and about 2 exam. Manicurist Licenses have the 62nd most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied.
Where is a Manicurist the most regulated?
Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Manicurist has the highest burden in Alabama. Alabama requires $255 in fees, 2 exams, no experience, and 750 clock hours education.
Where is a Manicurist the least regulated?
Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Manicurist has the lowest burden in Alaska. Alaska requires $390 in fees, no exams, no experience, and 12 clock hours education.
Where is a Manicurist license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Manicurist costs the most in Alaska. Alaska requires $390 in fees, no exams, no experience, and 12 clock hours education.
Where is a Manicurist license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Manicurist costs the least in Oklahoma. Oklahoma requires $60 in fees, 2 exams, no experience, and 600 clock hours education.
Where does it take the longest to obtain a Manicurist license?
An occupational license for a Manicurist takes the longest to obtain in Alabama. It takes 175 days (0 years and 25 days). Alabama requires $255 in fees, 2 exams, no experience, and 750 clock hours education.
Where is it fastest to obtain a Manicurist license?
An occupational license for a Manicurist takes the least time to obtain in Alaska. It takes 2 days. Alaska requires $390 in fees, no exams, no experience, and 12 clock hours education.
What states require exams for a Manicurist license?
To obtain an occupational license for a Manicurist there is at least one exam required in: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Delaware, 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. Minnesota, North Dakota, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, West Virginia require 3 exams.
Forty-nine states and D.C. require a license to work as a manicurist; Connecticut is the only state that does not. On average, these laws force aspiring manicurists to pay $172 in fees, complete 91 days of education and pass two exams—the 60th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. However, because manicurists are licensed so widely, the occupation ranks as the 13th most widely and onerously licensed.
License requirements vary widely across states. For example, the most burdensome state, Alabama, requires about 175 days (750 hours) of education, while the least burdensome state, Massachusetts, requires only about 23 days (100 hours). Exam requirements also vary, from zero exams in Florida to three in seven other states. Similarly, three states (Alaska, Vermont and Wisconsin) require over $350 in fees, but nine states require less than $100.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | Alaska | 64 | $390 | 2 | 12 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | Alabama | 63 | $255 | 175 | 750 clock hours | None | 2 | 10 | 16 |
| 6 | Arkansas | 72 | $175 | 140 | 600 clock hours | None | 2 | 10 | 16 |
| 3 | Arizona | 68 | $247 | 140 | 600 clock hours | None | 2 | 10 | 16 |
| 21 | California | 75 | $110 | 93 | 400 clock hours | None | 1 | 10 | 17 |
| 9 | Colorado | 34 | $169 | 140 | 600 clock hours | None | 2 | 0 | 16 |
| 50 | Connecticut | 65 | $100 | 23 | 100 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | District of Columbia | 61 | $230 | 82 | 350 clock hours | None | 2 | 10 | 18 |
| 31 | Delaware | 42 | $313 | 70 | 300 clock hours | None | 2 | 10 | 16 |
| 47 | Florida | 55 | $75 | 42 | 180 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 10 | Georgia | 41 | $139 | 123 | 525 clock hours | None | 2 | 12 | 17 |
| 27 | Hawaii | 64 | $182 | 82 | 350 clock hours | None | 1 | 12 | 16 |
| 36 | Iowa | 71 | $115 | 76 | 325 clock hours | None | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| 16 | Idaho | 66 | $214 | 93 | 400 clock hours | None | 2 | 10 | 17 |
| 29 | Illinois | 41 | $215 | 82 | 350 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 16 |
| 13 | Indiana | 37 | $80 | 105 | 450 clock hours | None | 1 | 8 | 18 |
| 24 | Kansas | 35 | $270 | 82 | 350 clock hours | None | 2 | 12 | 17 |
| 12 | Kentucky | 38 | $125 | 105 | 450 clock hours | None | 2 | 12 | 18 |
| 11 | Louisiana | 77 | $75 | 117 | 500 clock hours | None | 2 | 10 | 16 |
| 49 | Massachusetts | 50 | $286 | 23 | 100 clock hours | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Maryland | 58 | $104 | 58 | 250 clock hours | None | 2 | 9 | 17 |
| 46 | Maine | 46 | $131 | 47 | 200 clock hours | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Michigan | 48 | $230 | 93 | 400 clock hours | None | 2 | 9 | 17 |
| 26 | Minnesota | 35 | $280 | 82 | 350 clock hours | None | 3 | 0 | 17 |
| 18 | Missouri | 33 | $168 | 93 | 400 clock hours | None | 2 | 10 | 17 |
| 23 | Mississippi | 65 | $335 | 82 | 350 clock hours | None | 2 | 12 | 17 |
| 15 | Montana | 32 | $284 | 93 | 400 clock hours | None | 2 | 12 | 18 |
| 39 | North Carolina | 66 | $193 | 70 | 300 clock hours | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | North Dakota | 65 | $205 | 82 | 350 clock hours | None | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Nebraska | 61 | $83 | 70 | 300 clock hours | None | 2 | 12 | 17 |
| 37 | New Hampshire | 37 | $218 | 70 | 300 clock hours | None | 2 | 12 | 0 |
| 32 | New Jersey | 54 | $140 | 70 | 300 clock hours | None | 2 | 12 | 17 |
| 20 | New Mexico | 66 | $225 | 93 | 400 clock hours | None | 3 | 0 | 17 |
| 2 | Nevada | 75 | $195 | 140 | 600 clock hours | None | 3 | 10 | 18 |
| 42 | New York | 41 | $70 | 58 | 250 clock hours | None | 2 | 0 | 17 |
| 43 | Ohio | 40 | $205 | 47 | 200 clock hours | None | 2 | 10 | 16 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | 42 | $60 | 140 | 600 clock hours | None | 2 | 8 | 16 |
| 41 | Oregon | 69 | $90 | 63 | 281 clock hours | None | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 44 | Pennsylvania | 50 | $121 | 47 | 200 clock hours | None | 1 | 10 | 16 |
| 33 | Rhode Island | 70 | $100 | 70 | 300 clock hours | None | 2 | 12 | 18 |
| 30 | South Carolina | 60 | $335 | 70 | 300 clock hours | None | 2 | 10 | 16 |
| 22 | South Dakota | 32 | $100 | 93 | 400 clock hours | None | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 69 | $200 | 140 | 601 clock hours | None | 2 | 10 | 16 |
| 4 | Texas | 38 | $172 | 140 | 600 clock hours | None | 2 | 12 | 17 |
| 38 | Utah | 64 | $232 | 70 | 300 clock hours | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 48 | Virginia | 72 | $192 | 35 | 150 clock hours | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 45 | Vermont | 31 | $245 | 47 | 200 clock hours | None | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Washington | 76 | $319 | 140 | 600 clock hours | None | 2 | 0 | 17 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | 42 | $343 | 70 | 300 clock hours | None | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 14 | West Virginia | 67 | $221 | 93 | 400 clock hours | None | 3 | 12 | 18 |
| 19 | Wyoming | 26 | $148 | 93 | 400 clock hours | None | 2 | 10 | 16 |
License to Work
The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.
View Report