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 Guard, Unarmed Occupational Licensing
License required in 34 states
80th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$92
What They Do
Security guards guard, patrol or monitor premises to prevent theft, violence or infractions of rules.
Security Guard, Unarmed Licensing Overview
Thirty-four states (more than half of states) require a licence to work as a Security Guard, Unarmed. On average, these laws require $92 in fees, 10 days of education and about 1 exam. Security Guard, Unarmed Licenses have the 80th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied.
Where is a Security Guard, Unarmed the most regulated?
Out of the 34 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Security Guard, Unarmed has the highest burden in North Dakota. North Dakota requires $91 in fees, no exams, 1000 clock hours experience, and 44 clock hours education.
Where is a Security Guard, Unarmed the least regulated?
Out of the 34 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Security Guard, Unarmed has the lowest burden in Rhode Island. Rhode Island requires $5 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is a Security Guard, Unarmed license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Security Guard, Unarmed costs the most in Connecticut. Connecticut requires $228 in fees, no exams, no experience, and 8 clock hours education.
Where is a Security Guard, Unarmed license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Security Guard, Unarmed costs the least in Rhode Island. Rhode Island requires $5 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where does it take the longest to obtain a Security Guard, Unarmed license?
An occupational license for a Security Guard, Unarmed takes the longest to obtain in North Dakota. It takes 243 days (0 years and 3 days). North Dakota requires $91 in fees, no exams, 1000 clock hours experience, and 44 clock hours education.
Where is it fastest to obtain a Security Guard, Unarmed license?
An occupational license for a Security Guard, Unarmed takes the least time to obtain in Nevada, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Ohio, Rhode Island (0 days).
What states require exams for a Security Guard, Unarmed license?
To obtain an occupational license for a Security Guard, Unarmed there is at least one exam required in: Florida, Hawaii, District of Columbia, Oregon, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Delaware, Vermont, New York, Washington, California, Virginia, New Mexico, Tennessee, Arkansas, Nevada, Texas, South Carolina, Utah. Florida, Louisiana require 2 exams.
Thirty-four states license unarmed security guards. On average, aspirants must pay $89, demonstrate 10 days of education and experience, and pass about one exam to become licensed—the 80th most burdensome requirements. However, because many states license the occupation, it ranks as the 37th most widely and onerously licensed.
Some license requirements vary significantly across states. For example, most states (28) require between zero and about four days of education or experience, but North Dakota requires about 244 (44 hours of classroom instruction and 1,000 hours of field service training). Similarly, while 15 states require no exams, Florida, Louisiana and Oklahoma each require two. And fees range from $5 in Rhode Island to $201 in Connecticut, though most states’ (23) fees are between $60 and $116.
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 | North Dakota | 65 | $91 | 243 | 44 clock hours | 1000 clock hours | 0 | 12 | 18 |
| 2 | Florida | 55 | $98 | 9 | 40 clock hours | None | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Hawaii | 64 | $132 | 1 | 8 clock hours | None | 1 | 12 | 18 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | 61 | $190 | 8 | 48 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 5 | Oregon | 69 | $106 | 2 | 14 clock hours | None | 1 | 12 | 18 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | 42 | $131 | 9 | 40 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 7 | Alaska | 64 | $98 | 11 | 48 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 8 | Alabama | 63 | $88 | 1 | 8 clock hours | None | 0 | 12 | 18 |
| 9 | Louisiana | 77 | $78 | 3 | 16 clock hours | None | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | Delaware | 42 | $134 | 3 | 16 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 11 | Connecticut | 65 | $228 | 1 | 8 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 12 | Vermont | 31 | $85 | 9 | 40 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | New York | 41 | $138 | 1 | 8 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 14 | Washington | 76 | $99 | 3 | 16 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 15 | New Jersey | 54 | $141 | 4 | 24 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 16 | California | 75 | $104 | 1 | 8 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 17 | Virginia | 72 | $64 | 3 | 18 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 18 | New Mexico | 66 | $94 | 1 | 8 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 19 | Tennessee | 69 | $105 | 0.7 | 4 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 20 | Montana | 32 | $130 | 3 | 16 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 21 | Arkansas | 72 | $76 | 1 | 6 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 22 | Nevada | 75 | $85 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 23 | Texas | 38 | $62 | 1 | 6 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 24 | South Carolina | 60 | $65 | 0.7 | 4 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 25 | North Carolina | 66 | $46 | 3 | 16 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 26 | Arizona | 68 | $72 | 1 | 8 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 27 | Utah | 64 | $90 | 1 | 8 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | Illinois | 41 | $55 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 29 | Iowa | 71 | $40 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 30 | Maryland | 58 | $66 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | 42 | $62 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | 37 | $40 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Ohio | 40 | $40 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Rhode Island | 70 | $5 | 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