Oregon
Oregon’s licensing laws for lower-income occupations are some of the worst in the nation, ranking as the eighth most burdensome. On average, they require $335 in fees, 537 days of education and experience, and roughly one exam. And because Oregon licenses more occupations than most other states—69 of the 102 studied here—it also ranks as the nation’s eighth most broadly and onerously licensed state.
Oregon licenses several occupations that are rarely licensed elsewhere. For example, few other states license dairy equipment still machine setters (two), farm labor contractors (nine), bartenders (12), locksmiths (13), commercial floor sander contractors (21) or commercial painting contractors (21). Among those, the two commercial contractor occupations face particularly steep burdens. In addition to paying hundreds of dollars in fees, both must demonstrate roughly 1,463 days of education and experience (comprising four years of experience and 16 hours of education). That is triple the average education and experience requirements across licensed states.
Oregon also makes it much more difficult to enter some occupations than others that may present greater risks to the public. For example, EMTs need demonstrate only about a month of education and experience, (an estimated 28 days, comprising 110 hours of education and 16 hours of experience) and pass two exams to become licensed. But cosmetologists must complete more than a year of education (about 397 days or 1,700 hours) and pass three exams. Oregon could improve its rankings by reducing or repealing these and other illogical licensing burdens—if government regulation is necessary—by replacing them with less restrictive regulatory alternatives.
| Burden Rank | Occupation | Fees | Estimated Calendar Days Lost | Education | Experience | Exams | Minimum Grade | Minimum Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Preschool Teacher, Public School | $665 | 2920 | 4 years | 4 years | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 2 | Athletic Trainer | $675 | 1460 | 4 years | - | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Commercial) | $410 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Cement Finishing Contractor (Commercial) | $410 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Door Repair Contractor (Commercial) | $410 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial) | $410 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial) | $410 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Glazier Contractor (Commercial) | $410 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 3 | Insulation Contractor (Commercial) | $410 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | HVAC Contractor (Commercial) | $385 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial) | $385 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | Mason Contractor (Commercial) | $385 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | Painting Contractor (Commercial) | $385 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | Paving Contractor (Commercial) | $385 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | Pipelayer Contractor | $385 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial) | $385 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial) | $385 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | Terrazzo Contractor (Commercial) | $385 | 1463 | 16 clock hours | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 19 | Midwife, Direct Entry | $1650 | 1095 | 3 years | - | 2 | 12 | 0 |
| 20 | Fire Alarm Installer | $425 | 1095 | - | 3 years | 1 | 12 | 18 |
| 20 | Security Alarm Installer | $425 | 1095 | - | 3 years | 1 | 12 | 18 |
| 22 | Landscape Contractor (Commercial) | $730 | 730 | - | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Landscape Contractor (Residential) | $730 | 730 | - | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Veterinary Technician | $345 | 730 | 2 years | - | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | School Bus Driver | $239 | 368 | - | 1 years and 15 clock hours | 6 | 0 | 18 |
| 26 | Bus Driver, City/Transit | $229 | 365 | - | 1 years | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 27 | Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer | $156 | 365 | - | 1 years | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| 28 | Truck Driver, Other | $156 | 365 | - | 1 years | 4 | 0 | 18 |
| 29 | Mobile Home Installer | $440 | 376 | 16 clock hours | 1600 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 30 | Cosmetologist | $115 | 397 | 1700 clock hours | - | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | Earth Driller, Water Well | $170 | 365 | - | 1 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 32 | Barber | $100 | 315 | 250 clock hours and 1100 clock hours | - | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Shampooer | $100 | 315 | 1350 clock hours | - | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | Massage Therapist | $401 | 146 | 625 clock hours | - | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 35 | Security Guard, Unarmed | $115 | 2 | 12 clock hours | - | 1 | 12 | 18 |
| 36 | Pharmacy Technician | $231 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| 37 | Manicurist | $90 | 140 | 600 clock hours | - | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Makeup Artist | $115 | 117 | 500 clock hours | - | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Skin Care Specialist | $115 | 117 | 500 clock hours | - | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | Vegetation Pesticide Applicator | $264 | 0 | - | - | 3 | 0 | 18 |
| 41 | Emergency Medical Technician | $235 | 28 | 110 clock hours | 16 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 42 | Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential) | $410 | 3 | 16 clock hours | - | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 42 | Cement Finishing Contractor (Residential) | $410 | 3 | 16 clock hours | - | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 42 | Door Repair Contractor (Residential) | $410 | 3 | 16 clock hours | - | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 42 | Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential) | $410 | 3 | 16 clock hours | - | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 42 | Floor Sander Contractor (Residential) | $410 | 3 | 16 clock hours | - | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 42 | Glazier Contractor (Residential) | $410 | 3 | 16 clock hours | - | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 42 | HVAC Contractor (Residential) | $410 | 3 | 16 clock hours | - | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 42 | Insulation Contractor (Residential) | $410 | 3 | 16 clock hours | - | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 42 | Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential) | $410 | 3 | 16 clock hours | - | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 42 | Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential) | $410 | 3 | 16 clock hours | - | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 52 | Mason Contractor (Residential) | $385 | 3 | 16 clock hours | - | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 52 | Painting Contractor (Residential) | $385 | 3 | 16 clock hours | - | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 52 | Paving Contractor (Residential) | $385 | 3 | 16 clock hours | - | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 52 | Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential) | $385 | 3 | 16 clock hours | - | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 52 | Terrazzo Contractor (Residential) | $385 | 3 | 16 clock hours | - | 1 | 0 | 18 |
| 57 | Pest Control Applicator | $206 | 0 | - | - | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 58 | Still Machine Setter, Dairy Equipment | $50 | 0 | - | - | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 59 | Milk Sampler | $25 | 0 | - | - | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| 60 | Bartender | $26 | 1 | 3.75 clock hours | - | 1 | 0 | 21 |
| 61 | Child Care Home, Family | $78 | 1 | - | 5 clock hours | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| 62 | Fisher, Commercial | $454 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 63 | Locksmith | $180 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 64 | Bill Collection Agency | $350 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 65 | Farm Labor Contractor | $150 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 66 | Wildlife Control Operator | $85 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 67 | Travel Guide | $150 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 68 | Taxidermist | $104 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 69 | Coach, Head (High School Sports) | $0 | 1 | 5 clock hours | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |