Alabama

Alabama Licensing Overview

Alabama licenses 63 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 46th in the nation.

On average, Alabama requires $374 in licensing fees, 154 days of education and about 2 exam. Fees for a license exceed $1000 for Midwife, Direct Entry.

Which occupation in an Alabama is the most regulated?

Out of the 63 occupations that require an occupational license in Alabama, a license for Preschool Teacher, Public School has the highest burden. A Preschool Teacher, Public School license requires $664 in fees, 3 exams, no experience, and 4 years of education.

Which occupation in an Alabama is the least regulated?

Out of the 63 occupations that require an occupational license in Alabama, a license for Weigher has the lowest burden. A Weigher license requires $20 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no of education.

Which occupational license in Alabama is the most expensive?

An occupational license in Alabama costs the most for Midwife, Direct Entry. A Midwife, Direct Entry license requires $2100 in fees, 1 exams, no experience, and 2 years of education.

Which occupational license in Alabama is the least expensive?

An occupational license for in Alabama costs the least for Bartender. A Bartender license requires $0 in fees, 1 exams, no experience, and 3 clock hours of education.

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

In Alabama, 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 Alabama takes the least time to obtain?

In Alabama, an occupational license takes the least time due to required education/experience (0 days) for Interpreter, Sign Language, Bus Driver, City/Transit, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Truck Driver, Other, Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential), Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential), Mason Contractor (Residential), Landscape Contractor (Residential), Pharmacy Technician, Fire Alarm Installer, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, Locksmith, Cement Finishing Contractor (Residential), Door Repair Contractor (Residential), Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential), Floor Sander Contractor (Residential), Glazier Contractor (Residential), Insulation Contractor (Residential), Painting Contractor (Residential), Paving Contractor (Residential), Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential), Terrazzo Contractor (Residential), Fisher, Commercial, Shampooer, Weigher.

In Alabama, which occupational licenses require exams?

In Alabama, to obtain an occupational license there is at least one exam required for: Preschool Teacher, Public School, Athletic Trainer, Midwife, Direct Entry, Veterinary Technician, Earth Driller, Water Well, HVAC Contractor (Commercial), Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial), Auctioneer, Cosmetologist, Pest Control Applicator, Barber, Skin Care Specialist, Makeup Artist, Manicurist, Massage Therapist, Emergency Medical Technician, Interpreter, Sign Language, Landscape Contractor (Commercial), School Bus Driver, Paving Contractor (Commercial), Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Commercial), Cement Finishing Contractor (Commercial), Door Repair Contractor (Commercial), Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial), Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial), Glazier Contractor (Commercial), Insulation Contractor (Commercial), Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial), Mason Contractor (Commercial), Painting Contractor (Commercial), Pipelayer Contractor, Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial), Terrazzo Contractor (Commercial), Bus Driver, City/Transit, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Truck Driver, Other, Security Alarm Installer, Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential), Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential), Mason Contractor (Residential), Bartender, Landscape Contractor (Residential), Fire Alarm Installer, Mobile Home Installer, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, Locksmith. School Bus Driver requires 8 exams.

Alabama licenses more lower-income occupations than average—63 of the 102 studied here—and its laws are the 47th most burdensome. On average, Alabama’s barriers to entry into lower-income occupations are $329 in fees, 142 days of education and experience, and approximately one exam. The state ranks as the 25th most broadly and onerously licensed, placing it right in the middle of the pack.

Alabama licenses some occupations that are rarely licensed elsewhere. For example, few other states license animal trainers (eight), bartenders (12) or locksmiths (13). And Alabama charges much higher fees than many other states for pipelayer contractors: $592 compared to the $377 average in the 27 states that license them.

Alabama 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, auctioneer is Alabama’s seventh most onerously licensed occupation, requiring $500 in fees and 385 days of education and experience (comprising an 85-hour course and a one-year apprenticeship). These barriers are higher than both the average barriers in the 30 states that license auctioneers ($278 in fees and 94 days of education and experience) and Alabama’s own fee and education and experience requirements for EMTs, an occupation that has far more to do with public health and safety. Aspiring EMTs need only pay a $90 fee and complete an estimated 42 days (180 hours) of education to become licensed. To expand opportunity for workers in the state, Alabama should reduce or repeal irrational licensing burdens, or—if government regulation is necessary—replace 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	664	1460	4 years	None	3	0	0
2	Athletic Trainer	49	565	1460	4 years	None	1	0	0
3	Midwife, Direct Entry	37	2100	730	2 years	None	1	12	21
4	Veterinary Technician	36	425	730	2 years	None	2	0	18
5	Earth Driller, Water Well	51	275	730	None	2 years	1	0	0
6	HVAC Contractor (Commercial)	37	340	700	None	3000 clock hours	1	0	0
6	Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial)	37	340	700	None	3000 clock hours	1	0	0
8	Auctioneer	28	540	385	85 clock hours	1 year	3	0	19
9	Cosmetologist	51	255	350	1500 clock hours	None	2	10	16
10	Pest Control Applicator	51	395	365	None	1 year	1	0	0
11	Barber	51	255	233	1000 clock hours	None	2	10	16
11	Skin Care Specialist	51	255	233	1000 clock hours	None	2	10	16
13	Makeup Artist	37	235	233	1000 clock hours	None	2	10	16
14	Manicurist	51	255	175	750 clock hours	None	2	10	16
15	Massage Therapist	45	345	152	650 clock hours	None	1	0	18
16	Emergency Medical Technician	51	110	42	180 clock hours	None	2	12	18
17	Interpreter, Sign Language	22	750	0	None	None	2	12	18
18	Landscape Contractor (Commercial)	47	721	67	None	3 jobs, contractors	3	0	0
19	School Bus Driver	51	118	3	16 clock hours	None	8	0	21
20	Paving Contractor (Commercial)	24	502	67	None	3 jobs, contractors	2	0	0
21	Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Commercial)	25	492	67	None	3 jobs, contractors	2	0	0
21	Cement Finishing Contractor (Commercial)	24	492	67	None	3 jobs, contractors	2	0	0
21	Door Repair Contractor (Commercial)	24	492	67	None	3 jobs, contractors	2	0	0
21	Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial)	25	492	67	None	3 jobs, contractors	2	0	0
21	Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial)	22	492	67	None	3 jobs, contractors	2	0	0
21	Glazier Contractor (Commercial)	26	492	67	None	3 jobs, contractors	2	0	0
21	Insulation Contractor (Commercial)	24	492	67	None	3 jobs, contractors	2	0	0
21	Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial)	26	492	67	None	3 jobs, contractors	2	0	0
21	Mason Contractor (Commercial)	26	492	67	None	3 jobs, contractors	2	0	0
21	Painting Contractor (Commercial)	22	492	67	None	3 jobs, contractors	2	0	0
21	Pipelayer Contractor	27	492	67	None	3 jobs, contractors	2	0	0
21	Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial)	26	492	67	None	3 jobs, contractors	2	0	0
21	Terrazzo Contractor (Commercial)	23	492	67	None	3 jobs, contractors	2	0	0
34	Child Care Home, Family	44	47	4	26 clock hours	None	0	12	18
35	Security Guard, Unarmed	34	88	1	8 clock hours	None	0	12	18
36	Bus Driver, City/Transit	51	118	0	None	None	5	0	21
37	Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer	51	148	0	None	None	5	0	18
38	Truck Driver, Other	51	138	0	None	None	4	0	21
39	Security Alarm Installer	37	324	8	36 clock hours	None	2	0	0
40	Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential)	30	448	0	None	None	2	0	0
40	Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential)	30	448	0	None	None	2	0	0
40	Mason Contractor (Residential)	31	448	0	None	None	2	0	0
43	Bartender	12	0	1	3 clock hours	None	1	0	19
44	Landscape Contractor (Residential)	48	325	0	None	None	2	0	0
45	Pharmacy Technician	44	104	0	None	None	0	0	17
46	Fire Alarm Installer	39	465	0	None	None	1	0	0
47	Mobile Home Installer	37	400	2	12 clock hours	None	1	0	0
48	Vegetation Pesticide Applicator	51	295	0	None	None	1	0	0
49	Locksmith	12	213	0	None	None	1	0	0
50	Cement Finishing Contractor (Residential)	30	350	0	None	None	0	0	0
50	Door Repair Contractor (Residential)	29	350	0	None	None	0	0	0
50	Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential)	30	350	0	None	None	0	0	0
50	Floor Sander Contractor (Residential)	27	350	0	None	None	0	0	0
50	Glazier Contractor (Residential)	30	350	0	None	None	0	0	0
50	Insulation Contractor (Residential)	30	350	0	None	None	0	0	0
50	Painting Contractor (Residential)	27	350	0	None	None	0	0	0
50	Paving Contractor (Residential)	28	350	0	None	None	0	0	0
50	Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential)	31	350	0	None	None	0	0	0
50	Terrazzo Contractor (Residential)	28	350	0	None	None	0	0	0
60	Fisher, Commercial	43	100	0	None	None	0	0	0
61	Shampooer	33	75	0	None	None	0	0	0
62	Coach, Head (High School Sports)	47	40	2	11 clock hours	None	0	0	0
63	Weigher	24	20	0	None	None	0	0	0

Alabama Occupational Licensing

63 out of 102 moderate-income occupations licensed

46th most burdensome licensing laws for moderate-income occupations

Average Fees for Licenses:$374