Summary
List licenses on a resume in a dedicated "Licenses" or "Licenses & Certifications" section, and add a required license to the line after your name as well. Each entry needs the official license name, the issuing state or agency, the status, and an expiration date. Write pending licenses as "expected" with a date, drop expired ones unless renewal is underway, and leave license numbers off unless the posting asks for them.
Put licenses on a resume in their own "Licenses" or "Licenses & Certifications" section. If the job legally requires the license, also add it right after your name. Every entry should show the official license name, the issuing state or agency, its status, and an expiration date.
Licenses also work differently from other resume items. A recruiter may treat yours as a yes-or-no gate, not a nice-to-have. That makes placement and wording matter more than they do for skills or coursework.
This guide covers placement, the exact format, license numbers, and the tricky cases most guides skip. Those cases are pending, expired, inactive and multi-state licenses. Nurses should also read our sibling guide on how to list an RN license on a resume. If you only need to mention driving, see driver's license on a resume.
Where should you put licenses on a resume?
Put licenses on a resume in a dedicated "Licenses" or "Licenses & Certifications" section below Experience or Education. If the license is legally required for the job, such as CPA, PE or RN, also add the abbreviation after your name in the header and mention it in your summary so a recruiter sees it in the first seconds.
Most people need two placements, not one. The section holds the full details. The header and summary carry the short signal.
Here is how the main options compare.
| Placement | What it shows | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Licenses & Certifications section | Full name, issuer, status, dates | Every license you hold |
| After your name in the header | Abbreviation only (CPA, PE, LCSW) | Licenses the job legally requires |
| Professional summary | One phrase ("Licensed electrician in Ohio") | Licenses that gate the role |
| Education section | License tied to a degree program | Only if you have no separate section |
| Experience bullets | License used on the job | Rarely, and only as support |
Use a separate section once you hold one license plus any certification. A clear heading also helps applicant tracking systems file the credential correctly. For the rest of the header layout, see our guide to the resume header.
Mirror the posting’s wording
If the posting says "Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) required," use that exact phrase in your section. Then add the abbreviation after your name. Recruiters and ATS filters both search for the posting's own words.
Is a license the same as a certification?
No. A license is issued by a government agency and gives you the legal authority to work in an occupation. A certification comes from a nongovernmental body and shows competence, but it does not grant legal authority to practice. On a resume, list licenses first because they are often a hard requirement.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics uses the same split. A license is "awarded by a governmental licensing agency" and "conveys a legal authority to work in an occupation," per BLS. A certification "does not convey a legal authority to work."
That difference sets the order inside your section. Put licenses at the top, then certifications. If you hold only certifications, follow our guide to resume certifications instead.
LICENSES & CERTIFICATIONS Certified Public Accountant (CPA), California Board of Accountancy, Active, Expires 06/2027 Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Institute of Management Accountants, 2023
Which jobs expect licenses on a resume?
Licenses matter most in healthcare, law and education. In 2025, 71.3% of employed healthcare practitioners held a license, compared with 21.6% of all employed workers, according to BLS survey data. In these fields, a missing license line can screen you out before a person reads your experience.
The gap between fields is large. In 2025, BLS data shows that 71.3% of healthcare practitioners held a license. The share was 59.8% in legal occupations and 48.3% in education, training and library jobs.
Across all employed people, only 21.6% held a license in 2025. BLS notes the 2025 figures are 11-month averages because October was not collected.
So the stakes depend on your field. In healthcare or law, the license line is often the first thing a recruiter checks. In management, business and finance roles, only 17.8% held a license. There, a real estate or insurance license is a differentiator rather than an entry ticket.
Common examples of licenses on a resume include:
- Healthcare: RN, LPN, PT, PharmD license, LCSW
- Finance and accounting: CPA, insurance producer license, Series 7 registration
- Trades: journeyman or master electrician, plumber, HVAC contractor
- Education: state teaching license or certificate
- Engineering and real estate: PE, real estate salesperson or broker
How do you format a license on a resume?
Write each license on one line: official license name with abbreviation, issuing state or agency, status, and the date it was earned or expires. Keep the order identical for every entry. Use the full name once, since ATS filters may search for either the abbreviation or the spelled-out title.
Use this order for every entry:
- Official license name, with the abbreviation in parentheses
- Issuing state or agency
- Status (Active, In good standing, Expected)
- Expiration or issue date
Most licenses have both a state and a board. Name the state at minimum, since that tells the employer where you can legally practice.
Professional Engineer (PE), Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, Active, Expires 12/2026 Journeyman Electrician License, Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board, Active Real Estate Salesperson License, Florida DBPR, Active, Expires 03/2027 Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), New York State Education Department, Active
Keep the format plain. Skip logos, badges and tables inside the resume, since some ATS parsers drop them. Before you send, test the file in an ATS checker to confirm the license line survives parsing.
Spell out the license name once, then use the abbreviation do: Name the issuing state, since licenses are state-specific do: Show "Active" or an expiration date so the status is clear do: List licenses before certifications in a combined section
Write "Licensed" alone without saying which license dont: List a license number the posting did not ask for dont: Keep an expired license with no renewal plan dont: Bury a required license in the last line of your skills list
Should you put your license number on a resume?
Usually no. Most employers verify a license through the state board's public lookup using your name, so the number adds clutter and puts an identifier in every copy you send. Include it only when the posting asks for it, or in fields where recruiters routinely expect it at the application stage.
Many state boards offer free public license lookups. For nurses, NCSBN's Nursys QuickConfirm is a free service that lets employers and recruiters pull license and discipline records in one place. Other professions have similar state databases.
Guidance across resume sites is split. ResumeBuilder suggests including numbers only when the profession or employer requires it. VisualCV recommends always including them. Our rule is simpler: if the posting asks, add it. If it does not, the application form will.
How do you list a pending license on a resume?
List a pending license with its status and a date, such as "Expected June 2026" or "Exam scheduled: May 2026." Never write the license abbreviation after your name until the board issues it. Being exact about status protects your credibility and still shows the recruiter you will qualify soon.
Recruiters hiring for licensed roles often plan start dates around licensing. A clear "expected" date helps them do that.
Certified Public Accountant (CPA), California, Expected 08/2026 (passed AUD, FAR, REG) Professional Engineer (PE), Texas, Exam scheduled 04/2026 Real Estate Salesperson License, Florida, Application submitted 02/2026
Add proof of progress when you have it. Passed exam parts, completed hours or an approved application all count. Recent graduates can pair this with a strong education section.
How do you list expired, inactive or multi-state licenses on a resume?
Leave expired licenses off unless renewal is in progress, then write "Renewal in progress, expected [month year]." List inactive licenses only if the role values them, labeled "Inactive." For multiple states, list each license on its own line, or group them as "Licensed in Texas, Ohio and Florida."
An expired license raises questions you do not want a recruiter to ask. If you let a license lapse years ago, remove it. If you are renewing, say so with a date.
Inactive status is different from expired in many states. An inactive license can often be reactivated. Show it only if the job could use it, and label it clearly.
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Texas, Renewal in progress, Expected 11/2026 Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Illinois, Inactive Professional Engineer (PE), Licensed in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana
Some professions use interstate compacts that let one license cover several states. Nursing is the best known example, covered in our RN license guide. If your license is compact-based, write "Multistate license" next to it.
The same honesty applies to other credentials with a status, such as a security clearance. State the exact level and status, and let the employer verify.
Ready to add your licenses? The Rezoom AI resume builder has a Licenses & Certifications section that formats each entry in the order above.
Frequently asked questions
Do licenses go before or after education on a resume?
Licenses usually go after education for recent graduates and after experience for experienced professionals. If the license is required for the job, also add it after your name so its placement in the body matters less.
Should I list a license that is not related to the job?
Only if it shows a transferable strength, such as a real estate license for a sales role. Otherwise, it takes space from credentials the employer screens for.
How do I list a license that is in multiple states?
List one line per state when the details differ, or group them as "Licensed in Texas, Ohio and Florida" when they match. Add "Multistate license" if your profession uses a compact.
Can I put "license pending" on my resume?
Yes. Write the license name, the state, and "Expected" with a month and year. Do not use the license abbreviation after your name until it is issued.
Is a driver's license a license on a resume?
Only when driving is part of the job. Our guide to listing a [driver's license on a resume](https://rezoom.io/drivers-license-on-resume/) covers when and how to include it.
What is the difference between a license and a registration?
A registration, such as a FINRA Series 7, is usually handled like a license on a resume. List it in the same section with the issuing body and status.
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