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New Hampshire

New Hampshire Occupational Licensing

37 out of 102 moderate-income occupations licensed

19th most burdensome licensing laws for moderate-income occupations

Average Fees for Licenses:$209

New Hampshire Licensing Overview

New Hampshire licenses 37 out of 102 lower-income occupations (more than half of the occupations included in the study) . The state’s licensing laws are about average when compared to other states. The state's licensing laws rank 19th in the nation. New Hampshire licensed occupations includes occupations that are rarely licensed elsewhere. Few other states license Animal Trainer (7 other).

On average, New Hampshire requires $209 in licensing fees, 326 days of education and about 2 exam. Fees for a license exceed $1000 for Interpreter, Sign Language, Midwife, Direct Entry.

Which occupation in a New Hampshire is the most regulated?

Out of the 37 occupations that require an occupational license in New Hampshire, a license for Preschool Teacher, Public School has the highest burden. A Preschool Teacher, Public School license requires $566 in fees, 2 exams, 3 years experience, and 4 years of education.

Which occupation in a New Hampshire is the least regulated?

Out of the 37 occupations that require an occupational license in New Hampshire, licenses for Landscape Contractor (Commercial), Landscape Contractor (Residential) have the lowest burden.

Which occupational license in New Hampshire is the most expensive?

An occupational license in New Hampshire costs the most for Midwife, Direct Entry. A Midwife, Direct Entry license requires $1430 in fees, 2 exams, no experience, and 2 years of education.

Which occupational license in New Hampshire is the least expensive?

An occupational license for in New Hampshire costs the least for Milk Sampler. A Milk Sampler license requires $5 in fees, 1 exams, no experience, and no of education.

Which occupational license in New Hampshire takes the most time to obtain?

In New Hampshire, an occupational license takes the most time (due to required education/experience) for Preschool Teacher, Public School. It takes 2555 days (7 years) total. A Preschool Teacher, Public School license requires $566 in fees, 2 exams, 3 years experience, and 4 years of education.

Which occupational license in New Hampshire takes the least time to obtain?

In New Hampshire, an occupational license takes the least time due to required education/experience (0 days) for Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Bus Driver, City/Transit, Truck Driver, Other, Travel Guide, Weigher, Animal Breeder, Child Care Home, Family, Pharmacy Technician, Gaming Supervisor, Milk Sampler, Optician, Fisher, Commercial, Taxidermist, Gaming Dealer, Security Guard, Unarmed, Landscape Contractor (Commercial), Landscape Contractor (Residential).

In New Hampshire, which occupational licenses require exams?

In New Hampshire, to obtain an occupational license there is at least one exam required for: Preschool Teacher, Public School, Interpreter, Sign Language, Athletic Trainer, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, Pest Control Applicator, Earth Driller, Water Well, Midwife, Direct Entry, School Bus Driver, Cosmetologist, Barber, Massage Therapist, Makeup Artist, Skin Care Specialist, Manicurist, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Emergency Medical Technician, Bus Driver, City/Transit, Truck Driver, Other, Auctioneer, Travel Guide, Weigher, Animal Trainer, Milk Sampler. Vegetation Pesticide Applicator requires 11 exams.

New Hampshire licenses 38 of the 102 lower-income occupations studied here—fewer than average—and its laws rank as the 34th most burdensome. On average, New Hampshire’s barriers to entry to lower-income occupations are $183 in fees, 273 days of education and experience, and roughly two exams. New Hampshire ranks as the 41st most broadly and onerously licensed, placing it among the nation’s less burdened states.

New Hampshire licenses several occupations that are rarely licensed elsewhere, such as animal trainers (licensed by eight other states), sign language interpreters (21 others), opticians (21 others) and auctioneers (29 others). Among those, sign language interpreters face particularly steep burdens in New Hampshire: $875 in fees, about 1,469 days (four years and 40 hours) of education and two exams.

New Hampshire also makes it much more difficult to enter many occupations—such as barbering or cosmetology—than it does to become an EMT, an occupation that arguably has a stronger connection to public safety. Barbers must complete 800 hours (an estimated 187 days) of education, while cosmetologists must complete 1,500 hours (an estimated 350 days). EMTs, on the other hand, need only complete 150 hours (an estimated 35 days) of education. In 2017, New Hampshire exempted hair braiders from the state’s cosmetology laws. It could expand opportunities by reducing or repealing its heavy licensing burdens for other lower-income occupations, or—if government regulation is demonstrably necessary—by replacing them with less restrictive alternatives.

New Hampshire 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 50 566 2555 4 years 3 years 2 0 0
2 Interpreter, Sign Language 22 1085 1460 4 years None 2 0 18
3 Athletic Trainer 49 560 1460 4 years None 1 0 0
4 Vegetation Pesticide Applicator 51 95 1095 None 3 years 11 0 18
5 Pest Control Applicator 51 75 1095 None 3 years 7 0 18
6 Earth Driller, Water Well 51 185 1095 None 3 years 1 0 0
7 Midwife, Direct Entry 37 1430 730 2 years None 2 12 0
8 School Bus Driver 51 100 732 10 clock hours 2 years 6 0 18
9 Mobile Home Installer 37 75 731 6 clock hours 2 years 0 0 18
10 Cosmetologist 51 218 350 1500 clock hours None 2 12 0
11 Barber 51 233 187 800 clock hours None 2 12 16
12 Massage Therapist 45 305 175 750 clock hours None 1 12 18
13 Makeup Artist 37 223 140 600 clock hours None 2 12 0
14 Skin Care Specialist 51 174 140 600 clock hours None 2 12 0
15 Manicurist 51 218 70 300 clock hours None 2 12 0
16 Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer 51 80 0 None None 6 0 18
17 Emergency Medical Technician 51 146 35 150 clock hours None 2 0 18
18 Bus Driver, City/Transit 51 90 0 None None 5 0 18
19 Truck Driver, Other 51 80 0 None None 5 0 18
20 Auctioneer 28 275 19 80 clock hours None 1 0 18
21 Travel Guide 37 100 0 None None 2 0 18
22 Weigher 24 116 0 None None 1 0 18
23 Animal Breeder 29 100 0 None None 0 0 18
24 Child Care Home, Family 44 43 0 None None 0 0 18
25 Pharmacy Technician 44 100 0 None None 0 0 16
26 Gaming Supervisor 31 510 0 None None 0 0 0
27 Animal Trainer 7 39 3 15 clock hours None 2 0 0
28 Wildlife Control Operator 23 139 1 6 clock hours None 0 0 0
29 Milk Sampler 43 5 0 None None 1 0 0
30 Optician 22 110 0 None None 0 0 0
31 Fisher, Commercial 43 50 0 None None 0 0 0
31 Taxidermist 28 50 0 None None 0 0 0
33 Coach, Head (High School Sports) 47 25 2 14 clock hours None 0 0 0
34 Gaming Dealer 29 40 0 None None 0 0 0
34 Security Guard, Unarmed 34 40 0 None None 0 0 0
36 Landscape Contractor (Commercial) 47 25 0 None None 0 0 0
36 Landscape Contractor (Residential) 48 25 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.

View Report