Over at sister blog The Locker Room, JLF’s Sarah Curry has posted an interesting chart that shows how much cash counties rake in from the fees imposed on certain tradespeople for whom the state requires a license to earn a living. Orange and Wake counties rank fifth and sixth on the list. Orange picks up a bit more than half a million while Wake takes in just under half a million. Total statewide collections of the fee top $8 million.
Some might simply shrug their shoulders about occupational licensing and say, so what? I agree that, when it comes to a select few jobs that require detailed, specialized skill that can result in severe injury or death when misapplied, requiring a license makes sense. I don’t want a nurse or doctor treating me without a level of confidence that they are uniquely qualified to do so, and that their skills have been tested.
But North Carolina’s licensing law goes far beyond what is a reasonable safety mechanism for citizens. For example, locksmiths and African hair braiders are required to jump through incredible licensing hoops in order to earn a living. That is simply wrong, and it amounts to nothing more than protection from competition for the existing members of the industry and a brick wall for those seeking to practice their trade and earn a living. In the cases of run-of-the-mill services, a customer has avenues of redress should he/she be unhappy with the service. That’s what the court system is for, and that’s why it is important to check out a contractor of service person before you hire them.
