Iowa

Iowa Licensing Overview

Iowa licenses 71 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 38th in the nation. Iowa licensed occupations includes occupations that are rarely licensed elsewhere. Few other states license Dental Assistant (8 other), Electrical Helper (3 other).

On average, Iowa requires $152 in licensing fees, 269 days of education and about 1 exam. Fees for a license exceed $1000 for Fire Alarm Installer.

Which occupation in an Iowa is the most regulated?

Out of the 71 occupations that require an occupational license in Iowa, 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 Iowa is the least regulated?

Out of the 71 occupations that require an occupational license in Iowa, licenses for Electrical Helper, Taxidermist have the lowest burden.

Which occupational license in Iowa is the most expensive?

An occupational license in Iowa costs the most for Fire Alarm Installer. A Fire Alarm Installer license requires $1270 in fees, 3 exams, 5 years experience, and no of education.

Which occupational license in Iowa is the least expensive?

An occupational license for in Iowa costs the least for Milk Sampler, Electrical Helper, Taxidermist where the license costs $20.

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

In Iowa, 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), Preschool Teacher, Public School.It takes 2190 days (6 years) total.

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

In Iowa, 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, Wildlife Control Operator, Interpreter, Sign Language, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, Taxi Driver/Chauffeur, Gaming Cage Worker, Gaming Dealer, Gaming Supervisor, Slot Supervisor, Security Guard, Unarmed, Pest Control Applicator, Fisher, Commercial, Animal Breeder, Landscape Contractor (Commercial), Landscape Contractor (Residential), Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Commercial), Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential), Cement Finishing Contractor (Commercial), Cement Finishing Contractor (Residential), Door Repair Contractor (Commercial), Door Repair Contractor (Residential), Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial), Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential), Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial), Floor Sander Contractor (Residential), Glazier Contractor (Commercial), Glazier Contractor (Residential), Insulation Contractor (Commercial), Insulation Contractor (Residential), Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial), Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential), Mason Contractor (Commercial), Mason Contractor (Residential), Painting Contractor (Commercial), Painting Contractor (Residential), Paving Contractor (Commercial), Paving Contractor (Residential), Pipelayer Contractor, Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial), Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential), Terrazzo Contractor (Commercial), Terrazzo Contractor (Residential), Bill Collection Agency, Electrical Helper, Taxidermist.

In Iowa, which occupational licenses require exams?

In Iowa, 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), Preschool Teacher, Public School, Fire Alarm Installer, Athletic Trainer, Security Alarm Installer, Veterinary Technician, Earth Driller, Water Well, Barber, Cosmetologist, Shampooer, Mobile Home Installer, Dental Assistant, Skin Care Specialist, Makeup Artist, Pharmacy Technician, Manicurist, School Bus Driver, Bus Driver, City/Transit, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Massage Therapist, Emergency Medical Technician, Truck Driver, Other, Wildlife Control Operator, Milk Sampler, Interpreter, Sign Language, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, Pest Control Applicator. School Bus Driver requires 6 exams.

Iowa’s licensing laws for lower-income occupations are the 37th most burdensome. The state’s average barriers to entry are $178 in fees, 288 days lost to education and experience, and around one exam. Because Iowa licenses a relatively high number of the 102 occupations studied here—71—it ranks as the 12th most broadly and onerously licensed state, making it one of the worst states for occupational licensing for lower-income workers.

Iowa frequently licenses occupations that are rarely licensed elsewhere. For example, few other states license travel agencies (six) or dental assistants (eight). Iowa’s dental assistant license requires 20 hours of education and six months of experience (about 185 days total), $86 in fees, and three exams, steep requirements given that most states do not license the occupation at all. Iowa also licenses commercial and residential HVAC contractors and HVAC sheet metal contractors—some of the most heavily burdened occupations in the nation—much more onerously than the three dozen or so other states that license them. These occupations require 2,190 days—a full six years—of experience in Iowa compared to averages of about half that across licensed states.

Iowa also places some of the highest experience requirements in the nation on barbers and cosmetologists. Aspiring licensees must demonstrate 2,100 hours (roughly 490 days) of experience, while EMTs need only demonstrate 110 hours (roughly 26 days) to become licensed. Iowa should evaluate whether its high burdens for barbers, cosmetologists and other occupations can be reduced, repealed or—if government regulation is necessary—replaced 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	HVAC Contractor (Commercial)	37	434	2190	None	6 years	2	12	18
1	HVAC Contractor (Residential)	35	434	2190	None	6 years	2	12	18
1	Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial)	37	434	2190	None	6 years	2	12	18
1	Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential)	36	434	2190	None	6 years	2	12	18
5	Preschool Teacher, Public School	50	507	2190	4 years	2 years	2	0	0
6	Fire Alarm Installer	39	1270	1825	None	5 years	3	0	0
7	Athletic Trainer	49	510	1460	4 years	None	1	0	0
8	Security Alarm Installer	37	915	730	None	2 years	2	0	0
9	Veterinary Technician	36	370	730	2 years	None	2	0	0
10	Earth Driller, Water Well	51	225	730	None	2 years	2	0	0
11	Barber	51	135	490	2100 clock hours	None	2	10	16
12	Cosmetologist	51	118	490	2100 clock hours	None	1	12	0
12	Shampooer	33	118	490	2100 clock hours	None	1	12	0
14	Mobile Home Installer	37	300	366	8 clock hours	1 year	1	0	18
15	Dental Assistant	8	86	182	2 clock hours	6 months	2	12	17
16	Skin Care Specialist	51	118	140	600 clock hours	None	1	12	0
17	Makeup Artist	37	115	140	600 clock hours	None	1	12	0
18	Pharmacy Technician	44	169	117	500 clock hours	None	1	12	0
19	Manicurist	51	115	76	325 clock hours	None	1	12	0
20	Coach, Head (High School Sports)	47	160	13	56 clock hours	None	0	12	18
21	School Bus Driver	51	96	3	15 clock hours	None	6	0	18
22	Bus Driver, City/Transit	51	86	0	None	None	5	0	18
23	Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer	51	76	0	None	None	5	0	18
24	Massage Therapist	45	315	117	500 clock hours	None	1	0	0
25	Emergency Medical Technician	51	178	35	150 clock hours	None	2	0	18
26	Truck Driver, Other	51	76	0	None	None	4	0	18
27	Wildlife Control Operator	23	25	0	None	None	2	0	18
28	Milk Sampler	43	20	1	1 day	None	2	0	16
29	Interpreter, Sign Language	22	470	0	None	None	1	0	0
30	Vegetation Pesticide Applicator	51	100	0	None	None	3	0	0
31	Taxi Driver/Chauffeur	13	64	0	None	None	0	0	18
32	Gaming Cage Worker	30	58	0	None	None	0	0	18
32	Gaming Dealer	29	58	0	None	None	0	0	18
32	Gaming Supervisor	31	58	0	None	None	0	0	18
32	Slot Supervisor	29	58	0	None	None	0	0	18
36	Security Guard, Unarmed	34	40	0	None	None	0	0	18
37	Pest Control Applicator	51	100	0	None	None	2	0	0
38	Fisher, Commercial	43	202	0	None	None	0	0	0
39	Animal Breeder	29	175	0	None	None	0	0	0
40	Landscape Contractor (Commercial)	47	75	0	None	None	0	0	0
40	Landscape Contractor (Residential)	48	75	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Commercial)	25	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential)	30	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Cement Finishing Contractor (Commercial)	24	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Cement Finishing Contractor (Residential)	30	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Door Repair Contractor (Commercial)	24	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Door Repair Contractor (Residential)	29	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial)	25	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential)	30	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial)	22	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Floor Sander Contractor (Residential)	27	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Glazier Contractor (Commercial)	26	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Glazier Contractor (Residential)	30	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Insulation Contractor (Commercial)	24	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Insulation Contractor (Residential)	30	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial)	26	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential)	30	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Mason Contractor (Commercial)	26	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Mason Contractor (Residential)	31	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Painting Contractor (Commercial)	22	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Painting Contractor (Residential)	27	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Paving Contractor (Commercial)	24	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Paving Contractor (Residential)	28	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Pipelayer Contractor	27	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial)	26	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential)	31	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Terrazzo Contractor (Commercial)	23	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
42	Terrazzo Contractor (Residential)	28	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
69	Bill Collection Agency	29	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
70	Electrical Helper	3	20	0	None	None	0	0	0
70	Taxidermist	28	20	0	None	None	0	0	0

Iowa Occupational Licensing

71 out of 102 moderate-income occupations licensed

38th most burdensome licensing laws for moderate-income occupations

Average Fees for Licenses:$152