Licensed To Death

On Friday, the Reason Foundation released a study on the extent which state regulations have imposed barriers to entry into a mind-numbing variety of professions:

Los Angeles (August 24, 2007) – Do you want to be a fortune teller in Maryland? Your future better include a license from the state. How about being a hair braider in Mississippi? You’ll need 300 to 1,500 hours of training and government permission. Want to sell flowers in Louisiana? Only licensed florists can do that. And almost every state requires certification if you want to move furniture and hang art while calling yourself an interior designer.

The Top Ten:

1. California (177)
2. Connecticut (155)
3. Maine (134)
4. New Hampshire (130)
5. Arkansas (128)
6. Michigan (116)
7. Rhode Island (116)
8. New Jersey (114)
9. Wisconsin (111)
10. Tennessee (110)

Even the lowest-ranked state, Missouri, has a list of 51 professions that it imposes regulatory barriers to entry upon.

Gone are the days when someone could decide to go into business for themselves.