WHAT ARE OCCUPATIONAL LICENSES?
An occupational license is required by many municipalities in order to legally do business in that area. In some areas, it is also known as a business license.
In the 1950s, only 70 occupations had licensing requirements, and these accounted for 5 percent of all workers. By 2008, more than 800 occupations were licensed in various states and accounted for 29 percent of all workers. Licensed occupations include everything from barbers and interior designers to nurse practitioners and physicians.
The Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing oversees 21 licensing boards, commissions and programs appointed by the Governor and is responsible for regulating the activities of more than 255,000 individuals and businesses across 25 professions. In Maryland, there are over 230 registered occupations and over 9,000 registered apprentices.
Excessive licensing regulations create a serious barrier to economic opportunity for those with criminal backgrounds. We at Navigating Barriers to Reentry believe that these are policies that need to be changed.
HOW MANY OCCUPATIONAL LICENSES ARE AFFECTED BY CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS?
According to the State of Maryland Final Report of Collateral Consequences Workgroup (December 2016) there are 348 collateral consequences related to occupational licensing and professional certification in Maryland.
It is difficult to quickly determine which licenses are affected by a criminal record – and how.
HOW WILL I KNOW IF I NEED A LICENSE FOR THE JOB I WANT?
In an effort to streamline this process and help individuals determine what occupations require licensing and how to obtain those licenses, Governor Moore has established a OneStop Portal for the State of Maryland Licensing. This portal allows you to register for licenses and permits issued by state agencies, such as mechanic licenses, real estate and home inspection, and insurance licenses, to name a few.
Click on this link to the portal.
