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Arizona

Arizona Occupational Licensing

68 out of 102 moderate-income occupations licensed

4th most burdensome licensing laws for moderate-income occupations

Average Fees for Licenses:$481

Arizona Licensing Overview

Arizona licenses 68 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 4th in the nation.

On average, Arizona requires $481 in licensing fees, 689 days of education and about 2 exam. Fees for a license exceed $1000 for Midwife, Direct Entry, Bill Collection Agency.

Which occupation in an Arizona is the most regulated?

Out of the 68 occupations that require an occupational license in Arizona, a license for Preschool Teacher, Public School has the highest burden. A Preschool Teacher, Public School license requires $431 in fees, 2 exams, 2 years experience, and 4 years of education.

Which occupation in an Arizona is the least regulated?

Out of the 68 occupations that require an occupational license in Arizona, a license for Milk Sampler has the lowest burden. A Milk Sampler license requires $50 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no of education.

Which occupational license in Arizona is the most expensive?

An occupational license in Arizona costs the most for Bill Collection Agency. A Bill Collection Agency license requires $1675 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no of education.

Which occupational license in Arizona is the least expensive?

An occupational license for in Arizona costs the least for School Bus Driver, Bus Driver, City/Transit where the license costs $35.

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

In Arizona, an occupational license takes the most time (due to required education/experience) for Preschool Teacher, Public School. It takes 2190 days (6 years) total. A Preschool Teacher, Public School license requires $431 in fees, 2 exams, 2 years experience, and 4 years of education.

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

In Arizona, an occupational license takes the least time due to required education/experience (0 days) for Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial), Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential), Insulation Contractor (Residential), Paving Contractor (Residential), Bill Collection Agency, Travel Guide, Security Alarm Installer, Weigher, Gaming Cage Worker, Gaming Dealer, Gaming Supervisor, Slot Supervisor, Taxidermist, Animal Breeder, Milk Sampler.

In Arizona, which occupational licenses require exams?

In Arizona, to obtain an occupational license there is at least one exam required for: Preschool Teacher, Public School, Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial), Pipelayer Contractor, Cement Finishing Contractor (Commercial), Paving Contractor (Commercial), Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Commercial), Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential), Door Repair Contractor (Commercial), Door Repair Contractor (Residential), Fire Alarm Installer, Landscape Contractor (Commercial), Landscape Contractor (Residential), Mason Contractor (Commercial), Mason Contractor (Residential), Cement Finishing Contractor (Residential), Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential), Athletic Trainer, Optician, Earth Driller, Water Well, Glazier Contractor (Commercial), Glazier Contractor (Residential), Terrazzo Contractor (Commercial), Terrazzo Contractor (Residential), Midwife, Direct Entry, Mobile Home Installer, HVAC Contractor (Commercial), Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial), HVAC Contractor (Residential), Painting Contractor (Commercial), Painting Contractor (Residential), Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential), Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial), Floor Sander Contractor (Residential), Insulation Contractor (Commercial), Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial), Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential), Veterinary Technician, Interpreter, Sign Language, Pest Control Applicator, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, School Bus Driver, Cosmetologist, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Bus Driver, City/Transit, Barber, Truck Driver, Other, Pharmacy Technician, Massage Therapist, Manicurist, Skin Care Specialist, Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial), Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential), Insulation Contractor (Residential), Paving Contractor (Residential), Emergency Medical Technician, Travel Guide, Weigher. School Bus Driver requires 7 exams.

Arizona remains one of the worst states in the nation when it comes to licensing burdens for lower-income occupations. It licenses 68 of the 102 occupations studied here, and its licensing laws rank as the fourth most burdensome, due to high licensing fees and arduous education and experience requirements. Occupational licenses in Arizona require an average of $612 in fees, 765 days—more than two years—of education and experience, and approximately two exams. Because it licenses so many occupations so onerously, Arizona ranks as the fourth most broadly and onerously licensed state.

Arizona imposes particularly burdensome fees and experience requirements on would-be licensees in several occupations. Its highest fees are roughly three times the national average. Bill collection agencies face Arizona’s heftiest fees, paying $1,500 (compared to the $551 average across licensed states). Water well earth drillers must pay $1,031 (compared to the $356 national average). And Arizona’s experience burdens for aspiring opticians are some of the heaviest of their type in the nation, requiring 1,095 days (three years) of experience. This is considerably higher than the average 714 days required in the 22 states that license opticians.

Arizona’s licensing laws are also rife with irrationalities, often imposing burdens on some occupations that seem excessive compared with those for others that may pose greater risks. For example, 15 of the 33 Arizona contractor licenses studied are more burdensome than the state’s direct entry midwife license, and all of the contractor licenses studied are considerably more onerous than its EMT license, which merely requires a 110-hour course (an estimated 26 days lost), an $80 fee and two exams. To improve its rankings, Arizona should reduce or repeal its onerous licenses for contractors and other occupations, or—if government regulation is necessary—replace them with less restrictive regulatory alternatives.

Arizona 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 50 431 2190 4 years 2 years 2 0 0
2 Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial) 26 896 1460 None 4 years 2 0 18
2 Pipelayer Contractor 27 896 1460 None 4 years 2 0 18
4 Cement Finishing Contractor (Commercial) 24 696 1460 None 4 years 2 0 18
5 Paving Contractor (Commercial) 24 846 1460 None 4 years 1 0 18
6 Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Commercial) 25 596 1460 None 4 years 2 0 18
6 Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential) 30 596 1460 None 4 years 2 0 18
6 Door Repair Contractor (Commercial) 24 596 1460 None 4 years 2 0 18
6 Door Repair Contractor (Residential) 29 596 1460 None 4 years 2 0 18
6 Fire Alarm Installer 39 596 1460 None 4 years 2 0 18
6 Landscape Contractor (Commercial) 47 596 1460 None 4 years 2 0 18
6 Landscape Contractor (Residential) 48 596 1460 None 4 years 2 0 18
6 Mason Contractor (Commercial) 26 596 1460 None 4 years 2 0 18
6 Mason Contractor (Residential) 31 596 1460 None 4 years 2 0 18
15 Cement Finishing Contractor (Residential) 30 466 1460 None 4 years 2 0 18
15 Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) 30 466 1460 None 4 years 2 0 18
17 Athletic Trainer 49 712 1460 4 years None 1 0 0
18 Optician 22 500 1095 None 3 years 3 12 18
19 Earth Driller, Water Well 51 871 1095 None 3 years 5 0 18
20 Glazier Contractor (Commercial) 26 596 1095 None 3 years 2 0 18
20 Glazier Contractor (Residential) 30 596 1095 None 3 years 2 0 18
20 Terrazzo Contractor (Commercial) 23 596 1095 None 3 years 2 0 18
20 Terrazzo Contractor (Residential) 28 596 1095 None 3 years 2 0 18
24 Midwife, Direct Entry 37 1450 730 2 years None 2 12 21
25 Mobile Home Installer 37 454 1096 3 clock hours 3 years 1 0 0
26 HVAC Contractor (Commercial) 37 696 730 None 2 years 2 0 18
26 Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial) 37 696 730 None 2 years 2 0 18
28 HVAC Contractor (Residential) 35 596 730 None 2 years 2 0 18
28 Painting Contractor (Commercial) 22 596 730 None 2 years 2 0 18
28 Painting Contractor (Residential) 27 596 730 None 2 years 2 0 18
28 Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential) 36 596 730 None 2 years 2 0 18
32 Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial) 22 546 730 None 2 years 1 0 18
32 Floor Sander Contractor (Residential) 27 546 730 None 2 years 1 0 18
32 Insulation Contractor (Commercial) 24 546 730 None 2 years 1 0 18
32 Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial) 26 546 730 None 2 years 1 0 18
32 Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) 31 546 730 None 2 years 1 0 18
37 Veterinary Technician 36 150 730 2 years None 2 0 18
38 Interpreter, Sign Language 22 365 420 60 credit hours None 2 12 18
39 Pest Control Applicator 51 625 449 12 credit hours 1 year 4 0 18
39 Vegetation Pesticide Applicator 51 625 449 12 credit hours 1 year 4 0 18
41 School Bus Driver 51 35 371 34 clock hours 1 year 7 0 18
42 Cosmetologist 51 247 350 1500 clock hours None 2 10 16
43 Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer 51 50 365 None 1 year 5 0 18
44 Bus Driver, City/Transit 51 35 365 None 1 year 5 0 18
45 Barber 51 300 280 1200 clock hours None 2 10 16
46 Truck Driver, Other 51 50 365 None 1 year 4 0 18
47 Pharmacy Technician 44 326 140 600 clock hours None 1 12 18
48 Massage Therapist 45 412 117 500 clock hours None 1 12 18
49 Manicurist 51 247 140 600 clock hours None 2 10 16
50 Skin Care Specialist 51 247 117 500 clock hours None 2 10 16
51 Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) 25 546 0 None None 2 0 18
51 Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential) 30 546 0 None None 2 0 18
51 Insulation Contractor (Residential) 30 546 0 None None 2 0 18
54 Coach, Head (High School Sports) 47 127 165 15 credit hours & 12 clock hours 250 clock hours 0 0 0
55 Paving Contractor (Residential) 28 416 0 None None 2 0 18
56 Emergency Medical Technician 51 98 30 130 clock hours None 2 0 18
57 Bill Collection Agency 29 1675 0 None None 0 0 0
58 Travel Guide 37 337 0 None None 1 0 18
59 Security Alarm Installer 37 410 0 None None 0 0 18
60 Weigher 24 48 0 None None 1 0 18
61 Gaming Cage Worker 30 250 0 None None 0 0 18
61 Gaming Dealer 29 250 0 None None 0 0 18
61 Gaming Supervisor 31 250 0 None None 0 0 18
61 Slot Supervisor 29 250 0 None None 0 0 18
65 Security Guard, Unarmed 34 72 1 8 clock hours None 0 0 18
66 Taxidermist 28 100 0 None None 0 0 0
67 Animal Breeder 29 75 0 None None 0 0 0
68 Milk Sampler 43 50 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.

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