Data on Arizona's universal licensure recognition
Arizona's pioneering universal recognition of occupational licenses reform has facilitated the licensure of over 8,000 professionals, with data indicating nearly 500 physicians, 200 physician assistants, over 2,900 licenses for numerous occupations in the trades, 900 in cosmetology, 800 in behavioral health, 1,400 in real estate, 400 in dentistry, among others. This universal licensure recognition law has streamlined the licensing process for professionals by allowing them to leverage their out-of-state training to obtain a similar license in Arizona. Enacted in 2019, Arizona was the first state to implement this reform, followed by about a dozen states since then. A recent study estimated that universal recognition could boost Arizona's GDP by $1.5 billion over a decade and attract nearly 16,000 additional workers.