A Study on Military Spouse Licensure Portability in Legislation and Practice

Abstract

Military spouses face employment obstacles such as relocations, leading to un- or underemployment. The Department of Defense (DoD) proposed three best practice guidelines for transfer of licenses for military spouses. In this study, we (a) reviewed state legislation on military spouse licensure portability and identified how states addressed DoD best practices, and (b) interviewed staff and reviewed websites at six occupational boards of each state. Most states have implemented at least two guidelines, while occupational boards have implemented only some of the legislated guidelines. Thirty-seven percent of boards in states with legislation supporting expedited applications for military spouses did not offer them, and not all accommodations are publicly displayed. Financial counselors should recommend military spouses call regulatory offices about accommodations.