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.
Truck Driver, Other Occupational Licensing
License required in 51 states
65th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$116
What They Do
“Other” truck drivers drive large-capacity trucks that are not tractor-trailers (e.g., straight or box trucks or trucks with a towing vehicle attachment weighing 10,000 pounds or less) to transport and deliver goods, livestock or materials in liquid, loose or packaged form. They may be required to unload trucks.[c]Adapted from https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/53-3032.00 and http://www.dmv.org/commercial-drivers/cdl-class-types.php[/c]
Truck Driver, Other Licensing Overview
All 50 states and D.C. require a licence to work as a Truck Driver, Other. On average, these laws require $116 in fees, 79 days of education and about 4 exam. Truck Driver, Other Licenses have the 65th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied.
Where is a Truck Driver, Other the most regulated?
Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Truck Driver, Other has the highest burden in West Virginia. West Virginia requires $159 in fees, 4 exams, 2 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Truck Driver, Other the least regulated?
Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Truck Driver, Other has the lowest burden in Maine. Maine requires $104 in fees, 4 exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is a Truck Driver, Other license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Truck Driver, Other costs the most in Washington. Washington requires $325 in fees, 4 exams, no experience, and 80 clock hours education.
Where is a Truck Driver, Other license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Truck Driver, Other costs the least in New Mexico. New Mexico requires $18 in fees, 4 exams, no experience, and no education.
Where does it take the longest to obtain a Truck Driver, Other license?
An occupational license for a Truck Driver, Other takes the longest to obtain in West Virginia, Rhode Island.It takes 730 days (2 years).
Where is it fastest to obtain a Truck Driver, Other license?
An occupational license for a Truck Driver, Other takes the least time to obtain in District of Columbia, Texas, New Hampshire, Alabama, Hawaii, Colorado, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Louisiana, North Carolina, New Jersey, South Dakota, Nevada, Oklahoma, Maryland, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri, California, Iowa, Florida, Tennessee, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Illinois, New York, Kansas, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Montana, North Dakota, New Mexico, Mississippi, Maine (0 days).
What states require exams for a Truck Driver, Other license?
To obtain an occupational license for a Truck Driver, Other there is at least one exam required in: West Virginia, Rhode Island, Idaho, Oregon, Alaska, Indiana, Utah, Arizona, Delaware, District of Columbia, Texas, Washington, New Hampshire, Alabama, Hawaii, Colorado, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Louisiana, North Carolina, New Jersey, South Dakota, Nevada, Oklahoma, Maryland, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri, California, Iowa, Florida, Tennessee, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Illinois, New York, Kansas, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Montana, North Dakota, New Mexico, Mississippi, Maine. Texas, New Hampshire require 5 exams.
All 50 states and D.C. license “other” truck drivers. Rhode Island and West Virginia require two years (730 days) of driving experience, while seven other states require one year. Washington requires 48 hours (about 11 days) of commercial driving education. The other 41 states require no education or experience. Every state requires at least four exams and sets an age minimum, usually of 18 years, though a few states set theirs higher or lower.1 Fees range from $18 in New Mexico to $325 in Washington.
Other truck driver ranks as the 67th most burdensome occupation. And because it is licensed by every state and D.C., it ranks as the 12th most widely and onerously licensed occupation.
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 | West Virginia | 67 | $159 | 730 | None | 2 years | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | 70 | $148 | 730 | None | 2 years | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Idaho | 66 | $191 | 365 | None | 1 years | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 4 | Oregon | 69 | $178 | 365 | None | 1 years | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 5 | Alaska | 64 | $160 | 365 | None | 1 years | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 6 | Indiana | 37 | $152 | 365 | None | 1 years | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 7 | Utah | 64 | $130 | 365 | None | 1 years | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 8 | Arizona | 68 | $50 | 365 | None | 1 years | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 9 | Delaware | 42 | $48 | 365 | None | 1 years | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | 61 | $215 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 21 |
| 11 | Texas | 38 | $122 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 12 | Washington | 76 | $325 | 19 | 80 clock hours | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | 37 | $80 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 14 | Alabama | 63 | $138 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 21 |
| 15 | Hawaii | 64 | $100 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 21 |
| 16 | Colorado | 34 | $311 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | 42 | $254 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 18 | Wyoming | 26 | $180 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 19 | Louisiana | 77 | $177 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 20 | North Carolina | 66 | $172 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 21 | New Jersey | 54 | $167 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 22 | South Dakota | 32 | $156 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 23 | Nevada | 75 | $148 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | 42 | $143 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 25 | Maryland | 58 | $140 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | 50 | $140 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 27 | Vermont | 31 | $139 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 28 | Connecticut | 65 | $126 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 29 | Ohio | 40 | $122 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 30 | Kentucky | 38 | $110 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 31 | Georgia | 41 | $95 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 32 | Arkansas | 72 | $92 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 33 | Missouri | 33 | $86 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 34 | California | 75 | $83 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 35 | Iowa | 71 | $76 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 36 | Florida | 55 | $75 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 37 | Tennessee | 69 | $62 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 38 | Michigan | 48 | $60 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 39 | Minnesota | 35 | $54 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 40 | Nebraska | 61 | $52 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 41 | Illinois | 41 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 41 | New York | 41 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 43 | Kansas | 35 | $40 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 44 | South Carolina | 60 | $32 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 45 | Pennsylvania | 50 | $32 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 46 | Virginia | 72 | $27 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 47 | Montana | 32 | $27 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 48 | North Dakota | 65 | $25 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 49 | New Mexico | 66 | $18 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 50 | Mississippi | 65 | $96 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 17 |
| 51 | Maine | 46 | $104 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 16 |
License to Work
The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.
View Report