Ohio
40 out of 102 moderate-income occupations licensed
20th most burdensome licensing laws for moderate-income occupations
38th most extensively and onerously licensed state for moderate-income occupations
Summary
Ohio’s occupational licensing laws for lower-income occupations are the 20th most burdensome, requiring, on average, $188 in fees, 350 days of education and experience, and around one exam. Ohio licenses fewer of the occupations studied here—40 of 102—than average, making it the nation’s 38th most broadly and onerously licensed state.
Ohio is the only state to license social and human service assistants, and it does so onerously: Its license requires a $50 fee, two years (730 days) of education, and one exam. As no other state deems licensure of social and human service assistants necessary, Ohio’s decision to license the occupation at all, let alone so arduously, is questionable. Ohio also imposes heavy education and experience burdens on would-be auctioneers, requiring an estimated 379 days (comprising one year of experience and 10 days of education) to become licensed. But the average across licensed states is 94 days—and 21 states do not even license auctioneers at all.
Ohio also imposes burdens on several occupations that seem excessive compared to those for other occupations that may present greater risks to the public. For example, barbers lose 420 days (1,800 hours) to education, and cosmetologists 350 days (1,500 hours). EMTs, on the other hand, lose only 35 days (150 hours) to education before they are allowed to provide life-saving aid. Ohio could expand employment opportunities in the state by repealing or reducing its arduous licensing requirements for barbers, cosmetologists and other lower-income occupations, or—if government regulation is necessary—by replacing them with less restrictive regulatory alternatives such as inspections or voluntary certification.
Burden Rank | Occupation | Number of States that License | Fees | Education/Experience (Days) | Education | Experience | Exams | Minimum Grade | Minimum Age | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Coach, Head (High School Sports) | 48 | $570 | 2,921 | 4 years and 4.5 clock hours | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
2 | HVAC Contractor (Commercial) | 37 | $140 | 1,825 | 5 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | ||
2 | Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial) | 37 | $140 | 1,825 | 5 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | ||
4 | Athletic Trainer | 49 | $446 | 1,460 | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
5 | Optician | 22 | $321 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 12 | 18 | ||
6 | School Bus Driver | 51 | $205 | 735 | 15 clock hours | 2 years and 12 clock hours | 6 | 0 | 21 | |
7 | Veterinary Technician | 36 | $335 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
8 | Preschool Teacher, Public School | 50 | $305 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
9 | Social and Human Service Assistant | 1 | $50 | 730 | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 | ||
10 | Barber | 51 | $120 | 420 | 1800 clock hours | 2 | 8 | 18 | ||
11 | Auctioneer | 30 | $340 | 379 | 10 days | 1 years | 3 | 0 | 18 | |
12 | Cosmetologist | 51 | $51 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 16 | ||
13 | Mobile Home Installer | 39 | $350 | 367 | 12 clock hours | 1 years | 1 | 0 | 18 | |
14 | Shampooer | 37 | $51 | 280 | 1200 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 16 | ||
15 | Massage Therapist | 44 | $391 | 175 | 750 clock hours | 1 | 12 | 18 | ||
16 | Makeup Artist | 41 | $51 | 140 | 600 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 16 | ||
16 | Skin Care Specialist | 50 | $51 | 140 | 600 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 16 | ||
18 | Manicurist | 50 | $51 | 47 | 200 clock hours | 2 | 10 | 16 | ||
19 | Child Care Home, Family | 44 | $296 | 1 | 7 clock hours | 0 | 12 | 18 | ||
20 | Pharmacy Technician | 44 | $46 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 18 | |||
21 | Bus Driver, City/Transit | 51 | $162 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 18 | |||
22 | Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer | 51 | $119 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 18 | |||
23 | Gaming Supervisor | 30 | $500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | |||
23 | Slot Supervisor | 28 | $500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | |||
25 | Truck Driver, Other | 51 | $119 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 18 | |||
26 | Emergency Medical Technician | 51 | $80 | 35 | 150 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 | ||
27 | Gaming Cage Worker | 29 | $250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | |||
27 | Gaming Dealer | 28 | $250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | |||
29 | Vegetation Pesticide Applicator | 51 | $70 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | |||
30 | Animal Breeder | 28 | $410 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
31 | Pest Control Applicator | 51 | $70 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |||
32 | Earth Driller, Water Well | 51 | $250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
33 | Wildlife Control Operator | 23 | $40 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
34 | Landscape Contractor (Commercial) | 47 | $125 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
34 | Landscape Contractor (Residential) | 48 | $125 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
36 | Milk Sampler | 42 | $15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
37 | Upholsterer | 10 | $50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
38 | Security Guard, Unarmed | 34 | $40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
39 | Fisher, Commercial | 43 | $20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
40 | Weigher | 25 | $10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |