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.
Security Alarm Installer Occupational Licensing
License required in 37 states
13th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$533
What They Do
Security alarm installers install, program, maintain or repair security alarm wiring and equipment, and ensure that work is in accordance with relevant codes. This report looks at what is required to run one’s own security alarm installation business only.
Security Alarm Installer Licensing Overview
Thirty-seven states (more than half of states) require a licence to work as a Security Alarm Installer. On average, these laws require $533 in fees, 747 days of education and about 2 exam. Security Alarm Installer Licenses have the 13th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Fees for a license exceed $1000 in Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana.
Where is a Security Alarm Installer the most regulated?
Out of the 37 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Security Alarm Installer has the highest burden in Connecticut. Connecticut requires $435 in fees, 3 exams, 6 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Security Alarm Installer the least regulated?
Out of the 37 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Security Alarm Installer has the lowest burden in District of Columbia. District of Columbia requires $266 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is a Security Alarm Installer license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Security Alarm Installer costs the most in Louisiana. Louisiana requires $1574 in fees, 3 exams, no experience, and 29 clock hours education.
Where is a Security Alarm Installer license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Security Alarm Installer costs the least in Maryland. Maryland requires $113 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where does it take the longest to obtain a Security Alarm Installer license?
An occupational license for a Security Alarm Installer takes the longest to obtain in Connecticut, Tennessee.It takes 2190 days (6 years).
Where is it fastest to obtain a Security Alarm Installer license?
An occupational license for a Security Alarm Installer takes the least time to obtain in Michigan, Arizona, Delaware, Maryland, Rhode Island, Alaska, District of Columbia (0 days).
What states require exams for a Security Alarm Installer license?
To obtain an occupational license for a Security Alarm Installer there is at least one exam required in: Connecticut, Tennessee, Washington, New Jersey, California, Hawaii, Oklahoma, Idaho, Oregon, Florida, Virginia, Illinois, Utah, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Maine, Arkansas, New Mexico, West Virginia, Iowa, Texas, Montana, North Carolina, Wyoming, Georgia, Michigan, New York, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Carolina, Alabama, Rhode Island. New York requires 6 exams.
Thirty-seven states license security alarm installers. On average, these laws require $487 in fees, more than two years (836 days) of education and experience, and about two exams—the 12th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. The occupation ranks as the 23rd most widely and onerously licensed.
License requirements vary greatly across states. While Connecticut and Tennessee require six years (2,190 days) of education and experience, six states require none. Similarly, Louisiana, Washington and West Virginia require four exams, but seven states require none. Fees range from $133 in Maryland to $1,481 in Louisiana.
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 | Connecticut | 65 | $435 | 2190 | None | 6 years | 3 | 8 | 18 |
| 2 | Tennessee | 69 | $978 | 2190 | 2 years | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Washington | 76 | $700 | 1474 | 64 clock hours | 4 years | 5 | 0 | 16 |
| 4 | New Jersey | 54 | $271 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 1 | 12 | 18 |
| 5 | California | 75 | $579 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 6 | Hawaii | 64 | $694 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 7 | Oklahoma | 42 | $510 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 8 | Idaho | 66 | $390 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 16 |
| 9 | Oregon | 69 | $425 | 1095 | None | 3 years | 1 | 12 | 18 |
| 10 | Florida | 55 | $695 | 1095 | None | 3 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 11 | Virginia | 72 | $700 | 1096 | 6 clock hours | 3 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 12 | Illinois | 41 | $317 | 1095 | None | 3 years | 1 | 0 | 21 |
| 13 | Utah | 64 | $653 | 1095 | None | 3 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Minnesota | 35 | $316 | 1092 | None | 36 months | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | 50 | $630 | 803 | 315 clock hours | 2 years | 2 | 12 | 0 |
| 16 | Maine | 46 | $256 | 996 | 270 clock hours | 4000 clock hours | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Arkansas | 72 | $1,165 | 730 | None | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 18 | New Mexico | 66 | $503 | 730 | None | 2 years | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 19 | West Virginia | 67 | $277 | 730 | None | 2 years | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 20 | Iowa | 71 | $915 | 730 | None | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Texas | 38 | $478 | 730 | None | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 22 | Montana | 32 | $475 | 730 | None | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 23 | North Carolina | 66 | $185 | 730 | None | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 24 | Wyoming | 26 | $255 | 548 | None | 1.5 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Georgia | 41 | $237 | 365 | None | 1 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 26 | Michigan | 48 | $628 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 12 | 21 |
| 27 | New York | 41 | $289 | 19 | 81 clock hours | None | 6 | 0 | 18 |
| 28 | Mississippi | 65 | $1,290 | 72 | 28 clock hours | 3 jobs, contractors | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Louisiana | 77 | $1,574 | 5 | 29 clock hours | None | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | South Carolina | 60 | $744 | 4 | 22 clock hours | None | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 31 | Arizona | 68 | $410 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 32 | Alabama | 63 | $324 | 8 | 36 clock hours | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Delaware | 42 | $195 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 34 | Maryland | 58 | $113 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 35 | Rhode Island | 70 | $505 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Alaska | 64 | $350 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | 61 | $266 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
License to Work
The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.
View Report