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School Bus Driver Occupational Licensing

License required in 51 states

22nd most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations

Average Fee for License:$124

What They Do

School bus drivers transport students to and from school and on school activities. They ensure adherence to safety rules and may assist passengers in boarding or exiting.

School Bus Driver Licensing Overview

All 50 states and D.C. require a licence to work as a School Bus Driver. On average, these laws require $124 in fees, 350 days of education and about 6 exam. School Bus Driver Licenses have the 22nd most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied.

Where is a School Bus Driver the most regulated?

Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a School Bus Driver has the highest burden in Tennessee. Tennessee requires $97 in fees, 6 exams, 5 years experience, and no education.

Where is a School Bus Driver the least regulated?

Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a School Bus Driver has the lowest burden in Virginia. Virginia requires $23 in fees, 6 exams, no experience, and 30 clock hours education.

Where is a School Bus Driver license the most expensive?

An occupational license for a School Bus Driver costs the most in Wisconsin. Wisconsin requires $279 in fees, 6 exams, no experience, and no education.

Where is a School Bus Driver license the least expensive?

An occupational license for a School Bus Driver costs the least in New Mexico. New Mexico requires $18 in fees, 6 exams, no experience, and 30.5 clock hours education.

Where does it take the longest to obtain a School Bus Driver license?

An occupational license for a School Bus Driver takes the longest to obtain in Florida. It takes 1834 days (5 years and 9 days). Florida requires $62 in fees, 6 exams, 5 years experience, and 40 clock hours education.

Where is it fastest to obtain a School Bus Driver license?

An occupational license for a School Bus Driver takes the least time to obtain in District of Columbia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota, Missouri, Minnesota (0 days).

What states require exams for a School Bus Driver license?

To obtain an occupational license for a School Bus Driver there is at least one exam required in: Tennessee, Florida, Montana, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Alaska, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Ohio, New Hampshire, Georgia, Washington, Maine, Hawaii, Arizona, Oregon, Idaho, Kansas, Utah, Delaware, North Carolina, Alabama, District of Columbia, Louisiana, Indiana, Texas, Nevada, Wisconsin, Maryland, South Carolina, Kentucky, Illinois, South Dakota, Wyoming, New York, Vermont, Colorado, North Dakota, Arkansas, Oklahoma, California, Mississippi, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan, Nebraska, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Virginia. Alabama requires 8 exams.

All 50 states and D.C. license school bus drivers. On average, these laws require $112 in fees, 300 days of education and experience, and around six exams—the 37th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. However, because school bus drivers are licensed everywhere, the occupation ranks as the sixth most widely and onerously licensed.

While every state requires between six and eight exams and sets a minimum age of 18, 19 or 21 years, other requirements vary. For example, Florida requires five years of driving experience and 40 hours of pre-service coursework (about 1,834 days), but 10 states require no education or experience. Fees range from $18 in New Mexico to $260 in Nevada.

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 Tennessee 69 $97 1825 None 5 years 6 0 25
2 Florida 55 $62 1834 40 clock hours 5 years 6 0 21
3 Montana 32 $27 1825 None 5 years 6 0 18
4 West Virginia 67 $179 1106 52 clock hours 3 years 7 12 21
5 Rhode Island 70 $168 1097 10 clock hours 3 years 7 0 21
6 Connecticut 65 $224 1097 10 clock hours 3 years 6 0 21
7 Alaska 64 $208 1097 10 clock hours 3 years 6 0 21
8 New Jersey 54 $171 1095 None 3 years 6 0 21
9 Massachusetts 50 $175 1107 60 clock hours 3 years 6 0 18
10 Ohio 40 $211 735 27 clock hours 2 years 6 0 21
11 New Hampshire 37 $100 732 10 clock hours 2 years 6 0 18
12 Georgia 41 $90 734 24 clock hours 2 years 6 0 18
13 Washington 76 $195 391 110 clock hours 1 years 6 0 21
14 Maine 46 $164 365 None 1 years 6 0 21
15 Hawaii 64 $110 365 None 1 years 6 0 21
16 Arizona 68 $35 371 34 clock hours 1 years 7 0 18
17 Oregon 69 $198 368 15 clock hours 1 years 6 0 18
18 Idaho 66 $193 367 10 clock hours 1 years 6 0 18
19 Kansas 35 $60 367 12 clock hours 1 years 6 0 21
20 Utah 64 $148 365 None 1 years 6 0 18
21 Delaware 42 $58 368 16 clock hours 1 years 6 0 18
22 North Carolina 66 $138 185 3 days 6 months 6 0 18
23 Alabama 63 $118 3 16 clock hours None 8 0 21
24 District of Columbia 61 $275 0 None None 6 0 21
25 Louisiana 77 $192 9 44 clock hours None 6 0 21
26 Indiana 37 $190 5 32 clock hours None 6 0 21
27 Texas 38 $144 3 20 clock hours None 7 0 18
28 Nevada 75 $176 3 20 clock hours None 6 0 21
29 Wisconsin 42 $279 0 None None 6 0 18
30 Maryland 58 $140 3 17 clock hours None 6 0 21
31 South Carolina 60 $36 5 30 clock hours None 7 0 18
32 Kentucky 38 $70 4 21 clock hours None 6 0 21
33 Illinois 41 $69 0.3 2 clock hours None 6 0 21
34 South Dakota 32 $186 0.7 4 clock hours None 6 0 18
35 Wyoming 26 $180 0 None None 6 0 18
36 New York 41 $50 0.7 4 clock hours None 6 0 21
37 Vermont 31 $167 1 8 clock hours None 6 0 18
38 Colorado 34 $161 0 None None 6 0 18
39 North Dakota 65 $31 0 None None 6 0 21
40 Arkansas 72 $92 4 24 clock hours None 6 0 19
41 Oklahoma 42 $123 4 24 clock hours None 6 0 18
42 California 75 $98 7 40 clock hours None 6 0 18
43 Mississippi 65 $106 1 8 clock hours None 6 0 18
44 Iowa 71 $96 3 15 clock hours None 6 0 18
45 Missouri 33 $86 0 None None 6 0 18
46 Michigan 48 $70 3 18 clock hours None 6 0 18
47 Nebraska 61 $52 2 11 clock hours None 6 0 18
48 Minnesota 35 $56 0 None None 6 0 18
49 Pennsylvania 50 $37 3 20 clock hours None 6 0 18
50 New Mexico 66 $18 7 30.5 clock hours None 6 0 18
51 Virginia 72 $23 5 30 clock hours None 6 0 18

License to Work

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

View Report