Enhanced Military Spouse Licensure Portability

From 2011–16, states passed laws to revise work-related licensing for military spouses. However, often these laws did not reduce the burden of relicensing for spouses moving to a new state. Many provisions include evaluations that require military spouses to request transcripts, test scores, practicum hours, previous licenses and work experience be sent to verify their application. State-specific laws are important to reducing the burden associated with the occupational relicensing of military spouses.

The annual percent of the military spouse population that moves across state lines is 14.5% — compared to 1.1% for civilian spouses. As much as 34% of military spouses in the labor force are required to be fully licensed; and of those spouses, 19% experience challenges maintaining their licenses.