Taxi Driver/Chauffeur
License required in 16 states
69th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
76th most heavily regulated occupation among moderate-income occupations
What They Do
Taxi drivers and chauffeurs drive automobiles, vans or limousines to transport passengers and may occasionally carry cargo.Licensing
Sixteen states require a special driver’s license for taxi drivers or chauffeurs.1 On average, these laws cost aspiring taxi drivers and chauffeurs $47 in fees and 148 days in education and experience—the 69th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied here. Also, because relatively few states license taxi drivers and chauffeurs, the occupation ranks as the 76th most widely and onerously licensed.
License requirements vary greatly across states. For example, Tennessee requires two years (730 days) of driving experience, but nine states require no education or experience. Similarly, seven states require an exam, while nine do not. And while 14 states have an age requirement (D.C. and Maryland do not), it varies from 17 to 21 years. Fees range from $3 in Delaware to $275 in D.C.2
States Ranked by Average Licensing Burden for 102 Lower-Income Occupations
More Burdensome Less Burdensom
Based on data released in November 2017Burden Rank | State | States Licensed | Fees | Estimated Calendar Days Lost | Education | Experience | Exams | Minimum Grade | Minimum Age |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tennessee | 16 | $5 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
2 | D C | 16 | $275 | 365 | 1 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
3 | Indiana | 16 | $19 | 365 | 1 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
4 | Rhode Island | 16 | $23 | 365 | 1 years | 0 | 0 | 21 | |
5 | Delaware | 16 | $3 | 366 | 6 clock hours | 1 years | 0 | 0 | 18 |
6 | Maryland | 16 | $53 | 182 | 6 months | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
7 | Washington | 16 | $118 | 3 | 3 days | 1 | 0 | 21 | |
8 | Utah | 16 | $25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 | ||
9 | Louisiana | 16 | $55 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | ||
10 | Michigan | 16 | $35 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | ||
11 | New Jersey | 16 | $51 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | ||
12 | Iowa | 16 | $40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | ||
13 | Missouri | 16 | $18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | ||
14 | Georgia | 16 | $15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | ||
15 | Connecticut | 16 | $12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | ||
16 | New York | 16 | $0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 |