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.
Vegetation Pesticide Applicator Occupational Licensing
License required in 51 states
58th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$300
What They Do
Vegetation pesticide applicators mix or apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or insecticides through sprays, dusts, vapors, soil incorporation or chemical application on trees, shrubs, lawns or botanical crops. This report looks at what is required to run one’s own vegetation pesticide business only.
Vegetation Pesticide Applicator Licensing Overview
All 50 states and D.C. require a licence to work as a Vegetation Pesticide Applicator. On average, these laws require $300 in fees, 167 days of education and about 3 exam. Vegetation Pesticide Applicator Licenses have the 58th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. Fees for a license exceed $1000 in New York.
Where is a Vegetation Pesticide Applicator the most regulated?
Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Vegetation Pesticide Applicator has the highest burden in New Hampshire. New Hampshire requires $95 in fees, 11 exams, 3 years experience, and no education.
Where is a Vegetation Pesticide Applicator the least regulated?
Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Vegetation Pesticide Applicator has the lowest burden in Minnesota. Minnesota requires $75 in fees, 2 exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is a Vegetation Pesticide Applicator license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Vegetation Pesticide Applicator costs the most in New York. New York requires $2250 in fees, 5 exams, 1 year experience, and 42 clock hours education.
Where is a Vegetation Pesticide Applicator license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Vegetation Pesticide Applicator costs the least in Mississippi. Mississippi requires $0 in fees, 4 exams, 1 year experience, and no education.
Where does it take the longest to obtain a Vegetation Pesticide Applicator license?
An occupational license for a Vegetation Pesticide Applicator takes the longest to obtain in New Hampshire. It takes 1095 days (3 years). New Hampshire requires $95 in fees, 11 exams, 3 years experience, and no education.
Where is it fastest to obtain a Vegetation Pesticide Applicator license?
An occupational license for a Vegetation Pesticide Applicator takes the least time to obtain in Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming (0 days).
What states require exams for a Vegetation Pesticide Applicator license?
To obtain an occupational license for a Vegetation Pesticide Applicator there is at least one exam required in: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming. New Hampshire requires 11 exams.
All 50 states and D.C. license vegetation pesticide applicators. On average, these laws require $259 in fees, 134 days of education and experience, and three exams—the 63rd most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied here. However, because vegetation pesticide applicators are licensed everywhere, the occupation ranks as the 10th most widely and onerously licensed.
License requirements vary across states. For example, while 31 states require no education or experience, four states—Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Tennessee—require two years (730 days) of experience. Maine, New Hampshire and New York require between six and eight exams, while Alabama and Florida require only one each. Fees also vary greatly, from $0 in Mississippi to $3,000 in New York.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39 | Alaska | 64 | $25 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 50 | Alabama | 63 | $295 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Arkansas | 72 | $700 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 8 | Arizona | 68 | $625 | 449 | 12 credit hours | 1 years | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 47 | California | 75 | $340 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Colorado | 34 | $576 | 243 | None | 8 months | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Connecticut | 65 | $263 | 0 | None | None | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | 61 | $350 | 365 | None | 1 years | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Delaware | 42 | $105 | 730 | None | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Florida | 55 | $610 | 533 | 24 credit hours | 1 years | 1 | 12 | 18 |
| 45 | Georgia | 41 | $190 | 0 | None | None | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Hawaii | 64 | $200 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 48 | Iowa | 71 | $100 | 0 | None | None | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | Idaho | 66 | $90 | 0 | None | None | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 42 | Illinois | 41 | $180 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 46 | Indiana | 37 | $90 | 2 | 2 days | None | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Kansas | 35 | $320 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 41 | Kentucky | 38 | $230 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Louisiana | 77 | $270 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 50 | $800 | 730 | None | 2 years | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 11 | Maryland | 58 | $225 | 365 | None | 1 years | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 28 | Maine | 46 | $195 | 0 | None | None | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Michigan | 48 | $340 | 730 | None | 2 years | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 51 | Minnesota | 35 | $75 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Missouri | 33 | $155 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 9 | Mississippi | 65 | $0 | 365 | None | 1 years | 4 | 12 | 18 |
| 49 | Montana | 32 | $85 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | North Carolina | 66 | $145 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 27 | North Dakota | 65 | $125 | 0 | None | None | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 37 | Nebraska | 61 | $90 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 1 | New Hampshire | 37 | $95 | 1095 | None | 3 years | 11 | 0 | 18 |
| 17 | New Jersey | 54 | $690 | 29 | 4.5 clock hours | 120 clock hours | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 31 | New Mexico | 66 | $240 | 21 | 3 credit hours | None | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Nevada | 75 | $650 | 294 | 16 credit hours | 6 months | 7 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | New York | 41 | $2,250 | 374 | 42 clock hours | 1 years | 5 | 0 | 17 |
| 40 | Ohio | 40 | $70 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | 42 | $680 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Oregon | 69 | $264 | 0 | None | None | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | 50 | $155 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | 70 | $45 | 0 | None | None | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 33 | South Carolina | 60 | $175 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 38 | South Dakota | 32 | $35 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Tennessee | 69 | $615 | 730 | None | 2 years | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 43 | Texas | 38 | $392 | 0 | None | None | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Utah | 64 | $175 | 730 | None | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 12 | Virginia | 72 | $250 | 365 | 1 years | None | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 26 | Vermont | 31 | $135 | 0 | None | None | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 44 | Washington | 76 | $275 | 0 | None | None | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | 42 | $180 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 16 |
| 15 | West Virginia | 67 | $100 | 365 | None | 1 years | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Wyoming | 26 | $25 | 0 | None | None | 5 | 0 | 16 |
License to Work
The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.
View Report