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.
Tree Trimmer Occupational Licensing
License required in 8 states
18th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$306
What They Do
Tree trimmers cut away dead or excess branches from trees or shrubs to maintain right-of-way for roads, sidewalks or utilities, or to improve appearance, health and value of trees. This report looks at what is required to run one’s own tree trimming business.
Tree Trimmer Licensing Overview
Eight states require a licence to work as a Tree Trimmer. On average, these laws require $306 in fees, 502 days of education and about 1 exam. Tree Trimmer Licenses have the 18th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied.
Where is a Tree Trimmer the most regulated?
Out of the 8 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Tree Trimmer has the highest burden in Hawaii. Hawaii requires $694 in fees, 2 exams, 4 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Tree Trimmer the least regulated?
Out of the 8 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Tree Trimmer has the lowest burden in Minnesota. Minnesota requires $25 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is a Tree Trimmer license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Tree Trimmer costs the most in Connecticut. Connecticut requires $725 in fees, 2 exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is a Tree Trimmer license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Tree Trimmer costs the least in Minnesota. Minnesota requires $25 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.
Where does it take the longest to obtain a Tree Trimmer license?
An occupational license for a Tree Trimmer takes the longest to obtain in California, Hawaii.It takes 1460 days (4 years).
Where is it fastest to obtain a Tree Trimmer license?
An occupational license for a Tree Trimmer takes the least time to obtain in Connecticut, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Rhode Island (0 days).
What states require exams for a Tree Trimmer license?
To obtain an occupational license for a Tree Trimmer there is at least one exam required in: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, Rhode Island. California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine require 2 exams.
Seven states require tree trimmers to obtain licenses. On average, these laws require $325 in fees, over one and a half years (574 days) of education and experience, and around two exams—the 19th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied here. However, because so few states license tree trimmers, the occupation only ranks as the 83rd most widely and onerously licensed.
Two of the licenses—California’s and Hawaii’s—are much more burdensome than the rest, requiring four years (1,460 days) of experience. These are contractor licenses that apply only to tree trimming jobs at or above $500 and $1,000, respectively. (See Appendix B under “Contractor Occupations – Commercial and Residential” for details on contractor licensing.) Maryland is the only other state that requires any education or experience. In addition, every state requires at least one exam and all but two set a minimum age of 18 years. Finally, fees vary greatly, from $30 in Maryland to $725 in Connecticut.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | California | 75 | $579 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 4 | Connecticut | 65 | $725 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 1 | Hawaii | 64 | $694 | 1460 | None | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 6 | Louisiana | 77 | $214 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Maryland | 58 | $30 | 1095 | 2 years | 1 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 5 | Maine | 46 | $130 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 8 | Minnesota | 35 | $25 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 70 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
License to Work
The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.
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