Occupational Licensing in Oregon
Oregon requires a licence for 148 of the 246 occupations the Archbridge Institute tracks, against a national median of 124. It ranks 1 of 51 on their index, where 1 is the most burdensome.
- Licensed occupations
- 148
- With any entry barrier
- 180
- National rank
- #1
- In the Pacific
- #1
Moving to Oregon with a licence
Oregon 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 Oregon licenses that few other jurisdictions do — the clearest sign of where its rules go further than the national norm.
- Limited Energy Technician, Class Blicensed in 1 of 51
- Lactation Consultantlicensed in 2 of 51
- Limited Energy Technician, Class Alicensed in 2 of 51
- Farm Labor Contractorlicensed in 3 of 51
- Limited Renewable Energy Technicianlicensed in 3 of 51
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographerlicensed in 4 of 51
- Public Accountant/Accountant Practitionerlicensed in 4 of 51
- Gas Fitterlicensed in 5 of 51
Every licensed occupation in Oregon
All 148, alphabetically. Archbridge tracks 246 occupations in total, so anything absent here is either unlicensed in Oregon or outside their list.
- Acupuncturist
- Addictions/Chemical Dependency Counselor
- Architect
- Art Therapist
- Asbestos Abatement Worker
- Asbestos Contractor/Supervisor
- Athlete Agent/Manager
- Athletic Trainer/Sports Trainer
- Attorney
- Audiologist
- Backflow Prevention Tester
- Barber
- Behavior Analyst Assistant
- Behavior Analyst/Specialist
- Body Piercing Artist
- Broker (Standard Real Estate)
- Cemetery Salesperson
- Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS)
- Certified Nurse Aide/Assistant
- Certified Nurse Midwife
- Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist
- Certified Public Accountant
- Certified Sewage/Septic Inspector/Evaluator
- Chiropractor
- Chiropractor Assistant
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Cosmetologist
- Cosmetology Teacher
- Court Interpreter
- Dental Hygienist
- Dental Therapist
- Dentist
- Denturist
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
- Dialysis Technician
- Dietitian
- Electrologist
- Embalmer
- Emergency Dispatcher / Public Safety Telecommunicator
- EMT
- Esthetician
- Esthetician Instructor
- Family-Marriage Therapist/Counselor
- Farm Labor Contractor
- Funeral Director/Mortician
- Funeral Resident Intern
- Funeral Trainee
- Gas Fitter
- General Insurance Agent Manager or Exclusive
- Genetic Counselor
- Geologist in Training
- Geologist/Geoscientist
- Hearing Aid Dealer/Hearing Aid Dispensers/Hearing Instrument Specialist
- Hearing Aid Dispenser Trainee/Apprentice
- Home Inspector
- HVAC Installer
- Insurance Producer
- Investment Advisor
- Journeyman Electrician
- Journeyman Plumber
- Journeyman Sign Electrician
- Lactation Consultant
- Landscape Architect
- Landscape Architect In-Training/Trainee/Intern
- 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 Electrical Technician
- Limited Energy Technician, Class A
- Limited Energy Technician, Class B
- Limited Renewable Energy Technician
- Limited X-ray Machine Operator
- Maintenance Electrician
- Manicurist
- Maritime Pilot
- Massage Therapist
- Master Electrician
- MD Physician/Surgeon
- Medical Health Physicist
- Medication Technician/Aide /Assistant
- Mortgage Loan Originator
- Motor Vehicle Physical Damage Appraiser
- Music Therapist
- Nail Technician
- Natural Hair Braider
- Nuclear Medicine Technicican
- Nurse Anesthetist
- Nurse Practitioner
- Nursing Home Administrator
- Occupational Therapist
- Occupational Therapist Assistant
- Optometrist
- Parole /Probation Officer
- Pharmacist
- Pharmacy Technician
- Physical Therapist
- Physical Therapist Assistant
- Physician Assistant
- Podiatrist
- Polygraph Examiner
- Polygraph Examiner Intern/Trainee
- Polysomnographic Technologist
- Preschool Teacher, except Special Education
- Private Investigator
- Professional Counselor/Professional Clinical Counselor
- Professional Engineer
- Professional Fundraising Counsel
- Professional Land Surveyor
- Provisional Psychologist
- Psychological Assistant/Associate/Technician
- Psychologist
- Public Accountant/Accountant Practitioner
- Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioner
- Public School Administrator
- Public School Principal
- Public School Teacher
- Pyrotechnic Operator
- Radiologic Technologist
- Radiologist Assistant
- Real Estate Appraiser
- Real Estate Instructor
- Real Estate Salesperson
- Registered Nurse
- Residential Journeyman Electrician
- Respiratory Therapist/Respiratory Care Practitioner
- Sanitarian/Environmental Health Sanitarian
- Security Guard
- Septic System Servicer/Pumper/Cleaner
- Septic Tank Installer
- Shampoo Assistant
- Social Worker
- Speech Language Pathologist
- Speech Language Pathologist Assistant
- Surgical Technologist
- Tattoo Artist
- Taxidermist
- 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 Oregon board before acting on any of it.
More on Oregon: its freedom score and rank · school choice · homeschool laws
