Occupational licensing · profession coverage

Which professions are licensed almost everywhere?

Compare the occupations that states regulate most consistently, then open a profession to see the state-by-state rule behind its national coverage.

Computed from current state licensing-board requirement records

Professions shown
60
Universal licenses
60
Categories compared
14
Jurisdictions
51 incl. D.C.
# Profession States Requiring License
1 Amusement Ride Operator 51 / 51
2 Animal Breeder 51 / 51
3 Arborist / Tree Surgeon 51 / 51
4 Armed Security Guard 51 / 51
5 Athletic Agent 51 / 51
6 Athletic Trainer 51 / 51
7 Auctioneer 51 / 51
8 Barber 51 / 51
9 Bartender / Alcohol Server 51 / 51
10 Body Piercer 51 / 51
11 Casino/Gaming Dealer 51 / 51
12 Certified Nurse-Midwife 51 / 51
13 Certified Public Accountant (CPA) 51 / 51
14 Chauffeur / Limousine Driver 51 / 51
15 Childcare Center Director 51 / 51
16 Commercial Truck Driver (CDL) 51 / 51
17 Cosmetologist 51 / 51
18 Court Reporter / Stenographer 51 / 51
19 Debt Collector 51 / 51
20 Dental Assistant 51 / 51
21 Dental Hygienist 51 / 51
22 Dietetic Technician 51 / 51
23 Electrician 51 / 51
24 Electrologist 51 / 51
25 Elementary School Teacher 51 / 51
26 Elevator Installer 51 / 51
27 Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) 51 / 51
28 Esthetician 51 / 51
29 Farrier / Horseshoer 51 / 51
30 Fire Sprinkler Installer 51 / 51
31 Food Handler / Food Safety Certification 51 / 51
32 Funeral Director / Embalmer 51 / 51
33 General Contractor 51 / 51
34 Glazier 51 / 51
35 Hair Braider 51 / 51
36 Hearing Aid Specialist 51 / 51
37 Home Health Aide 51 / 51
38 Home Inspector 51 / 51
39 HVAC Technician 51 / 51
40 Insurance Agent 51 / 51
41 Interior Designer 51 / 51
42 Land Surveyor 51 / 51
43 Landscape Architect 51 / 51
44 Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) 51 / 51
45 Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) 51 / 51
46 Licensed Professional Counselor 51 / 51
47 Locksmith 51 / 51
48 Marriage and Family Therapist 51 / 51
49 Massage Therapist 51 / 51
50 Medical Assistant 51 / 51
51 Medical Lab Technician 51 / 51
52 Mobile Home Installer 51 / 51
53 Mortgage Loan Originator 51 / 51
54 Nail Technician 51 / 51
55 Notary Public 51 / 51
56 Occupational Therapist 51 / 51
57 Optician (Dispensing) 51 / 51
58 Optometrist 51 / 51
59 Painter (Contractor) 51 / 51
60 Paramedic 51 / 51

Out of 51 jurisdictions (50 states + Washington D.C.). A profession appearing in all 51 has a universal licensing requirement across the U.S. Source: State licensing board databases and Institute for Justice License to Work research.

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher.

Every figure on PlainCredential is rendered directly from NCSL and state occupational- licensing board data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NCSL and state licensing board data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.