Louisiana
77 out of 102 moderate-income occupations licensed
43rd most burdensome licensing laws for moderate-income occupations
6th most extensively and onerously licensed state for moderate-income occupations
Summary
Louisiana licenses 77 of the 102 lower-income occupations studied here. Its laws are the 43rd most burdensome, requiring, on average, $360 in fees, 202 days of education and experience, and roughly two exams. Because Louisiana licenses so many of the occupations studied in this report—tying with Washington for the most occupations licensed—it ranks as the sixth most broadly and onerously licensed state.
Louisiana imposes burdens on some occupations that seem excessive compared to those for other occupations that may present greater risks to the public. For example, the barriers to opening a fire alarm or security alarm installation business in Louisiana are extremely high, even though not every state licenses them. Alarm installers must pay over $1,400 in fees, demonstrate more than five years (over 1,800 days) of education and experience, and pass four exams. EMTs meanwhile need only pay $110 in fees, complete 110 hours (roughly 26 days) of education and pass two exams for licensure.
Louisiana also licenses several occupations that are rarely licensed by other states. For example, it is one of just four states to license interior designers—the most arduously licensed occupation in this study. It requires $1,240 in fees, six years (2,190 days) of education and one exam. Louisiana is also the only state to license florists and is joined by just four other states in licensing non-instructional teacher assistants and by six others in licensing tree trimmers. As one of the two states that license the most occupations studied here, Louisiana could substantially improve its rankings by repealing these and other occupational licenses, 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 | Preschool Teacher, Public School | 50 | $516 | 2,555 | 4 years | 3 years | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
2 | Interior Designer | 4 | $1240 | 2,190 | 6 years | 1 | 12 | 0 | ||
3 | Fire Alarm Installer | 39 | $1665 | 1,827 | 11 clock hours | 5 years | 4 | 0 | 18 | |
4 | Security Alarm Installer | 37 | $1481 | 1,829 | 22 clock hours | 5 years | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
5 | Athletic Trainer | 49 | $466 | 1,460 | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | ||
6 | Pest Control Applicator | 51 | $210 | 1,460 | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
7 | Midwife, Direct Entry | 28 | $1488 | 1,095 | 3 years | 2 | 12 | 21 | ||
8 | Veterinary Technician | 36 | $405 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 12 | 0 | ||
9 | Earth Driller, Water Well | 51 | $470 | 730 | 2 years | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
10 | Barber | 51 | $72 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 3 | 12 | 18 | ||
11 | Cosmetologist | 51 | $75 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 16 | ||
12 | Mobile Home Installer | 39 | $251 | 366 | 1 days | 1 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
13 | Skin Care Specialist | 50 | $100 | 175 | 750 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 16 | ||
14 | Pharmacy Technician | 44 | $270 | 140 | 600 clock hours | 1 | 12 | 18 | ||
15 | Manicurist | 50 | $75 | 117 | 500 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 16 | ||
16 | School Bus Driver | 51 | $126 | 9 | 30 clock hours | 14 clock hours | 6 | 0 | 21 | |
17 | Teacher Assistant, Non-Instructional | 5 | $0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 20 | |||
18 | Landscape Contractor (Commercial) | 47 | $674 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 18 | |||
19 | Bus Driver, City/Transit | 51 | $121 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 18 | |||
20 | Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer | 51 | $116 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 18 | |||
21 | Massage Therapist | 44 | $421 | 117 | 500 clock hours | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
22 | Makeup Artist | 41 | $25 | 9 | 40 clock hours | 0 | 10 | 16 | ||
23 | Truck Driver, Other | 51 | $116 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 18 | |||
24 | Emergency Medical Technician | 51 | $110 | 26 | 110 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
25 | Security Guard, Unarmed | 34 | $81 | 3 | 16 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
26 | Auctioneer | 30 | $300 | 7 | 5 days | 1 | 0 | 18 | ||
27 | Vegetation Pesticide Applicator | 51 | $45 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | |||
28 | Locksmith | 14 | $318 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | |||
29 | Landscape Contractor (Residential) | 48 | $214 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 18 | |||
30 | Door Repair Contractor (Commercial) | 24 | $751 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
31 | Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Commercial) | 25 | $460 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
31 | Cement Finishing Contractor (Commercial) | 24 | $460 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
31 | Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) | 25 | $460 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
31 | Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial) | 22 | $460 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
31 | Glazier Contractor (Commercial) | 26 | $460 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
31 | HVAC Contractor (Commercial) | 37 | $460 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
31 | HVAC Contractor (Residential) | 35 | $460 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
31 | Insulation Contractor (Commercial) | 25 | $460 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
31 | Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial) | 26 | $460 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
31 | Mason Contractor (Commercial) | 26 | $460 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
31 | Painting Contractor (Commercial) | 22 | $460 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
31 | Paving Contractor (Commercial) | 24 | $460 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
31 | Pipelayer Contractor | 27 | $460 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
31 | Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial) | 37 | $460 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
31 | Terrazzo Contractor (Commercial) | 23 | $460 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
46 | Wildlife Control Operator | 23 | $40 | 2 | 10 clock hours | 1 | 0 | 18 | ||
47 | Gaming Cage Worker | 29 | $200 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | |||
47 | Gaming Dealer | 28 | $200 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | |||
47 | Gaming Supervisor | 30 | $200 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | |||
47 | Slot Supervisor | 28 | $200 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | |||
51 | Taxi Driver/Chauffeur | 16 | $55 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | |||
52 | Bartender | 13 | $0 | 0 | 2 clock hours | 1 | 0 | 18 | ||
53 | Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential) | 30 | $460 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
53 | Cement Finishing Contractor (Residential) | 30 | $460 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
53 | Door Repair Contractor (Residential) | 29 | $460 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
53 | Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential) | 30 | $460 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
53 | Floor Sander Contractor (Residential) | 27 | $460 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
53 | Glazier Contractor (Residential) | 30 | $460 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
53 | Insulation Contractor (Residential) | 30 | $460 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
53 | Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) | 30 | $460 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
53 | Mason Contractor (Residential) | 31 | $460 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
53 | Painting Contractor (Residential) | 28 | $460 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
53 | Paving Contractor (Residential) | 28 | $460 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
53 | Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential) | 36 | $460 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
53 | Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial) | 26 | $460 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
53 | Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) | 31 | $460 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
53 | Terrazzo Contractor (Residential) | 28 | $460 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
68 | Tree Trimmer | 7 | $214 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
69 | Florist | 1 | $189 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
70 | Shampooer | 37 | $0 | 9 | 40 clock hours | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
71 | Weigher | 25 | $75 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
72 | Milk Sampler | 42 | $0 | 1 | 1 days | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
73 | Travel Guide | 37 | $260 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
74 | Fisher, Commercial | 43 | $55 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
75 | Bill Collection Agency | 31 | $25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
76 | Animal Breeder | 28 | $23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
77 | Coach, Head (High School Sports) | 48 | $0 | 1 | 7 clock hours | 0 | 0 | 0 |