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.
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| 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