× ABOUT OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING OCCUPATIONS STATE PROFILES STORIES ABOUT IJ

Illinois

Illinois Occupational Licensing

41 out of 102 moderate-income occupations licensed

35th most burdensome licensing laws for moderate-income occupations

Average Fees for Licenses:$281

Illinois Licensing Overview

Illinois licenses 41 out of 102 lower-income occupations (more than half of the occupations included in the study) . The state’s licensing laws are less burdensome than most other states. The state's licensing laws rank 35th in the nation.

On average, Illinois requires $281 in licensing fees, 234 days of education and about 1 exam. Fees for a license exceed $1000 for Midwife, Direct Entry, Gaming Supervisor, Slot Supervisor.

Which occupation in an Illinois is the most regulated?

Out of the 41 occupations that require an occupational license in Illinois, a license for Preschool Teacher, Public School has the highest burden. A Preschool Teacher, Public School license requires $685 in fees, 3 exams, no experience, and 4 years of education.

Which occupation in an Illinois is the least regulated?

Out of the 41 occupations that require an occupational license in Illinois, a license for Taxidermist has the lowest burden. A Taxidermist license requires $26 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no of education.

Which occupational license in Illinois is the most expensive?

An occupational license in Illinois costs the most for Midwife, Direct Entry. A Midwife, Direct Entry license requires $1300 in fees, 1 exams, no experience, and 2 years of education.

Which occupational license in Illinois is the least expensive?

An occupational license for in Illinois costs the least for Coach, Head (High School Sports), Wildlife Control Operator where the license costs $0.

Which occupational license in Illinois takes the most time to obtain?

In Illinois, an occupational license takes the most time (due to required education/experience) for Preschool Teacher, Public School, Athletic Trainer.It takes 1460 days (4 years) total.

Which occupational license in Illinois takes the least time to obtain?

In Illinois, an occupational license takes the least time due to required education/experience (0 days) for Auctioneer, School Bus Driver, Bus Driver, City/Transit, Gaming Supervisor, Slot Supervisor, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Truck Driver, Other, Bill Collection Agency, Gaming Cage Worker, Gaming Dealer, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, Wildlife Control Operator, Security Guard, Unarmed, Milk Sampler, Animal Breeder, Fisher, Commercial, Landscape Contractor (Commercial), Landscape Contractor (Residential), Travel Guide, Taxidermist.

In Illinois, which occupational licenses require exams?

In Illinois, to obtain an occupational license there is at least one exam required for: Preschool Teacher, Public School, Athletic Trainer, Security Alarm Installer, Fire Alarm Installer, Midwife, Direct Entry, Interpreter, Sign Language, Earth Driller, Water Well, Veterinary Technician, Barber, Cosmetologist, Makeup Artist, Skin Care Specialist, Pest Control Applicator, Pharmacy Technician, Massage Therapist, Emergency Medical Technician, Manicurist, Auctioneer, School Bus Driver, Bus Driver, City/Transit, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Truck Driver, Other, Locksmith, Mobile Home Installer, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, Coach, Head (High School Sports), Wildlife Control Operator, Milk Sampler. School Bus Driver requires 6 exams.

Illinois’ licensing laws for lower-income occupations are the 35th most burdensome. On average, Illinois’ barriers to entry are $244 in fees, 249 days lost to education and experience, and around one exam. Licensing 40 of the 102 lower-income occupations studied here, Illinois is the 39th most broadly and onerously licensed state.

Illinois imposes more onerous requirements than many other states for some occupations. For example, sign language interpreters—the state’s most onerously licensed occupation—must pay a $900 fee, complete four years and 40 hours of education (roughly 1,469 days total), and pass two exams to become licensed. But more than half of states (29) do not license the occupation at all and, among those that do, the average requirements are just $661 in fees, about 1,088 days of education and experience, and two exams.

Illinois also imposes burdens on some occupations that seem excessive compared to those for other occupations that may present greater risks to the public. For example, it takes more schooling to become a barber or a cosmetologist in Illinois than it does to become an EMT. EMTs can become licensed after completing about 37 days (160 hours) of education. Barbers and cosmetologists, on the other hand, must spend nearly 10 times as long in school (1,500 hours or roughly 350 days) before they can work. Illinois could expand lower-income employment opportunities by reducing or repealing these and other licensing burdens, or—if government regulation is necessary—by replacing them with less restrictive regulatory alternatives.

Illinois State Licensing Requirements for Lower-Income Occupations

Select a chart to view:
Burden Rank Occupation Number of States that License Fees Education/Experience (Days) Education Experience Exams Minimum Grade Minimum Age
1 Preschool Teacher, Public School 50 685 1460 4 years None 3 0 0
2 Athletic Trainer 49 590 1460 4 years None 1 0 0
3 Security Alarm Installer 37 317 1095 None 3 years 1 0 21
4 Fire Alarm Installer 39 288 1095 None 3 years 1 0 21
5 Midwife, Direct Entry 37 1300 730 2 years None 1 12 21
6 Interpreter, Sign Language 22 470 730 2 years None 2 12 18
7 Earth Driller, Water Well 51 50 730 None 2 years 1 0 18
8 Veterinary Technician 36 375 730 2 years None 1 0 0
9 Barber 51 156 350 1500 clock hours None 1 12 16
10 Cosmetologist 51 230 350 1500 clock hours None 1 0 16
11 Makeup Artist 37 191 175 750 clock hours None 1 12 16
12 Skin Care Specialist 51 157 175 750 clock hours None 1 12 16
13 Pest Control Applicator 51 375 112 16 credit hours None 2 12 18
14 Pharmacy Technician 44 157 140 600 clock hours None 1 12 18
15 Massage Therapist 45 370 140 600 clock hours None 1 0 18
16 Emergency Medical Technician 51 65 35 150 clock hours None 1 12 18
17 Manicurist 51 215 82 350 clock hours None 1 0 16
18 Auctioneer 28 271 0 None None 1 12 18
19 School Bus Driver 51 69 0 2 clock hours None 6 0 21
20 Bus Driver, City/Transit 51 55 0 None None 5 0 21
21 Gaming Supervisor 31 1078 0 None None 0 0 21
21 Slot Supervisor 29 1078 0 None None 0 0 21
23 Child Care Home, Family 44 28 4 23 clock hours None 0 12 18
24 Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer 51 50 0 None None 5 0 18
25 Truck Driver, Other 51 50 0 None None 4 0 18
26 Locksmith 12 550 3 20 clock hours None 1 0 18
27 Bill Collection Agency 29 750 0 None None 0 0 18
28 Gaming Cage Worker 30 278 0 None None 0 0 21
28 Gaming Dealer 29 278 0 None None 0 0 21
30 Mobile Home Installer 37 150 2 10 clock hours None 1 0 18
31 Vegetation Pesticide Applicator 51 180 0 None None 4 0 0
32 Coach, Head (High School Sports) 47 0 1 4 clock hours None 1 0 19
33 Wildlife Control Operator 23 0 0 None None 1 0 18
34 Security Guard, Unarmed 34 55 0 None None 0 0 18
35 Milk Sampler 43 25 0 0.75 clock hour None 2 0 0
36 Animal Breeder 29 350 0 None None 0 0 0
37 Fisher, Commercial 43 61 0 None None 0 0 0
38 Landscape Contractor (Commercial) 47 50 0 None None 0 0 0
38 Landscape Contractor (Residential) 48 50 0 None None 0 0 0
38 Travel Guide 37 50 0 None None 0 0 0
41 Taxidermist 28 26 0 None None 0 0 0

License to Work

The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.

View Report