Florida

Florida Licensing Overview

Florida licenses 55 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 5th in the nation. Florida licensed occupations includes occupations that are rarely licensed elsewhere. Few other states license Animal Control Officer (7 other), Travel Agency (5 other), Packer (7 other).

On average, Florida requires $300 in licensing fees, 658 days of education and about 1 exam. Fees for a license exceed $1000 for Midwife, Direct Entry.

Which occupation in a Florida is the most regulated?

Out of the 55 occupations that require an occupational license in Florida, a license for School Bus Driver has the highest burden. A School Bus Driver license requires $62 in fees, 6 exams, 5 years experience, and 40 clock hours of education.

Which occupation in a Florida is the least regulated?

Out of the 55 occupations that require an occupational license in Florida, a license for Fisher, Commercial has the lowest burden. A Fisher, Commercial license requires $25 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no of education.

Which occupational license in Florida is the most expensive?

An occupational license in Florida costs the most for Midwife, Direct Entry. A Midwife, Direct Entry license requires $1805 in fees, 1 exams, no experience, and 3 years of education.

Which occupational license in Florida is the least expensive?

An occupational license for in Florida costs the least for Animal Control Officer, Milk Sampler where the license costs $0.

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

In Florida, an occupational license takes the most time (due to required education/experience) for School Bus Driver. It takes 1834 days (5 years and 9 days) total. A School Bus Driver license requires $62 in fees, 6 exams, 5 years experience, and 40 clock hours of education.

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

In Florida, an occupational license takes the least time due to required education/experience (0 days) for Bus Driver, City/Transit, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Truck Driver, Other, Farm Labor Contractor, Travel Agency, Milk Sampler, Bill Collection Agency, Gaming Cage Worker, Gaming Dealer, Gaming Supervisor, Slot Supervisor, Packer, Landscape Contractor (Commercial), Landscape Contractor (Residential), Fisher, Commercial.

In Florida, which occupational licenses require exams?

In Florida, to obtain an occupational license there is at least one exam required for: School Bus Driver, Preschool Teacher, Public School, Midwife, Direct Entry, Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Commercial), Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential), Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial), Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential), Glazier Contractor (Commercial), Glazier Contractor (Residential), HVAC Contractor (Commercial), HVAC Contractor (Residential), Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial), Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential), Mason Contractor (Commercial), Mason Contractor (Residential), Pipelayer Contractor, Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial), Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential), Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial), Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential), Athletic Trainer, Fire Alarm Installer, Security Alarm Installer, Optician, Pest Control Applicator, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, Earth Driller, Water Well, Cosmetologist, Massage Therapist, Barber, Bus Driver, City/Transit, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Truck Driver, Other, Auctioneer, Security Guard, Unarmed, Emergency Medical Technician, Mobile Home Installer, Farm Labor Contractor, Child Care Home, Family, Coach, Head (High School Sports), Animal Control Officer, Milk Sampler. School Bus Driver requires 6 exams.

Florida is one of the worst states in the nation for occupational licensing. It licenses 56 of the 102 lower-income occupations studied here, and its licensing laws rank as the fifth most burdensome. On average, they require $318 in fees, 693 days of education and experience, and around one exam. Because it licenses fewer occupations than states with similarly high burdens, Florida ranks as the 21st most widely and onerously licensed state.

Florida is one of only four states that license interior designers—the most arduously licensed occupation in this study. Aspiring interior designers must complete six years (2,190 days) of education, pay $1,120 in fees and pass one exam to perform commercial work in Florida. Such heavy burdens seem incongruent given that 47 other states do not license interior designers at all.

Florida also licenses several occupations more severely than it does others that may present greater risk to the public. For example, the education requirements to become a barber or cosmetologist are over 10 times higher than those to become an EMT (1,200 hours versus 110 hours, or roughly 280 days versus roughly 26 days). Florida could create more avenues to employment in the state by reducing or repealing its illogical requirements for lower-income occupations, 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	School Bus Driver	51	62	1834	40 clock hours	5 years	6	0	21
2	Preschool Teacher, Public School	50	505	1460	4 years	None	3	0	18
3	Midwife, Direct Entry	37	1805	1095	3 years	None	1	12	21
4	Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Commercial)	25	364	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
4	Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential)	30	364	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
4	Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial)	25	364	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
4	Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential)	30	364	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
4	Glazier Contractor (Commercial)	26	364	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
4	Glazier Contractor (Residential)	30	364	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
4	HVAC Contractor (Commercial)	37	364	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
4	HVAC Contractor (Residential)	35	364	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
4	Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial)	26	364	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
4	Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential)	30	364	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
4	Mason Contractor (Commercial)	26	364	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
4	Mason Contractor (Residential)	31	364	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
4	Pipelayer Contractor	27	364	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
4	Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial)	37	364	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
4	Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential)	36	364	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
4	Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial)	26	364	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
4	Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential)	31	364	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
21	Athletic Trainer	49	595	1460	4 years	None	1	0	0
22	Fire Alarm Installer	39	695	1095	None	3 years	2	0	18
22	Security Alarm Installer	37	695	1095	None	3 years	2	0	18
24	Optician	22	943	731	2 years & 4 clock hours	None	3	12	18
25	Pest Control Applicator	51	610	533	24 credit hours	1 year	1	12	18
25	Vegetation Pesticide Applicator	51	610	533	24 credit hours	1 year	1	12	18
27	Earth Driller, Water Well	51	150	732	12 clock hours	2 years	1	0	18
28	Cosmetologist	51	64	280	1200 clock hours	None	2	0	16
29	Massage Therapist	45	350	117	500 clock hours	None	1	0	18
30	Barber	51	174	140	602 clock hours	None	1	0	16
31	Bus Driver, City/Transit	51	82	0	None	None	5	0	18
32	Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer	51	75	0	None	None	5	0	18
33	Truck Driver, Other	51	75	0	None	None	4	0	18
34	Auctioneer	28	445	19	80 clock hours	None	1	0	18
35	Security Guard, Unarmed	34	98	9	40 clock hours	None	2	0	18
36	Emergency Medical Technician	51	133	26	110 clock hours	None	1	0	18
37	Mobile Home Installer	37	300	2	12 clock hours	None	1	0	18
38	Skin Care Specialist	51	75	51	220 clock hours	None	0	0	16
39	Farm Labor Contractor	10	160	0	None	None	1	0	18
40	Pharmacy Technician	44	105	37	160 clock hours	None	0	0	17
41	Child Care Home, Family	44	87	8	35 clock hours	None	1	0	18
42	Manicurist	51	75	42	180 clock hours	None	0	0	16
43	Coach, Head (High School Sports)	47	75	63	9 credit hours	None	1	0	0
44	Animal Control Officer	7	0	9	40 clock hours	None	1	0	0
45	Travel Agency	5	300	0	None	None	0	0	0
46	Milk Sampler	43	0	0	None	None	1	0	0
47	Bill Collection Agency	29	200	0	None	None	0	0	0
48	Gaming Cage Worker	30	137	0	None	None	0	0	0
48	Gaming Dealer	29	137	0	None	None	0	0	0
48	Gaming Supervisor	31	137	0	None	None	0	0	0
48	Slot Supervisor	29	137	0	None	None	0	0	0
52	Packer	7	100	0	None	None	0	0	0
53	Landscape Contractor (Commercial)	47	35	0	None	None	0	0	0
53	Landscape Contractor (Residential)	48	35	0	None	None	0	0	0
55	Fisher, Commercial	43	25	0	None	None	0	0	0

Florida Occupational Licensing

55 out of 102 moderate-income occupations licensed

5th most burdensome licensing laws for moderate-income occupations

Average Fees for Licenses:$300