Twenty-seven states license floor sander contractors working on residential properties. On average, states require 287 days of education and experience, $308 in fees, and about one exam. All in all, 13 states require at least one exam (California requires three). These requirements rank as the 53rd most burdensome.

Only one state, Louisiana, requires a license to work as a florist. Louisiana requires fees totaling $189 as well as an exam. These requirements rank as the 92nd most burdensome of the 102 occupations studied here. And because florists are licensed by only one state, the occupation ranks as the least widely and onerously licensed.

Only one state, Connecticut, requires a license to work as a forest worker. Connecticut requires $300 in fees and one exam. These requirements rank as the 90th most burdensome of the 102 occupations studied here. And because forest workers are licensed by only one state, the occupation ranks as the second least widely and onerously licensed.

Three states require a license to work as a funeral attendant: Kansas, Maine and Massachusetts. Only Massachusetts requires any education or experience (a one-credit-hour course), while only Kansas requires an exam. The three states require an average of $124 in fees. These requirements are 78th most burdensome of the 102 occupations studied here. Because so few states license funeral attendants, the occupation ranks as the 91st most widely and onerously licensed.

Thirty states license carpenter and cabinet maker contractors working on residential properties. On average, states require over a year (368 days) of education and experience, $319 in fees, and about one exam. All in all, 17 states require at least one exam (California requires three). These requirements rank as the 40th most burdensome.

Twenty-four states license cement finishing contractors working on commercial properties. Ten states require between two and five years of experience working under a licensed contractor. Alabama and Mississippi require completion of three contracted jobs. Twelve states require no experience. On average, states require 508 days of education and experience, $365 in fees ($1,078 in Nevada), and about one exam. These high barriers give commercial cement finishing contractors the 27th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied.

Thirty states license cement finishing contractors working on residential properties. On average, states require 307 days of education and experience, $300 in fees, and about one exam. All in all, 15 states require at least one exam (California requires three). These requirements rank as the 51st most burdensome.

Forty-four states require a license for family child care homes. On average, these licenses require $79 in fees and 48 days of education and experience, making family child care home the 70th most burdensome occupation of the 102 studied. However, because most states license the occupation, it ranks as the 25th most widely and onerously licensed.

License requirements vary widely across states. North Carolina requires operators of child family care homes to dedicate about 401 days to education and experience (one year of child care experience, 36 hours of training and a four-credit-hour class). However, 21 states require fewer than 10 days of education or experience, and another nine require none at all. Similarly, fees range from $0 in Vermont to $300 in D.C.

Forty-eight states require a license for head coaches of high school sports. On average, licensing laws for head coaches require $79 in fees and over a year (367 days) of education and experience—the 46th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Because head coaches are licensed by almost every state, the occupation ranks as the 14th most widely and onerously licensed.

The most burdensome states are those that require all head coaches to be licensed teachers: Arkansas, Georgia, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma and Virginia. (See Appendix B under “Public School Teacher” for details on teacher licensing.) Of the remaining states, New York is the most burdensome, requiring $290 in fees and about 1,125 days of education and experience (three years as a temporary coach and 130 hours of coursework). In contrast, 30 states require only about seven hours or less of education. Also, 28 states impose no fees.

Rhode Island is the only state to license conveyor operators. The state mandates that candidates for licensure pay $117 in fees, pass an exam related to the trade and be at least 18 years of age. These burdens are the 81st most onerous of the 102 occupations studied here. Because only one state licenses the occupation, it ranks as the 100th most widely and onerously licensed.