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.
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.
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.
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.
An occupational license for in Illinois costs the least for Coach, Head (High School Sports), Wildlife Control Operator where the license costs $0.
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.
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, 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.
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 |
The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.
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