Oklahoma

Oklahoma Licensing Overview

Oklahoma licenses 42 out of 102 lower-income occupations (more than half of the occupations included in the study) . The state’s licensing laws are more burdensome than most other states. The state's licensing laws rank 16th in the nation. Oklahoma licensed occupations includes occupations that are rarely licensed elsewhere. Few other states license Title Examiner (7 other), Dental Assistant (8 other), Packer (7 other).

On average, Oklahoma requires $307 in licensing fees, 405 days of education and about 2 exam. Fees for a license exceed $1000 for Midwife, Direct Entry.

Which occupation in an Oklahoma is the most regulated?

Out of the 42 occupations that require an occupational license in Oklahoma, licenses for , HVAC Contractor (Commercial), HVAC Contractor (Residential), Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial), Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential) have the highest burden.

Which occupation in an Oklahoma is the least regulated?

Out of the 42 occupations that require an occupational license in Oklahoma, a license for Packer has the lowest burden. A Packer license requires $35 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no of education.

Which occupational license in Oklahoma is the most expensive?

An occupational license in Oklahoma costs the most for Midwife, Direct Entry. A Midwife, Direct Entry license requires $2300 in fees, 1 exams, no experience, and 2 years of education.

Which occupational license in Oklahoma is the least expensive?

An occupational license for in Oklahoma costs the least for Packer. A Packer license requires $35 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no of education.

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

In Oklahoma, an occupational license takes the most time (due to required education/experience) for HVAC Contractor (Commercial), HVAC Contractor (Residential), Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial), Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential), Security Alarm Installer, Fire Alarm Installer, Preschool Teacher, Public School, Coach, Head (High School Sports), Athletic Trainer.It takes 1460 days (4 years) total.

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

In Oklahoma, an occupational license takes the least time due to required education/experience (0 days) for Child Care Home, Family, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Bus Driver, City/Transit, Truck Driver, Other, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, Title Examiner, Pest Control Applicator, Animal Breeder, Locksmith, Gaming Cage Worker, Gaming Supervisor, Slot Supervisor, Travel Guide, Fisher, Commercial, Dental Assistant, Landscape Contractor (Commercial), Landscape Contractor (Residential), Packer.

In Oklahoma, which occupational licenses require exams?

In Oklahoma, to obtain an occupational license there is at least one exam required for: HVAC Contractor (Commercial), HVAC Contractor (Residential), Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial), Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential), Security Alarm Installer, Fire Alarm Installer, Preschool Teacher, Public School, Coach, Head (High School Sports), Athletic Trainer, Midwife, Direct Entry, Veterinary Technician, Earth Driller, Water Well, Barber, Cosmetologist, Shampooer, Makeup Artist, Manicurist, Skin Care Specialist, Pharmacy Technician, School Bus Driver, Emergency Medical Technician, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Bus Driver, City/Transit, Truck Driver, Other, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, Title Examiner, Wildlife Control Operator, Security Guard, Unarmed, Pest Control Applicator, Locksmith. School Bus Driver requires 6 exams.

Oklahoma licenses 41 of the 102 lower-income occupations studied here. Its laws are the 18th most burdensome, requiring an average of $234 in fees, 399 days of education and experience, and around two exams. Because of the state’s higher than average burdens but lower than average number of occupations licensed, Oklahoma ranks as the 35th most broadly and onerously licensed in the nation.

Oklahoma licenses some occupations that are unlicensed elsewhere, such as packers (licensed by just six states), title examiners (seven), dental assistants (nine), locksmiths (14) and veterinary technicians (36). Among those, vet techs are particularly onerously licensed, facing $440 in fees, two years (730 days) of education and two exams. Security and fire alarm installers—each licensed in roughly three dozen states—also face particularly heavy burdens in Oklahoma. The state’s alarm installer licenses require hundreds of dollars in fees and 1,460 days—four years—of experience. But the average education or experience requirement across licensed states is 836 days for security alarm installers and 915 days for fire alarm installers.

Oklahoma 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, EMTs must pay $165 in fees, complete 154 hours (around 36 days) of education and pass two exams. But barbers and cosmetologists face education requirements that are nearly 10 times as high—1,500 hours (roughly 350 days). Oklahoma could improve employment prospects for its lower-income residents by reducing or repealing its arduous requirements for barbers, cosmetologists and other occupations, or—if government regulation is necessary—by replacing them with less restrictive regulatory alternatives such as inspections or voluntary certification.

Burden Rank	Occupation	Number of States that License	Fees	Education/Experience (Days)	Education	Experience	Exams	Minimum Grade	Minimum Age
1	HVAC Contractor (Commercial)	37	615	1460	None	4 years	2	0	19
1	HVAC Contractor (Residential)	35	615	1460	None	4 years	2	0	19
1	Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial)	37	615	1460	None	4 years	2	0	19
1	Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential)	36	615	1460	None	4 years	2	0	19
5	Security Alarm Installer	37	510	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
6	Fire Alarm Installer	39	469	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
7	Preschool Teacher, Public School	50	340	1460	4 years	None	2	0	0
8	Coach, Head (High School Sports)	47	328	1460	4 years	None	2	0	0
9	Athletic Trainer	49	557	1460	4 years	None	1	0	0
10	Midwife, Direct Entry	37	2300	730	2 years	None	1	12	18
11	Veterinary Technician	36	455	730	2 years	None	2	0	0
12	Earth Driller, Water Well	51	550	730	None	2 years	1	0	0
13	Barber	51	60	350	1500 clock hours	None	2	8	16
13	Cosmetologist	51	60	350	1500 clock hours	None	2	8	16
13	Shampooer	33	60	350	1500 clock hours	None	2	8	16
16	Makeup Artist	37	60	140	600 clock hours	None	2	8	16
16	Manicurist	51	60	140	600 clock hours	None	2	8	16
16	Skin Care Specialist	51	60	140	600 clock hours	None	2	8	16
19	Pharmacy Technician	44	40	140	None	600 clock hours	1	12	0
20	Child Care Home, Family	44	64	0	None	None	0	12	21
21	School Bus Driver	51	123	4	24 clock hours	None	6	0	18
22	Emergency Medical Technician	51	183	59	252 clock hours	None	2	0	18
23	Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer	51	163	0	None	None	5	0	18
24	Bus Driver, City/Transit	51	123	0	None	None	5	0	18
25	Truck Driver, Other	51	143	0	None	None	4	0	18
26	Vegetation Pesticide Applicator	51	680	0	None	None	4	0	0
27	Title Examiner	7	550	0	None	None	1	0	18
28	Wildlife Control Operator	23	275	3	16 clock hours	None	1	0	18
29	Security Guard, Unarmed	34	131	9	40 clock hours	None	1	0	18
30	Pest Control Applicator	51	385	0	None	None	3	0	0
31	Animal Breeder	29	365	0	None	None	0	0	14
32	Mobile Home Installer	37	400	1	8 clock hours	None	0	0	0
33	Locksmith	12	109	0	None	None	1	0	0
34	Gaming Cage Worker	30	166	0	None	None	0	0	0
34	Gaming Supervisor	31	166	0	None	None	0	0	0
34	Slot Supervisor	29	166	0	None	None	0	0	0
37	Travel Guide	37	90	0	None	None	0	0	0
38	Fisher, Commercial	43	75	0	None	None	0	0	0
39	Dental Assistant	8	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
40	Landscape Contractor (Commercial)	47	38	0	None	None	0	0	0
40	Landscape Contractor (Residential)	48	38	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Packer	7	35	0	None	None	0	0	0

Oklahoma Occupational Licensing

42 out of 102 moderate-income occupations licensed

16th most burdensome licensing laws for moderate-income occupations

Average Fees for Licenses:$307