If you plan to make your living as a fortuneteller in Maryland, better make sure you have your documents in order.
A recent study by the Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank, looked at what sort of jobs require occupational licensing by the state, and some of the findings were a bit on the quirky side.
Maryland has 98 licensed jobcategories, while Virginia has 89, putting both states somewhere in the middle — California is the most restrictive with 177, while Missouri only requires 41.
Licensing requirements for some occupations — barbers, funeral directors, real estate agents and occupational therapists — were pretty standard.
But if you’re a white-water rafting guide in Maryland, a license is necessary. Manicurists in Virginia and elsewhere, rainmakers in Arizona and chimney sweeps in Vermont all need approval from their states. Every state requires licenses for those who dispense hearing aids.
In Annapolis, fortunetellers are required to pay a $25 application fee and submit a current photograph and a price list of items and services to be sold.
The application is reviewed by the City Clerk’s office, and the Police Department must certify the applicant is of good moral character and will not affect the public health and safety. The office issued one license during fiscal 2007, according to City Clerk Regina C. Watkins-Eldridge.
In Prince George’s County, a fortunetelling business license is $250 per year, according to the government Web site. The practice of fortunetelling is illegal in Montgomery County.
Adam Summers, who authored the study, said licensing fees and educational requirements can provide a barrier to entry for some individuals, while existing businesses are often grandfathered in when new requirements are passed.
“I think the general lesson from the study is that while occupational licensing laws are sold as a means of protecting consumers from unscrupulous or negligent practitioners, in reality they tend to protect some business from competition,” Summers told The Examiner.
