You’ve invested substantial amounts of time and money into obtaining your occupational license, like a real estate license. But now, you want to move to another state. Will you have to go through the process all over again? Unlock Legal, an Orange County, California-based professional license defense firm, wants you to know the rules for moving your career to another state so you don’t run into problems with a licensing board.
Can I Take a Licensed Job in Another State?
With the exception of a handful of jobs, like piloting, individual states have licensing boards that set their own requirements to work jobs requiring a professional license. For example, the minimum requirements to become a licensed teacher vary from state to state because each state has its own education department. If you’ve made a career as a teacher in New Jersey, you won’t be able to apply for teaching jobs across the Hudson River in New York unless you hold teaching credentials in both states. That’s the way it works for most licensed jobs in most of the country.
As of summer 2019, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Montana are the only states that recognize out-of-state licenses for most jobs. If you’re a licensed professional thinking about moving, those are the states where it will be easiest to resume your career.
How Do I Get Licensed in Another State?
The process to get the credentials to practice in another state depends on the state you’re moving to and the job itself. For many jobs, all you’ll need to do is submit documents proving you have met the minimum eligibility requirements for licensure in that state, such as university transcripts or recommendations from past managers. Other jobs might require you to take an exam to prove you have the minimum qualifications necessary to be licensed.
Unlock Legal, an Orange County-based professional licence defense firm, has worked with licensed professionals across dozens of industries. If you’ve crossed state lines and are having issues with your professional license, we might be able to help. If you have a conviction on your record, and you are concerned this could prevent you from getting your license, give us a call at 949-988-4444 or email us here.