Occupational Licensing in Maryland
Maryland requires a licence for 133 of the 246 occupations the Archbridge Institute tracks, against a national median of 124. It ranks 12 of 51 on their index, where 1 is the most burdensome.
- Licensed occupations
- 133
- With any entry barrier
- 167
- National rank
- #12
- In the South Atlantic
- #3
Moving to Maryland with a licence
Maryland has no universal-recognition law, so an out-of-state licence generally has to be earned again. Universal recognition is the reform that lets someone already licensed elsewhere practise after moving, instead of repeating the training; 28 of the 51 jurisdictions have some version of it.
Licensed here, rarely elsewhere
These are the occupations Maryland licenses that few other jurisdictions do — the clearest sign of where its rules go further than the national norm.
- Home Improvement Salespersonlicensed in 2 of 51
- Home Improvement Contractorlicensed in 7 of 51
- Gas Fitter Trainee /Apprenticelicensed in 8 of 51
Every licensed occupation in Maryland
All 133, alphabetically. Archbridge tracks 246 occupations in total, so anything absent here is either unlicensed in Maryland or outside their list.
- Acupuncturist
- Addictions/Chemical Dependency Counselor
- Architect
- Art Therapist
- Asbestos Abatement Worker
- Asbestos Contractor/Supervisor
- Asbestos Inspector
- Asbestos Management Planner
- Asbestos Project Designer
- Associate Broker (Standard Real Estate)
- Athlete Agent/Manager
- Athletic Trainer/Sports Trainer
- Attorney
- Audiologist
- Barber
- Barber Apprentice
- Behavior Analyst/Specialist
- Broker (Standard Real Estate)
- Certified Nurse Aide/Assistant
- Certified Nurse Midwife
- Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist
- Certified Public Accountant
- Chiropractor
- Chiropractor Assistant
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Cosmetologist
- Cosmetologist Apprentice
- Cosmetology Teacher
- Court Interpreter
- Crane Operator
- Dental Hygienist
- Dental Radiographer
- Dentist
- Dialysis Technician
- Dietitian–Nutritionist (LDN)
- Electrologist
- Embalmer
- Emergency Dispatcher / Public Safety Telecommunicator
- EMT
- Esthetician
- Esthetician Instructor
- Family-Marriage Therapist/Counselor
- Forester
- Fuel Piping Contractor
- Funeral Director/Mortician
- Funeral Trainee
- Gas Fitter Trainee /Apprentice
- General Insurance Agent Manager or Exclusive
- Genetic Counselor
- Hearing Aid Dealer/Hearing Aid Dispensers/Hearing Instrument Specialist
- Hearing Aid Dispenser Trainee/Apprentice
- Home Health Aide
- Home Improvement Contractor
- Home Improvement Salesperson
- Home Inspector
- HVAC Installer
- Insurance Producer
- Investment Advisor
- Journeyman Electrician
- Journeyman Gas Fitter
- Journeyman Plumber
- Landscape Architect
- Landscaping Contractor
- Lead Abatement Supervisor/Contractor
- Lead Inspector
- Lead Inspector Risk Assessor
- Lead Planner Project Designer
- Level Class II Wastewater Operator
- Level Class III Wastewater Operator
- Level Class IV Wastewater Operator
- Licensed Practical Nurse
- Limited X-ray Machine Operator
- Manicurist
- Maritime Pilot
- Massage Therapist
- Master Electrician
- Master Gas Fitter
- Master Plumber
- MD Physician/Surgeon
- Medical Health Physicist
- Medication Technician/Aide /Assistant
- Mortgage Loan Originator
- Music Therapist
- Nail Technician
- Nail Technician Apprentice
- Nuclear Medicine Technicican
- Nurse Anesthetist
- Nurse Practitioner
- Nursing Home Administrator
- Nutritionist
- Occupational Therapist
- Occupational Therapist Assistant
- Optometrist
- Parole /Probation Officer
- Perfusionist
- Pharmacist
- Pharmacy Technician
- Physical Therapist
- Physical Therapist Assistant
- Physician Assistant
- Plumbing Inspector
- Podiatrist
- Polysomnographic Technologist
- Preschool Teacher, except Special Education
- Private Investigator
- Professional Counselor/Professional Clinical Counselor
- Professional Engineer
- Professional Land Surveyor
- Psychological Assistant/Associate/Technician
- Psychologist
- Public School Administrator
- Public School Principal
- Public School Teacher
- Pyrotechnic Operator
- Radiologic Technologist
- Radiologist Assistant
- Real Estate Appraiser
- Real Estate Salesperson
- Registered Nurse
- Respiratory Therapist/Respiratory Care Practitioner
- Sanitarian/Environmental Health Sanitarian
- Security Guard
- Social Worker
- Speech Language Pathologist
- Speech Language Pathologist Assistant
- Taxidermist
- Title Insurance Agent (Individual)
- Tree Trimmer / Arborist
- Veterinarian
- Veterinarian Technician
- Wastewater Operator
- Well Driller
- Wildlife Rehabilitator
Where this comes from
The Archbridge Institute's State Occupational Licensing Index 2026, retrieved 2026-09-16. The index records whether an occupation needs a licence — it does not record fees or training hours, so nothing here says what a licence costs or how long it takes. The rank is Archbridge's own and is not part of the FreedomRankings score. Check the relevant Maryland board before acting on any of it.
More on Maryland: its freedom score and rank · school choice · homeschool laws
