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, Tractor-Trailer Occupational Licensing
License required in 51 states
63rd most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$118
What They Do
Tractor-trailer drivers drive vehicles including semis, tankers or trucks with a towing vehicle attachment weighing more than 10,000 pounds 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, Tractor-Trailer Licensing Overview
All 50 states and D.C. require a licence to work as a Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer. On average, these laws require $118 in fees, 79 days of education and about 5 exam. Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer Licenses have the 63rd most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied.
Where is a Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer the most regulated?
Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer has the highest burden in Rhode Island. Rhode Island requires $168 in fees, 6 exams, 2 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer the least regulated?
Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer has the lowest burden in Michigan. Michigan requires $60 in fees, 4 exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is a Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer costs the most in Washington. Washington requires $325 in fees, 5 exams, no experience, and 160 clock hours education.
Where is a Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer costs the least in New Mexico. New Mexico requires $18 in fees, 5 exams, no experience, and no education.
Where does it take the longest to obtain a Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer license?
An occupational license for a Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer takes the longest to obtain in Rhode Island, West Virginia.It takes 730 days (2 years).
Where is it fastest to obtain a Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer license?
An occupational license for a Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer takes the least time to obtain in District of Columbia, Hawaii, Texas, New York, Colorado, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, South Dakota, Nevada, Alabama, Maryland, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Kentucky, Ohio, Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri, California, Iowa, Florida, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, Kansas, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Montana, North Dakota, New Mexico, Mississippi, New Jersey, Maine, Michigan (0 days).
What states require exams for a Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer license?
To obtain an occupational license for a Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer there is at least one exam required in: Rhode Island, West Virginia, Idaho, Oregon, Alaska, Indiana, Utah, Arizona, Delaware, Washington, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Texas, New York, Colorado, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, South Dakota, Nevada, Alabama, Maryland, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Kentucky, Ohio, Georgia, Arkansas, Missouri, California, Iowa, Florida, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, Kansas, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Montana, North Dakota, New Mexico, Mississippi, New Jersey, Maine, Michigan. Rhode Island, Texas, New Hampshire require 6 exams.
All 50 states and D.C. license tractor-trailer drivers. Rhode Island and West Virginia require two years (730 days) of driving experience, while seven other states require one year. Washington requires 160 hours (about 37 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.
Tractor-trailer driver ranks as the 64th most burdensome occupations. And because it is licensed by every state and D.C., it ranks as the 11th 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 | Rhode Island | 70 | $168 | 730 | None | 2 years | 6 | 0 | 18 |
| 2 | West Virginia | 67 | $159 | 730 | None | 2 years | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Idaho | 66 | $201 | 365 | None | 1 years | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 4 | Oregon | 69 | $188 | 365 | None | 1 years | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 5 | Alaska | 64 | $160 | 365 | None | 1 years | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 6 | Indiana | 37 | $152 | 365 | None | 1 years | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 7 | Utah | 64 | $130 | 365 | None | 1 years | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 8 | Arizona | 68 | $50 | 365 | None | 1 years | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 9 | Delaware | 42 | $48 | 365 | None | 1 years | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | Washington | 76 | $325 | 37 | 160 clock hours | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | 61 | $225 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 21 |
| 12 | Hawaii | 64 | $105 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 21 |
| 13 | Texas | 38 | $122 | 0 | None | None | 6 | 0 | 18 |
| 14 | New York | 41 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 21 |
| 15 | Colorado | 34 | $311 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | 37 | $80 | 0 | None | None | 6 | 0 | 18 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | 42 | $254 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 18 | Wyoming | 26 | $180 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 19 | Louisiana | 77 | $177 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 20 | North Carolina | 66 | $172 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 21 | Oklahoma | 42 | $163 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 22 | Tennessee | 69 | $70 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 19 |
| 23 | South Dakota | 32 | $156 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 24 | Nevada | 75 | $148 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 25 | Alabama | 63 | $148 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 26 | Maryland | 58 | $140 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 26 | Massachusetts | 50 | $140 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 28 | Vermont | 31 | $139 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 29 | Connecticut | 65 | $131 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 30 | Kentucky | 38 | $125 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 31 | Ohio | 40 | $122 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 32 | Georgia | 41 | $95 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 33 | Arkansas | 72 | $92 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 34 | Missouri | 33 | $86 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 35 | California | 75 | $83 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 36 | Iowa | 71 | $76 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 37 | Florida | 55 | $75 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 38 | Nebraska | 61 | $52 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 39 | Illinois | 41 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 40 | Minnesota | 35 | $42 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 41 | Kansas | 35 | $40 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 42 | South Carolina | 60 | $34 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 43 | Pennsylvania | 50 | $32 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 44 | Virginia | 72 | $27 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 45 | Montana | 32 | $27 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 46 | North Dakota | 65 | $25 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 47 | New Mexico | 66 | $18 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 48 | Mississippi | 65 | $96 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 17 |
| 49 | New Jersey | 54 | $167 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 50 | Maine | 46 | $104 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 16 |
| 51 | Michigan | 48 | $60 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
License to Work
The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.
View Report