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.
Painting Contractor (Residential)
License required in 28 states
55th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
52nd most heavily regulated occupation among moderate-income occupations
What They Do
Painting contractors contract with clients to paint walls, equipment, buildings, bridges and other structural surfaces using brushes, rollers and spray guns. They may also remove old paint to prepare a surface prior to painting or mix colors or oils to obtain desired color or consistency. Typically, only contractors require licenses, not the painters who work for them. In some states, licensing requirements differ based on the setting. Those with a residential license may work only on residential properties, while those with a commercial license may work on commercial properties. Other states require the same license regardless of the setting, and this report records that license in both settings. Many states have contract minimums before the contractor’s license applies. See Appendix B for details.Licensing
Twenty-eight states license painting contractors working on residential properties. On average, states require 277 days of education and experience, $312 in fees, and about one exam. All in all, 13 states require at least one exam (California requires three). These requirements rank as the 55th most burdensome.
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 | Nevada | 28 | $1,078 | 1460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 2 | California | 28 | $579 | 1460 | 4 years | 3 | 0 | 18 | |
| 3 | Hawaii | 28 | $615 | 1460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 4 | Arizona | 28 | $956 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 5 | Maryland | 28 | $433 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
| 6 | Virginia | 28 | $320 | 731 | 8 clock hours | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 7 | Utah | 28 | $549 | 733 | 20 clock hours | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | South Carolina | 28 | $50 | 365 | 1 years | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | Mississippi | 28 | $290 | 67 | 3 jobs, contractors | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | Michigan | 28 | $286 | 14 | 60 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | |
| 11 | Oregon | 28 | $385 | 3 | 16 clock hours | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 28 | $200 | 1 | 5 clock hours | 0 | 0 | 18 | |
| 13 | Louisiana | 28 | $460 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 14 | North Dakota | 28 | $125 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | ||
| 15 | Tennessee | 28 | $305 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 16 | D C | 28 | $442 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 17 | West Virginia | 28 | $132 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 18 | Alabama | 28 | $350 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 19 | Alaska | 28 | $300 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 20 | Massachusetts | 28 | $250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 21 | Connecticut | 28 | $220 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 22 | Washington | 28 | $113 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 23 | New Jersey | 28 | $110 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 24 | Arkansas | 28 | $50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 24 | Iowa | 28 | $50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 24 | Pennsylvania | 28 | $50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 27 | Idaho | 28 | $30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 28 | Nebraska | 28 | $0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |