Rhode Island

Rhode Island Licensing Overview

Rhode Island licenses 70 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 25th in the nation. Rhode Island licensed occupations includes occupations that are rarely licensed elsewhere. Few other states license Teacher Assistant, Non-Instructional (5 other), Conveyor Operator (1 other), Tree Trimmer (8 other), Upholsterer (9 other).

On average, Rhode Island requires $236 in licensing fees, 297 days of education and about 1 exam. Fees for a license exceed $1000 for Midwife, Direct Entry.

Which occupation in a Rhode Island is the most regulated?

Out of the 70 occupations that require an occupational license in Rhode Island, licenses for , HVAC Contractor (Commercial), HVAC Contractor (Residential) have the highest burden.

Which occupation in a Rhode Island is the least regulated?

Out of the 70 occupations that require an occupational license in Rhode Island, a license for Security Guard, Unarmed has the lowest burden. A Security Guard, Unarmed license requires $5 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no of education.

Which occupational license in Rhode Island is the most expensive?

An occupational license in Rhode Island costs the most for Midwife, Direct Entry. A Midwife, Direct Entry license requires $1380 in fees, 1 exams, no experience, and 2 years of education.

Which occupational license in Rhode Island is the least expensive?

An occupational license for in Rhode Island costs the least for Teacher Assistant, Non-Instructional, Bartender where the license costs $0.

Which occupational license in Rhode Island takes the most time to obtain?

In Rhode Island, an occupational license takes the most time (due to required education/experience) for HVAC Contractor (Commercial), HVAC Contractor (Residential).It takes 2920 days (8 years) total.

Which occupational license in Rhode Island takes the least time to obtain?

In Rhode Island, an occupational license takes the least time due to required education/experience (0 days) for Interpreter, Sign Language, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, Pest Control Applicator, Bill Collection Agency, Conveyor Operator, Fire Alarm Installer, Crane Operator, Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Commercial), Cement Finishing Contractor (Commercial), Door Repair Contractor (Commercial), Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial), Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial), Glazier Contractor (Commercial), Insulation Contractor (Commercial), Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial), Mason Contractor (Commercial), Painting Contractor (Commercial), Paving Contractor (Commercial), Pipelayer Contractor, Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial), Terrazzo Contractor (Commercial), Wildlife Control Operator, Security Alarm Installer, Bartender, Earth Driller, Water Well, Gaming Supervisor, Slot Supervisor, Tree Trimmer, Gaming Cage Worker, Upholsterer, Animal Breeder, Travel Guide, Fisher, Commercial, Security Guard, Unarmed.

In Rhode Island, which occupational licenses require exams?

In Rhode Island, to obtain an occupational license there is at least one exam required for: HVAC Contractor (Commercial), HVAC Contractor (Residential), Preschool Teacher, Public School, Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial), Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential), Athletic Trainer, Optician, School Bus Driver, Bus Driver, City/Transit, Midwife, Direct Entry, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Truck Driver, Other, Barber, Cosmetologist, Shampooer, Skin Care Specialist, Manicurist, Emergency Medical Technician, Massage Therapist, Interpreter, Sign Language, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, Pest Control Applicator, Conveyor Operator, Fire Alarm Installer, Crane Operator, Wildlife Control Operator, Security Alarm Installer, Bartender, Earth Driller, Water Well, Tree Trimmer. School Bus Driver requires 7 exams.

Rhode Island is one of the worst states in the nation for occupational licensing, ranking as the 10th most broadly and onerously licensed. The state licenses more lower-income occupations than most states—72 of the 102 studied here. Rhode Island’s licensing laws rank as the 27th most burdensome, requiring an average of $223 in fees, 326 days of education and experience, and around one exam.

Rhode Island licenses some occupations that are rarely licensed elsewhere. It is the only state to license conveyor operators. And few other states license non-instructional teacher assistants (four), tree trimmers (six), bartenders (12) or sign language interpreters (21). Among those, sign language interpreters face particularly steep burdens. Rhode Island’s license requires $700 in fees, four years and 40 hours of education (an estimated 1,469 days), and two exams. Given that so few states see fit to license sign language interpreters at all, such heavy requirements are questionable.

Rhode Island also imposes education and experience burdens on some occupations that seem excessive compared to those for other occupations that may present greater risks to the public. For example, barbers and cosmetologists must complete nearly one year (roughly 350 days or 1,500 hours) of education before becoming licensed. These burdens are considerably heavier than those for EMTs. These emergency first responders need less than a month (an estimated 26 days or 110 hours) of education, even though they arguably bear more responsibility for public safety. Rhode Island could improve its rankings by reducing or repealing its heavy occupational licensing burdens for barbers, cosmetologists and other 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	HVAC Contractor (Commercial)	37	660	2920	None	8 years	4	0	18
1	HVAC Contractor (Residential)	35	660	2920	None	8 years	4	0	18
3	Preschool Teacher, Public School	50	586	2555	4 years	3 years	2	0	0
4	Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial)	37	510	1825	None	5 years	2	0	18
5	Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential)	36	468	1825	None	5 years	2	0	18
6	Athletic Trainer	49	450	1460	4 years	None	1	0	0
7	Optician	22	330	1095	2 years	1 year	2	12	18
8	School Bus Driver	51	168	1097	10 clock hours	3 years	7	0	21
9	Bus Driver, City/Transit	51	158	1095	None	3 years	5	0	21
10	Midwife, Direct Entry	37	1380	730	2 years	None	1	12	0
11	Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer	51	168	730	None	2 years	6	0	18
12	Truck Driver, Other	51	148	730	None	2 years	4	0	18
13	Barber	51	100	350	1500 clock hours	None	2	12	18
14	Cosmetologist	51	100	280	1200 clock hours	None	2	12	18
14	Shampooer	33	100	280	1200 clock hours	None	2	12	18
16	Taxi Driver/Chauffeur	13	33	365	None	1 year	0	0	21
17	Skin Care Specialist	51	100	140	600 clock hours	None	2	12	18
18	Manicurist	51	100	70	300 clock hours	None	2	12	18
19	Emergency Medical Technician	51	223	35	150 clock hours	None	2	12	18
20	Massage Therapist	45	295	152	650 clock hours	None	1	0	18
21	Child Care Home, Family	44	110	4	24 clock hours	None	0	12	21
22	Pharmacy Technician	44	25	140	None	600 clock hours	0	0	18
23	Interpreter, Sign Language	22	455	0	None	None	2	0	18
24	Vegetation Pesticide Applicator	51	45	0	None	None	4	0	18
25	Teacher Assistant, Non-Instructional	5	0	7	30 clock hours	None	0	12	0
26	Pest Control Applicator	51	45	0	None	None	2	0	18
27	Bill Collection Agency	29	801	0	None	None	0	0	0
28	Conveyor Operator	1	159	0	None	None	1	0	18
29	Fire Alarm Installer	39	462	0	None	None	2	0	0
30	Crane Operator	16	75	0	None	None	1	0	18
31	Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential)	30	200	1	5 clock hours	None	0	0	18
31	Cement Finishing Contractor (Residential)	30	200	1	5 clock hours	None	0	0	18
31	Door Repair Contractor (Residential)	29	200	1	5 clock hours	None	0	0	18
31	Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential)	30	200	1	5 clock hours	None	0	0	18
31	Floor Sander Contractor (Residential)	27	200	1	5 clock hours	None	0	0	18
31	Glazier Contractor (Residential)	30	200	1	5 clock hours	None	0	0	18
31	Insulation Contractor (Residential)	30	200	1	5 clock hours	None	0	0	18
31	Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential)	30	200	1	5 clock hours	None	0	0	18
31	Mason Contractor (Residential)	31	200	1	5 clock hours	None	0	0	18
31	Painting Contractor (Residential)	27	200	1	5 clock hours	None	0	0	18
31	Paving Contractor (Residential)	28	200	1	5 clock hours	None	0	0	18
31	Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential)	31	200	1	5 clock hours	None	0	0	18
31	Terrazzo Contractor (Residential)	28	200	1	5 clock hours	None	0	0	18
44	Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Commercial)	25	200	0	None	None	0	0	18
44	Cement Finishing Contractor (Commercial)	24	200	0	None	None	0	0	18
44	Door Repair Contractor (Commercial)	24	200	0	None	None	0	0	18
44	Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial)	25	200	0	None	None	0	0	18
44	Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial)	22	200	0	None	None	0	0	18
44	Glazier Contractor (Commercial)	26	200	0	None	None	0	0	18
44	Insulation Contractor (Commercial)	24	200	0	None	None	0	0	18
44	Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial)	26	200	0	None	None	0	0	18
44	Mason Contractor (Commercial)	26	200	0	None	None	0	0	18
44	Painting Contractor (Commercial)	22	200	0	None	None	0	0	18
44	Paving Contractor (Commercial)	24	200	0	None	None	0	0	18
44	Pipelayer Contractor	27	200	0	None	None	0	0	18
44	Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial)	26	200	0	None	None	0	0	18
44	Terrazzo Contractor (Commercial)	23	200	0	None	None	0	0	18
58	Wildlife Control Operator	23	25	0	None	None	1	0	18
59	Security Alarm Installer	37	505	0	None	None	1	0	0
60	Bartender	12	0	0	2 clock hours	None	1	0	18
61	Earth Driller, Water Well	51	380	0	None	None	1	0	0
62	Gaming Supervisor	31	300	0	None	None	0	0	0
62	Slot Supervisor	29	300	0	None	None	0	0	0
64	Tree Trimmer	8	50	0	None	None	1	0	0
65	Gaming Cage Worker	30	185	0	None	None	0	0	0
66	Upholsterer	9	180	0	None	None	0	0	0
67	Animal Breeder	29	100	0	None	None	0	0	0
67	Travel Guide	37	100	0	None	None	0	0	0
69	Fisher, Commercial	43	50	0	None	None	0	0	0
70	Security Guard, Unarmed	34	5	0	None	None	0	0	0

Rhode Island Occupational Licensing

70 out of 102 moderate-income occupations licensed

25th most burdensome licensing laws for moderate-income occupations

Average Fees for Licenses:$236