Military spouses serving in professions with occupational license requirements face special challenges. They experience gaps in employment and costly interruptions in their career trajectory due to frequent relocations. It is the policy of the U.S. Department of Labor to reduce employment barriers and enhance career opportunities for military spouses.
Many states support military spouse license recognition options by allowing for expedited applications, temporary licenses, or complete license recognition. Use the Military Spouse Interstate License Recognition Options map to find out the rights of a military spouse.
Read our new Military Spouse License Recognition Guide to State Legislation (PDF) that compares license recognition laws across states.
In many circumstances, military spouses who move from one state to another because of change-of-station orders are eligible for reimbursement of licensing costs up to $1,000.
*States that have passed model reciprocity legislation for military spouses
The CareerOneStop License Finder provides state-specific information about occupational licenses required, such as the license name, description for occupations, and issuing agency contact information. Find information about licenses required for different occupations by searching below.