The National Occupational Licensing Meeting

The National Occupational Licensing Meeting marked the culmination of a four-year collaboration between The Council of State Governments (CSG) and National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). This collaboration, funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, focused on improving state professional licensure policy. The meeting highlighted research and lessons CSG and NCSL learned from working with the states on this issue for the past four years. Click here for the full agenda and linked resources. 

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An Overview of Enacted Bills – Veteran Licensure 

Veterans, members of the military and their spouses face unique challenges to employment. Obtaining professional licenses can be a lengthy process that professionals must begin again each time they move to a new state. For veterans and members of the military, it can be difficult to apply military experience and education toward requirements for civilian occupations. States are aware of these challenges and many are taking steps to eliminate barriers for veterans and military families.  

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Third-Party Verification of License Requirements

The paper stack in office as a symbol of bureaucracy and civil servants.

With the transition to online license application and renewal processes accelerated by the pandemic, states must consider how best to manage third-party verification in online licensing systems. Most states with such systems do not allow applicants to upload documents. Instead, documents must be provided by institutions of higher education or verified by a national association. In rare cases, applicants can upload a document signed by a school official as proof of completed education requirements.

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National Occupational Licensing Meeting

Las Vegas| Ceasar’s Palace | June 19-21


You’re invited! The National Occupational Licensing Meeting is the culmination of a four-year collaboration between The Council of State Governments and National Conference of State Legislatures to reduce barriers to licensed occupations. Join us as we share the research and lessons learned from our work with the states and feature new and emerging trends in this important workforce topic.

Specifically, you will learn about best practices in occupational licensing, from the firsthand experiences of states that have been working on this issue. The meeting also will provide updates on a variety of licensing topics, including interstate mobility schemes, how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted licensing and regulation, and diversity and inclusion in regulation. Breakout sessions will focus on scope of practice, military family mobility and licensing for people with a criminal history.

You will leave the meeting with a better understanding of occupational licensing’s complexity, as well as the common pitfalls other states have faced in this policy area.

Assistance with travel expenses is available upon request. The deadline to register online is June 1, 2022. Click here to register.

Apprenticeships: Apprentices with Disabilities

Worker serviceman operating industrial water purification filtration equipment in boiler room or treatment plant

The federal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) regulations were last updated in 2017 with the implementation of some revisions delayed until 2019. Some alterations apply to apprenticeship programs and update  EEO regulations that already protect individuals from discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin and sex to include disability, age (40 or older), sexual orientation and genetic information.

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Professional Licensing Boards Partner with Software Companies to Manage Online Licensing Services

There is significant variation in the way states issue and manage occupational licenses. Beyond differences in education and training requirements to obtain a license, states also differ in how they process and issue licenses. While some states still use paper application processes, others have migrated to online centralized licensing systems for most or all occupations requiring a license. This provides applicants a place to access information about occupational license requirements as well as application and renewal instructions.

Some states host a website that includes license management while other states partner with a software company to host and manage the process. The Council of State Governments (CSG) has compiled a sample of management software used by states in implementing online occupational licensure management. See the table below to find links to licensing boards, the software options currently used and links to the online licensing portals.

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Using Promising Models to Fulfill Occupational Licensure Requirements

Co-authored by Kyle Doran, a Director at Social Finance.

In any given state across the country, individuals trying to improve their own economic wellbeing face a complex workforce training and licensure system. Imagine Andy, a person who wants to become a licensed heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) contractor, for example. Based on an average of the requirements across 35 states, in order to work as an HVAC contractor, he must first gain over 1,000 cumulative days of experience and training, pay almost $400 in fees and pass two exams. This is a busy time for Andy, and in part due to his participation in this HVAC training, his income is much lower than prior to the program. Without full-time employment and the wages that come with it, transportation, childcare and other expenses become even more of a hardship, and he’s faced with the difficult decision of weighing the cost of a training program and expenses for these core necessities against the ultimate benefit of a more promising career.

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Credential Transparency: Alabama Launches Alabama Credential Registry

Postsecondary institutions, job training programs and employers in the U.S. offer over 950,000 different kinds of credential opportunities, including professional licenses, according to Credential Engine. With this number of offered credentials, it can be difficult to determine which education and training programs will make workers competitive for employment. Moreover, it can be difficult for employers to know if a worker’s credential gives them the necessary skill set for a job.

Solutions to these realities involve making data on credentials, competencies and occupational skills fully transparent, including data on skills in greatest demand and where such skills are being taught. As more and more states work to build back a more inclusive and equitable workforce, credential transparency has come to the forefront. Particularly for licensed professions, credential transparency can provide clearer information for practitioners working to earn their license and for those already licensed professionals upskilling.

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Apprenticeships: Veterans and Military Spouses

Veterans and military spouses are two groups that often face barriers to obtaining and keeping employments. Veterans often have difficulties marketing their skills for the civilian workforce as well as in translating their skills, training, education, and experience into a new field. On the other hand, military spouses have trouble with the frequent moves that are common with military families. With the increasing numbers of jobs that require an occupational licensure, it is important to lower any barriers to licensure that might further hinder these two groups from employment. Occupational licensing regulations that do not account for veterans’ skills and experiences can cause them to pay additional fees for education and training necessary for licensure that they might already have gained in the military. For military spouses, the frequent moves can make it more difficult for them to transfer their professional licenses across state lines, possibly needing to gain additional experience or pay extra fees to practice in a new state. Both instances can discourage these groups from entering the labor market, and states have been working to mitigate these effects.

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