“Occupational licensing” requires aspiring workers and entrepreneurs to secure government permission to enter a particular field. Through a combination of educational and experience requirements, as well as exams and fees, occupational licensing attempts to protect consumers from malpractice and ensure that practitioners are sufficiently skilled. While only one in 20 U.S. workers was required to obtain licensure in the 1950s, nearly one in three workers is required to do so today, with the average occupation requiring nine months of training, $209 in fees, and an exam.
