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.
Wildlife Control Operator Occupational Licensing
License required in 23 states
78th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations
Average Fee for License:$83
What They Do
Wildlife control operators take or trap, transport, and release wildlife when it becomes a nuisance, destroys property or threatens public safety.[c]Adapted from http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/28635.html[/c]
Wildlife Control Operator Licensing Overview
Twenty-three states require a licence to work as a Wildlife Control Operator. On average, these laws require $83 in fees, 32 days of education and about 1 exam. Wildlife Control Operator Licenses have the 78th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied.
Where is a Wildlife Control Operator the most regulated?
Out of the 23 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Wildlife Control Operator has the highest burden in Washington. Washington requires $50 in fees, 2 exams, 2 years experience, and 4 clock hours education.
Where is a Wildlife Control Operator the least regulated?
Out of the 23 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Wildlife Control Operator has the lowest burden in Indiana. Indiana requires $0 in fees, 1 exams, no experience, and no education.
Where is a Wildlife Control Operator license the most expensive?
An occupational license for a Wildlife Control Operator costs the most in Oklahoma. Oklahoma requires $275 in fees, 1 exams, no experience, and 16 clock hours education.
Where is a Wildlife Control Operator license the least expensive?
An occupational license for a Wildlife Control Operator costs the least in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas where the license costs $0.
Where does it take the longest to obtain a Wildlife Control Operator license?
An occupational license for a Wildlife Control Operator takes the longest to obtain in Washington. It takes 731 days (2 years and 1 days). Washington requires $50 in fees, 2 exams, 2 years experience, and 4 clock hours education.
Where is it fastest to obtain a Wildlife Control Operator license?
An occupational license for a Wildlife Control Operator takes the least time to obtain in Alaska, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, West Virginia (0 days).
What states require exams for a Wildlife Control Operator license?
To obtain an occupational license for a Wildlife Control Operator there is at least one exam required in: Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia. Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Washington require 2 exams.
Twenty-three states require a license to work as a wildlife control operator. On average, these laws require $68 in fees and about one exam—the 88th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied here. Because about half of states license wildlife control operators, the occupation ranks as the 74th most widely and onerously licensed.
While most states (19) require one written exam, Iowa requires two: a written exam and an in-person interview with a representative of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Alaska, Nevada and New Hampshire require no exams. Additionally, while 15 states require no education or experience, eight require anywhere from one to 16 hours of education. Fees range from $0 in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas and Virginia to $250 in Connecticut and Nevada.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Alaska | 64 | $100 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 6 | Connecticut | 65 | $250 | 1 | 8.5 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | 61 | $50 | 0.20 | 1 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 11 | Georgia | 41 | $45 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 4 | Iowa | 71 | $25 | 0 | None | None | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 13 | Illinois | 41 | $0 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 23 | Indiana | 37 | $0 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Kansas | 35 | $0 | 1 | 8 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 16 |
| 7 | Kentucky | 38 | $100 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Louisiana | 77 | $40 | 2 | 10 clock hours | None | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 50 | $141 | 2 | 11 clock hours | None | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Maryland | 58 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | 37 | $139 | 1 | 6 clock hours | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Nevada | 75 | $250 | 0 | None | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | New York | 41 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Ohio | 40 | $40 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Oklahoma | 42 | $275 | 3 | 16 clock hours | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 17 | Oregon | 69 | $90 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | 50 | $75 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 70 | $25 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 18 | Virginia | 72 | $75 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | Washington | 76 | $50 | 731 | 4 clock hours | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 9 | West Virginia | 67 | $50 | 0 | None | None | 1 | 0 | 18 |
License to Work
The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.
View Report