Tips and Guidelines for Licensure Research
Whether it's your job to keep up-to-date on licensure requirements or you are a student planning to earn a license after graduating, researching licensure requirements takes planning, persistence, and organization.
Any type of professional or occupational license research requires examining several sources of information, reviewing all information carefully to understand details, and seeking clarification from the licensing authority when needed.
As higher education licensure consultants, we wanted to share some helpful tips and guidelines we have learned along the way.
Know the Source
Because licensure requirements are set by each state, state law should be the starting point for all licensure research. Each state or territory chooses whether and how to regulate professions and occupations within its borders, in the interest of protecting its citizens.
In addition to state and territorial websites, information on licensing board or agency websites, association websites, and other relevant sites will provide important details on how the state administers the law. Search engines are useful, but don’t always provide reliable results. It’s critical to use reliable sources of information for licensure research.
During your research, you will use both primary and secondary sources.
Primary sources
Primary sources carry the most weight. If you find a contradiction between sources, what is written in a primary source (i.e., statute, regulation, rule) is what should be considered the final word.
State or territory statutes, regulations, rules. Typically state licensing board or agency websites have links to the specific sections relevant to the professional area you are researching.
Secondary sources
Secondary sources are intended to provide details that follow what is in state law. If you find a contradiction in a secondary source it is recommended you reach out to the state or territory board of licensing agency and ask for clarification.
State licensing authority websites also may have policy manuals, application forms, board meeting minutes, FAQs, and other information that indicate how the board interprets state law.
Board association websites
Professional association websites
Beware of websites that list state licensure requirements for a profession but also advertise for specific college or university programs. These sites often seem to be an official source of information or a legitimate secondary source, however, they are designed to market and advertise programs, and may include outdated or incorrect state licensure information.
Confirm your Understanding
Contact the state or territory board or licensing agency if, after you have reviewed all available information, you do not find relevant or clear information. Most boards and associations have contact information available on their websites. We recommend asking for clarification by email where you can include references to any relevant statute, regulation, or information from the board website, and receive a response in writing.
Some licensing boards and agencies will only provide information in response to a license application and/or refer you back to the statute and regulation. It may be useful to ask that board or agency if they can point you to board meeting minutes of a relevant board discussion about someone’s license application.
State and territory licensing boards and agencies accomplish a tremendous amount of work each year with very small staffs. Know that you may need to follow up with their office several times before you are able to secure a response. Try to practice patience and understanding as these state employees work to protect the public of the state.
Note that HELP does not consider a single board/association response to be of equal weight to what has been published (e.g., statute, rule, code, policy, application) if there is a contradiction between the two.
Organization is Key
Keeping tabs on all the different requirements for licensure, especially if looking at more than one state or territory, requires a plan and organized system. A spreadsheet or table is generally the most useful format. And because state licensure requirements can change over time, capturing when the research was completed is important to know when a refresh is needed.
Set up your spreadsheet listing each U.S. State and Jurisdiction you are planning to research on a separate row in column A. Title each subsequent column for a discrete data point. Typical data points you will want to capture:
The URL for each US state and jurisdiction you are planning to research.
State/jurisdiction-specific title of license(s) *Tip: set up a separate row for each license title by State.
Identify any specialized program accreditation or approval required for the license (e.g., CSWE, CCNE, State Board of Nursing).
List any specific coursework, training, practicum, exam, or other, required to apply for the license.
Capture license fee and application timing information.
Cite the specific state regulation and administrative rule (or other source) relevant to the license.
Note the date you reviewed the state data.
Note that each profession will have unique requirements to consider for each type of license. Many professions have multiple license levels. Be sure to know the requirements for each level that you or your graduates will be seeking.
With dedicated time, planning, and organization, any prospective student or higher education institution compliance staff can research state licensure requirements. Reach out if you don’t have the time, or need a plan, we are here to HELP!
Additional licensure research resources for colleges and universities
Professional Licensure Disclosures - Implementation Handbook by Shari Miller, JD for WCET-SAN
Professional Licensure Research Template by WCET-SAN