How hard is it
to get licensed?
Compare education hours, exam requirements, fees, and reciprocity for 97 regulated professions across all 50 states + DC, direct from state licensing boards.
- Professions
- 97
- States + DC
- 51
- Requirement records
- 4,947
- Categories
- 15
Browse by Category
Popular Professions
View all 97 professionsAmusement Ride Operator
MiscellaneousOperates carnival and amusement rides. Licensed for safety.
Compare requirements →Animal Breeder
Animal CareBreeds animals for sale. Licensed in many states for animal welfare.
Compare requirements →Arborist / Tree Surgeon
AgricultureProvides tree care services. Licensed in some states and cities.
Compare requirements →Armed Security Guard
Legal & SecurityProvides security services with authorization to carry a firearm.
Compare requirements →Athletic Agent
MiscellaneousRepresents athletes in negotiations. Registered in ~40 states.
Compare requirements →Athletic Trainer
HealthcarePrevents and treats injuries for athletes. Requires BOC examination.
Compare requirements →Auctioneer
MiscellaneousConducts auctions for the sale of goods and property.
Compare requirements →Barber
CosmetologyCuts and styles hair. Licensed in all 50 states and DC.
Compare requirements →Bartender / Alcohol Server
Food & HospitalityPrepares and serves alcoholic beverages in licensed establishments.
Compare requirements →Learn About Occupational Licensing
From license reciprocity to state-by-state burden rankings, our guides help you navigate professional licensing requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PlainCredential?
PlainCredential is a free tool for comparing occupational licensing requirements across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. It helps workers and job seekers understand what credentials they need to work legally in their profession.
Where does PlainCredential get its licensing data?
Data is compiled from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and the Institute for Justice (IJ) License to Work research, supplemented by verification against individual state licensing board websites.
How many professions does PlainCredential cover?
PlainCredential tracks licensing requirements for 97 professions across 51 jurisdictions (50 states + D.C.), covering nearly 5,000 individual licensing requirement records.
Is PlainCredential free?
Yes, PlainCredential is completely free. You can look up licensing requirements for any covered profession in any state without any account or payment.
Related Guides
Editorial context for the plaincredential dataset, methodology, comparisons, and deep dives into the underlying records.
Research
Original analysis from PlainCredential, every statistic derived from our own database. See all research.
Healthcare Licensing Across 20 Professions in 2022
A breakdown of licensing thresholds, education hours, and renewal cycles across 20 healthcare professions, drawn from NCSL and IJ jurisdiction data.
ResearchAggregated Licensing Burdens in 15 Southern States for 2022
This page aggregates licensing data for 15 Southern states, highlighting Alabama's 53.5 burden score and 97 licensed professions, using 2,594 rows from NCSL and IJ sources to reveal regional patterns.
ResearchLicensing Breakdown for 20 Healthcare Professions in 2022
Analyze licensing requirements for 20 healthcare professions across 51 states, featuring registered nurses in Alabama with 24 CE hours and Alaska's 30 hours, based on 2,594 detailed rows from key datasets.
About this data
How PlainCredential works, and why you can trust these numbers
What this site is
PlainCredential compares occupational licensing requirements (education hours, exam requirements, fees, and reciprocity) for 97 professions across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., nearly 5,000 individual licensing requirement records in all.
Editorial process
- Source. Compile licensing requirements from the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Institute for Justice License to Work research.
- Verify. Each requirement is checked against the relevant state licensing board website to confirm it reflects the board’s current published rule.
- Publish. Compile a per-profession, per-state page with education hours, exam requirements, fees, and reciprocity, so readers can compare requirements before relocating or entering a profession.
Editorial independence & corrections
PlainCredential is independent and accepts no payment, sponsorship, or promoted placement from any licensing board or professional association. Found an error or an outdated requirement? File a correction via the contact page; we review corrections and publish updates with a visible revision note. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.
Frequently asked
What is PlainCredential?
PlainCredential is a free tool for comparing occupational licensing requirements across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. It helps workers and job seekers understand what credentials they need to work legally in their profession.
Where does PlainCredential get its licensing data?
Data is compiled from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and the Institute for Justice (IJ) License to Work research, supplemented by verification against individual state licensing board websites.
How many professions does PlainCredential cover?
PlainCredential tracks licensing requirements for 97 professions across 51 jurisdictions (50 states + D.C.), covering nearly 5,000 individual licensing requirement records.
Is PlainCredential free?
Yes, PlainCredential is completely free. You can look up licensing requirements for any covered profession in any state without any account or payment.