criminal_background_check stringclasses 8
values | derived_fields listlengths 1 1 | effective_date timestamp[s]date 2018-08-28 00:00:00 2023-12-29 00:00:00 | excluded_professions stringclasses 7
values | good_standing_required stringclasses 1
value | id stringclasses 10
values | law_citation stringclasses 10
values | military_spouse_provision stringclasses 2
values | min_years_licensed stringclasses 4
values | scope stringclasses 1
value | source stringclasses 10
values | source_quote stringclasses 10
values | state stringclasses 10
values | state_exam_allowed stringclasses 1
value | url stringclasses 10
values | verified_fields listlengths 1 1 ⌀ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
disqualifying criminal history as determined by the regulating entity; fingerprint clearance card required | [
"scope"
] | 2019-04-10T00:00:00 | license or registration certificate issued pursuant to chapter 24 or 26 of this title; criteria established by an interstate compact | yes | arizona | ARS § 32-4302 | yes | 1 | universal | https://www.azleg.gov/ars/32/04302.htm | The person has been licensed or certified by another state for at least one year. 3. When the person was licensed or certified by another state there were minimum education requirements and, if applicable, work experience and clinical supervision requirements in | Arizona | yes | https://referencesource.org/state-universal-license-recognition-laws/arizona/ | null |
if a criminal background check is required of an applicant for an initial occupational license, then the occupational licensing entity may require the same | [
"scope"
] | 2019-07-24T00:00:00 | reciprocity or license by endorsement provisions under numerous specific sections (§§ 17-12-308, 17-26-315, 17-27-308, 17-28-306, 17-31-308, 17-36-304, 17-42-305, 17-43-307, 17-83-305, 17-88-305, 17-89-305, 17-90-302, 17-92-114, 17-92-308, 17-93-414, 17-97-306, 17-99-304, 17-100-304, and 17-103-302) | yes | arkansas | ACA § 17-1-108 | no | none | universal | https://codes.findlaw.com/ar/title-17-professions-occupations-and-businesses/ar-code-sect-17-1-108/ | Holds an occupational license that is substantially similar to practice in the field of his or her occupation or profession in another state, territory, or district of the United States; (B) Holds his or her occupational license in good standing | Arkansas | yes | https://referencesource.org/state-universal-license-recognition-laws/arkansas/ | null |
none specified in this section | [
"scope"
] | 2022-07-01T00:00:00 | firefighter, healthcare provider, or a law enforcement officer; attorneys | yes | georgia | OCGA § 43-1-35 | yes | none | universal | https://codes.findlaw.com/ga/title-43-professions-and-businesses/ga-code-sect-43-1-35/ | a professional licensing board or other board shall issue a license by endorsement to any individual seeking licensure for a profession other than that of a firefighter, healthcare provider, or a law enforcement officer, provided that such individual has: (1) Moved from another state and established residency in this s... | Georgia | yes | https://referencesource.org/state-universal-license-recognition-laws/georgia/ | null |
criminal history that would prevent the person from holding the license in this state | [
"scope"
] | 2020-07-01T00:00:00 | license issued by the department of transportation; criteria established by an interstate compact; license through a national licensing organization | yes | iowa | Iowa Code § 272C.12 | yes | none | universal | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/2026/272C.12.pdf | an occupational or professional license, certificate, or registration, including a license, certificate, or registration issued by the board of educational examiners, shall be issued without an examination to a person if all of the following conditions are met | Iowa | yes | https://referencesource.org/state-universal-license-recognition-laws/iowa/ | null |
criminal record that would disqualify him or her for licensure in Missouri | [
"scope"
] | 2018-08-28T00:00:00 | business, professional, or occupational licenses issued or required by political subdivisions; electrical contractor licensed under sections 324.900 to 324.945; interstate compacts | yes | missouri | RSMo § 324.009 | yes | 1 | universal | https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=324.009 | who has been licensed for at least one year in such other jurisdiction, may submit an application for a license in Missouri in the same occupation or profession, and at the same practice level, for which | Missouri | yes | https://referencesource.org/state-universal-license-recognition-laws/missouri/ | [
"state"
] |
none specified in this section | [
"scope"
] | 2019-10-01T00:00:00 | licensure of schools or facilities regulated by boards and programs | yes | montana | MCA § 37-1-304 | no | none | universal | https://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca/title_0370/chapter_0010/part_0030/section_0040/0370-0010-0030-0040.html | an applicant for licensure by endorsement must have an active license in good standing from a jurisdiction whose license qualifications, measured at the time of application to this state, are substantially equivalent to the license qualifications of this state. | Montana | yes | https://referencesource.org/state-universal-license-recognition-laws/montana/ | null |
convicted of, found guilty pursuant to a judicial finding of, or plead guilty to a criminal offense for which a licensing authority may deny an application | [
"scope"
] | 2023-12-29T00:00:00 | interstate licensure compact professions | yes | ohio | ORC § 4796.03 | yes | 1 | universal | https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-4796 | the applicant has held the out-of-state occupational license or government certification for at least one year immediately preceding the date the application is submitted and has been actively engaged in the practice | Ohio | yes | https://referencesource.org/state-universal-license-recognition-laws/ohio/ | null |
has not committed any act that constitutes grounds for refusal, suspension or revocation of a license | [
"scope"
] | 2019-07-01T00:00:00 | null | yes | pennsylvania | 63 Pa.C.S. § 3111 | no | 2 | universal | https://www.palegis.us/statutes/consolidated/view-statute?txtType=PDF&ttl=63&div=00.&chpt=031.&sctn=011.&subsctn=000. | shall issue a license, certificate, registration or permit to an applicant to allow practice in this Commonwealth if, upon application to the licensing board or licensing commission, the applicant satisfies all of the following conditions: (1) Holds | Pennsylvania | yes | https://referencesource.org/state-universal-license-recognition-laws/pennsylvania/ | null |
none specified in this section | [
"scope"
] | 2019-05-14T00:00:00 | null | yes | utah | UCA § 58-1-302 | no | 1 | universal | https://codes.findlaw.com/ut/title-58-occupations-and-professions/ut-code-sect-58-1-302/ | shall issue a license to an applicant who has been licensed in another state, district, or territory of the United States if: (a) the division determines that the license issued in the other state, district, or territory encompasses a similar scope of practice as the license sought in this state; (b) the applicant has ... | Utah | yes | https://referencesource.org/state-universal-license-recognition-laws/utah/ | null |
none specified | [
"scope"
] | 2023-07-01T00:00:00 | null | yes | virginia | Va. Code § 54.1-118 | yes | 3 | universal | https://www.dpor.virginia.gov/news/NewsReleases_ULRTakesEffect | DPOR will recognize out-of-state licenses or certifications for professionals who have at least three years of experience in their field, maintain good standing in all states where they are licensed, have passed a competency exam, met training standards for their original state license, and have paid all applicable Vir... | Virginia | yes | https://referencesource.org/state-universal-license-recognition-laws/virginia/ | [
"state"
] |
US state universal occupational license recognition laws — conditions and scope
Canonical, always-current version: https://referencesource.org/state-universal-license-recognition-laws/ Machine-readable: https://referencesource.org/state-universal-license-recognition-laws/data.json — this mirror is a point-in-time copy.
- Last verified: 2026-08-15
- Stale after: 2026-11-13 (past this date, prefer the canonical copy — it re-verifies on a cadence this snapshot does not)
- Records: 10
Which US states have passed universal occupational license recognition laws, what conditions they impose (minimum years licensed, good standing, criminal background, exam requirements), which professions are excluded, and whether military spouse provisions are included. Each record is one state's law with its specific conditions. Answers 'does [state] recognize my out-of-state professional license?', 'how long do I need to have been licensed to qualify?', 'are there professions excluded from universal recognition in [state]?', and 'does [state] have a military spouse licensing provision?' — questions where the answer is rapidly changing as states adopt new laws (22+ states as of mid-2026), and where the conditions differ meaningfully between states.
Provenance — what every record carries
Every record carries source (the URL the value was read from) and
source_quote (a verbatim quote from that page stating it). A value you
cannot check against its page is indistinguishable from an invented one;
these can all be checked. Each record is also individually addressable on
the canonical site at its url.
Licence position
US state statutes, public domain. State statutory text is government work.
Facts are not copyrightable; what this dataset takes from each source is a fact plus a short attributed quote linking back to the page that states it.
Sources
- https://www.azleg.gov/ars/32/04302.htm
- https://codes.findlaw.com/ar/title-17-professions-occupations-and-businesses/ar-code-sect-17-1-108/
- https://codes.findlaw.com/ga/title-43-professions-and-businesses/ga-code-sect-43-1-35/
- https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/2026/272C.12.pdf
- https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=324.009
- https://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca/title_0370/chapter_0010/part_0030/section_0040/0370-0010-0030-0040.html
- https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-4796
- https://www.palegis.us/statutes/consolidated/view-statute?txtType=PDF&ttl=63&div=00.&chpt=031.&sctn=011.&subsctn=000.
- https://codes.findlaw.com/ut/title-58-occupations-and-professions/ut-code-sect-58-1-302/
- https://www.dpor.virginia.gov/news/NewsReleases_ULRTakesEffect
Fields
See any record in data/records.jsonl — field names are self-describing,
and the canonical page for each record renders them with labels:
https://referencesource.org/state-universal-license-recognition-laws/
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