License to Work: A National Study of Burdens from Occupational Licensing
Highlights
34 out of 102 moderate-income occupations licensed
28th most burdensome licensing laws
43rd most extensively and onerously licensed state
(Last updated April 24, 2012)
Summary
New Hampshire requires a license to perform 34 of the 102 low- to moderate-income occupations studied. It ranks as the 43rd most broadly and onerously licensed state. On average, aspiring practitioners pay $209 in fees, lose 230 days to training and take two exams -- the 28th most burdensome licensing laws. Despite these better-than-average rankings, New Hampshire has room to improve.
New Hampshire imposes above-average barriers on some occupations. For example, it requires two years of training to become a mobile home installer, while the average across licensed states is just about eight months. Aspiring midwives must pay $920 in fees, whereas the average across licensed states is $619.
Eleven of the occupations New Hampshire licenses are also licensed by less than half of the other states. For example, New Hampshire is one of only five states that license shampooers. Occupations like these, where other states are doing fine without licensing an occupation, are candidates for reform.
So are occupations whose burdens appear out-of-line with public safety concerns. For example, in New Hampshire, it takes months of training to become a licensed cosmetologist, barber, massage therapist, skin care specialist or manicurist, but only 26 days to earn a license as an emergency medical technician.