Occupations Licensed or Certified in New York

Javascript is currently disabled or restricted on your computer. Certain functionalities of this application may be limited.

Home
Labor Statistics
Occupations Licensed or Certified in New York

Why does the government regulate occupations?

The legislators of federal, state and local governments decide which occupations to license and what the appropriate level of regulation should be to protect the public's health, safety and welfare. Licensing, certification, and registration are three methods designed to assure the public that credentialed people are qualified and/or competent to perform certain occupations.

What is the difference between licensing, certification, and registration?

The terms license and certification are frequently interchangeable. Also, the term certification is occasionally used to describe a simple registration. Nevertheless, these terms are typically defined as follows.

License

Licensing is the most restrictive method of regulation. It requires any person wishing to earn a living in a licensed occupation to obtain permission (license) from a specific government agency, designated by law to issue this license. To receive a license, the applicant usually completes the following requirements:

Graduate from an approved training program and/or complete a certain amount of work-related experience.

Pass a qualifying written, verbal, and/or practical examination.

Qualify on certain personal prerequisites, such as age, citizenship, or bonding.

Meet comparable standards set by some other state (reciprocation).

Pay a prescribed initial and renewal license fee.

Certification

This regulatory method governs the use of certain occupational titles. In some instances, regulations do not legally restrict anyone from engaging in the occupation, but those who do not meet the requirements specified may not use the certified title. In other instances, the certification is required to do certain types of work. To obtain certification, the applicant must meet certain training, experience, and/or examination requirements that are similar to those required for a license, and apply to the appropriate public agency or private association or certification board for permission to use a given occupational title. A fee may be required.

Registration

Registration is the least restrictive method of regulation. Those wishing to engage in registered occupations must submit an application to be placed on an official roster maintained by the appropriate organization or agency. The requirements for registration are usually minimal. Individuals may be asked to produce documentation for qualification, character reference, and bonding. Registration can merely be an administrative or professional list of people who are already certified.

Disclaimer

Although we attempted to include the most current information concerning every occupation licensed, certified, or registered by New York State government, some occupations may have been overlooked.

Cities, towns, villages and counties also license occupations that New York State government does not license. Also, certain occupations are licensed by federal regulatory agencies. These include airplane pilot/flight instructor, licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); maritime occupations, licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard; radio/TV broadcast operators, licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC); and securities sales representatives, licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Fees stated and other information contained in this report are subject to change. Please contact the appropriate agency for the most current information.

New York State Department of Labor Labor Statistics