Arizona
68 out of 102 moderate-income occupations licensed
4th most burdensome licensing laws for moderate-income occupations
4th most extensively and onerously licensed state for moderate-income occupations
Summary
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.
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 | $437 | 2,190 | 4 years | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
2 | Interpreter, Sign Language | 22 | $820 | 1,469 | 4 years and 40 clock hours | 2 | 12 | 18 | ||
3 | Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Commercial) | 25 | $956 | 1,460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
3 | Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential) | 30 | $956 | 1,460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
3 | Door Repair Contractor (Commercial) | 24 | $956 | 1,460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
3 | Door Repair Contractor (Residential) | 29 | $956 | 1,460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
3 | Fire Alarm Installer | 39 | $956 | 1,460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
3 | Mason Contractor (Commercial) | 26 | $956 | 1,460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
3 | Mason Contractor (Residential) | 31 | $956 | 1,460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
10 | Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial) | 26 | $886 | 1,460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
10 | Pipelayer Contractor | 27 | $886 | 1,460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
12 | Cement Finishing Contractor (Residential) | 30 | $826 | 1,460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
12 | Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) | 30 | $826 | 1,460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
14 | Cement Finishing Contractor (Commercial) | 24 | $686 | 1,460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
15 | Landscape Contractor (Commercial) | 47 | $586 | 1,460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
15 | Landscape Contractor (Residential) | 48 | $586 | 1,460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
17 | Paving Contractor (Commercial) | 24 | $836 | 1,460 | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | ||
18 | Paving Contractor (Residential) | 28 | $636 | 1,460 | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | ||
19 | Athletic Trainer | 49 | $622 | 1,460 | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
20 | Midwife, Direct Entry | 28 | $1150 | 1,095 | 3 years | 2 | 12 | 21 | ||
21 | Optician | 22 | $650 | 1,095 | 3 years | 3 | 12 | 18 | ||
22 | Earth Driller, Water Well | 51 | $1031 | 1,095 | 3 years | 3 | 0 | 18 | ||
23 | Glazier Contractor (Commercial) | 26 | $956 | 1,095 | 3 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
23 | Glazier Contractor (Residential) | 30 | $956 | 1,095 | 3 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
23 | Terrazzo Contractor (Commercial) | 23 | $956 | 1,095 | 3 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
23 | Terrazzo Contractor (Residential) | 28 | $956 | 1,095 | 3 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
27 | Mobile Home Installer | 39 | $454 | 1,096 | 8 clock hours | 3 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
28 | HVAC Contractor (Residential) | 35 | $956 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
28 | Painting Contractor (Commercial) | 22 | $956 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
28 | Painting Contractor (Residential) | 28 | $956 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
28 | Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential) | 36 | $956 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
32 | HVAC Contractor (Commercial) | 37 | $686 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
32 | Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial) | 37 | $686 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
34 | Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) | 25 | $906 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | ||
34 | Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential) | 30 | $906 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | ||
34 | Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial) | 22 | $906 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | ||
34 | Floor Sander Contractor (Residential) | 27 | $906 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | ||
34 | Insulation Contractor (Commercial) | 25 | $906 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | ||
34 | Insulation Contractor (Residential) | 30 | $906 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | ||
34 | Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial) | 26 | $906 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | ||
34 | Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) | 31 | $906 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | ||
42 | Veterinary Technician | 36 | $150 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
43 | Pest Control Applicator | 51 | $645 | 449 | 12 credit hours | 1 years | 4 | 0 | 18 | |
43 | Vegetation Pesticide Applicator | 51 | $645 | 449 | 12 credit hours | 1 years | 4 | 0 | 18 | |
45 | Cosmetologist | 51 | $247 | 373 | 1600 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 16 | ||
46 | School Bus Driver | 51 | $57 | 371 | 14 clock hours | 1 years and 20 clock hours | 7 | 0 | 18 | |
47 | Barber | 51 | $140 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 16 | ||
48 | Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer | 51 | $50 | 365 | 1 years | 5 | 0 | 18 | ||
49 | Bus Driver, City/Transit | 51 | $35 | 365 | 1 years | 5 | 0 | 18 | ||
50 | Truck Driver, Other | 51 | $50 | 365 | 1 years | 4 | 0 | 18 | ||
51 | Massage Therapist | 44 | $412 | 163 | 700 clock hours | 1 | 12 | 18 | ||
52 | Pharmacy Technician | 44 | $197 | 140 | 600 clock hours | 1 | 12 | 18 | ||
53 | Manicurist | 50 | $247 | 140 | 600 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 16 | ||
53 | Skin Care Specialist | 50 | $247 | 140 | 600 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 16 | ||
55 | Coach, Head (High School Sports) | 48 | $129 | 163 | 15 credit hours | 250 clock hours | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
56 | Emergency Medical Technician | 51 | $80 | 26 | 110 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
57 | Travel Guide | 37 | $337 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | |||
58 | Bill Collection Agency | 31 | $1500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
59 | Weigher | 25 | $48 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | |||
60 | Gaming Cage Worker | 29 | $250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | |||
60 | Gaming Dealer | 28 | $250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | |||
60 | Gaming Supervisor | 30 | $250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | |||
60 | Slot Supervisor | 28 | $250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | |||
64 | Security Alarm Installer | 37 | $192 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | |||
65 | Security Guard, Unarmed | 34 | $72 | 1 | 8 clock hours | 0 | 0 | 18 | ||
66 | Taxidermist | 28 | $150 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
67 | Animal Breeder | 28 | $75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
68 | Milk Sampler | 42 | $50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |