Texas
Texas licenses 37 of the 102 lower-income occupations studied here. Its laws are the 21st most burdensome and require, on average, $253 in fees, 341 days of education and experience, and around two exams. Licensing fewer lower-income occupations than most states, Texas ranks as the nation’s 42nd most broadly and onerously licensed state.
Despite licensing fewer occupations than most states, Texas does license some occupations that are rarely licensed elsewhere. For example, few other states license animal control officers (six), locksmiths (13) or weighers (24). Security alarm installers are not licensed by 14 states, yet Texas requires two years (730 days) of experience, $462 in fees and one exam before a person can open a security alarm installation business.
Texas imposes burdens on some occupations that seem excessive compared to those for other occupations that may present a greater risk to public safety. For example, it takes 10 times longer to become a cosmetologist or barber than it does to become an EMT (approximately 350 days or 1,500 hours of education versus approximately 35 days or 150 hours). Practitioners of these occupations should not be required to undergo so much more training than emergency first responders. Texas could expand lower-income employment opportunities by reducing or repealing its licensure burdens for cosmetologists, barbers and many 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 | Fees | Estimated Calendar Days Lost | Education | Experience | Exams | Minimum Grade | Minimum Age |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Preschool Teacher, Public School | $375 | 1460 | 4 years | - | 2 | 0 | 18 |
2 | HVAC Contractor (Commercial) | $209 | 1460 | - | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
2 | Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial) | $209 | 1460 | - | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
4 | Athletic Trainer | $544 | 1460 | 4 years | - | 2 | 0 | 0 |
5 | HVAC Contractor (Residential) | $195 | 1460 | - | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
5 | Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential) | $195 | 1460 | - | 4 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
7 | Security Alarm Installer | $462 | 730 | - | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 18 |
8 | Earth Driller, Water Well | $267 | 730 | - | 2 years | 1 | 0 | 0 |
9 | Midwife, Direct Entry | $1235 | 365 | 1 years | - | 2 | 12 | 0 |
10 | Cosmetologist | $176 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | - | 2 | 12 | 17 |
11 | Pest Control Applicator | $678 | 379 | 28 clock hours | 1 years and 40 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 0 |
11 | Vegetation Pesticide Applicator | $678 | 379 | 28 clock hours | 1 years and 40 clock hours | 2 | 0 | 0 |
13 | Barber | $55 | 350 | 1500 clock hours | - | 2 | 0 | 16 |
14 | Skin Care Specialist | $176 | 175 | 750 clock hours | - | 2 | 12 | 17 |
15 | Manicurist | $176 | 140 | 600 clock hours | - | 2 | 12 | 17 |
16 | Massage Therapist | $346 | 117 | 500 clock hours | - | 2 | 0 | 18 |
17 | Emergency Medical Technician | $144 | 35 | 150 clock hours | - | 2 | 12 | 18 |
18 | Shampooer | $156 | 70 | 300 clock hours | - | 2 | 7 | 16 |
19 | Auctioneer | $155 | 19 | 80 clock hours | - | 1 | 12 | 18 |
20 | School Bus Driver | $84 | 3 | 20 clock hours | - | 6 | 0 | 18 |
21 | Child Care Home, Family | $76 | 7 | 1 clock hours | 30 clock hours | 0 | 12 | 21 |
22 | Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer | $85 | 0 | - | - | 5 | 0 | 18 |
23 | Bus Driver, City/Transit | $84 | 0 | - | - | 5 | 0 | 18 |
24 | Truck Driver, Other | $85 | 0 | - | - | 4 | 0 | 18 |
25 | Pharmacy Technician | $209 | 0 | - | - | 1 | 12 | 0 |
26 | Fire Alarm Installer | $700 | 0 | - | - | 2 | 0 | 0 |
27 | Mobile Home Installer | $591 | 2 | 12 clock hours | - | 1 | 0 | 0 |
28 | Security Guard, Unarmed | $62 | 1 | 6 clock hours | - | 1 | 0 | 18 |
29 | Locksmith | $63 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 18 |
30 | Weigher | $500 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
31 | Animal Control Officer | $75 | 2 | 12 clock hours | - | 2 | 0 | 0 |
32 | Milk Sampler | $0 | 1 | 1 days | - | 1 | 0 | 0 |
33 | Travel Guide | $132 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
34 | Landscape Contractor (Commercial) | $75 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
34 | Landscape Contractor (Residential) | $75 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
36 | Fisher, Commercial | $53 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
37 | Coach, Head (High School Sports) | $0 | 1 | 5 clock hours | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |