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Institute for Justice

LTW Occupation

School Bus Driver

License to Work: A National Study of Burdens from Occupational Licensing

License to Work: A National Study of Burdens from Occupational Licensing

Highlights

License required in 51 states
25th most burdensome licensing requirements
6th most heavily regulated occupation

(Last updated April 24, 2012)

Definition

School bus drivers transport students or special clients, such as the elderly or persons with disabilities. Drivers ensure adherence to safety rules and may assist passengers in boarding or exiting.

Summary

All 50 states and the District of Columbia require a license for school bus drivers. Every state requires at least six exams; Rhode Island
requires seven, and West Virginia and Arizona require eight. Every state imposes fees ranging from nine dollars (Montana) to $239 (Oregon) and minimum age requirements of 18 or 21. West Virginia also requires that applicants complete the 12th grade. Twenty states require that applicants have previous driving experience in the form of possessing a driver's license for anywhere from six months (North Carolina) to five years (Florida and Montana). Of those 20 states, 15 also require a short course or other form of training. Twenty-two states require only a short course or behind-the-wheel training ranging from one to 10 days. Eight states and D.C. have no experience or training requirement. These requirements rank as the 25th most burdensome among occupations studied. Because school bus drivers are licensed everywhere, the occupation ranks as the sixth most widely and onerously licensed.

(Last updated May 1, 2012)

State Licensing Requirements

Burden RankStateFeesEducation/Experience (Days)ExamsMinimum GradeMinimum Age
1 Florida 62 1,830 6 0 18
2 Montana 9 1,825 6 0 18
3 West Virginia 146 1,105 8 12 21
4 Rhode Island 114 1,097 7 0 21
5 Alaska 229 1,097 6 0 21
6 New Jersey 171 1,095 6 0 21
7 Massachusetts 175 1,099 6 0 18
8 Ohio 205 735 6 0 18
9 Georgia 80 734 6 0 18
10 New Hampshire 80 732 6 0 18
11 Arizona 70 370 8 0 18
12 Washington 170 365 6 0 21
13 Hawaii 135 365 6 0 21
14 Oregon 239 367 6 0 18
15 Utah 114 365 6 0 21
16 Maine 76 365 6 0 21
17 Kansas 49 367 6 0 21
18 Idaho 148 367 6 0 18
19 Delaware 40 368 6 0 18
20 North Carolina 150 184 6 0 18
21 Nevada 178 9 6 0 21
22 Indiana 146 9 6 0 21
23 Washington, D.C. 156 0 6 0 21
24 Colorado 149 0 6 0 21
25 Louisiana 126 9 6 0 21
26 Kentucky 110 4 6 0 21
27 Connecticut 96 2 6 0 21
28 Maryland 90 2 6 0 21
29 Alabama 69 2 6 0 21
30 California 59 4 6 0 21
31 Tennessee 59 0 6 0 21
32 New York 50 1 6 0 21
33 North Dakota 41 0 6 0 21
34 Illinois 36 0 6 0 21
35 Vermont 132 0 6 0 18
36 Wisconsin 129 0 6 0 18
37 South Dakota 125 1 6 0 18
38 Wyoming 85 0 6 0 18
39 Texas 76 3 6 0 18
40 Michigan 70 3 6 0 18
41 Mississippi 74 1 6 0 18
42 Arkansas 62 4 6 0 18
43 Virginia 35 10 6 0 18
44 Oklahoma 47 4 6 0 18
45 Pennsylvania 42 3 6 0 18
46 South Carolina 34 5 6 0 18
47 Iowa 41 2 6 0 18
48 New Mexico 33 5 6 0 18
49 Nebraska 34 2 6 0 18
50 Minnesota 37 0 6 0 18
51 Missouri 30 1 6 0 18

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