Court, Municipal, and License Clerks: Career Profile
Perform clerical duties for courts of law, municipalities, or governmental licensing agencies and bureaus. May prepare docket of cases to be called; secure information for judges and court; prepare draft agendas or bylaws for town or city council; answer official correspondence; keep fiscal records and accounts; issue licenses or permits; and record data, administer tests, or collect fees.
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What Do Court, Municipal, and License Clerks Do?
The core tasks performed by court, municipal, and license clerks cover:
- Evaluate information on applications to verify completeness and accuracy and to determine whether applicants are qualified to obtain desired licenses.
- Perform administrative tasks, such as answering telephone calls, filing court documents, or maintaining office supplies or equipment.
- Verify the authenticity of documents, such as foreign identification or immigration documents.
- Record and edit the minutes of meetings and distribute to appropriate officials or staff members.
- Question applicants to obtain required information, such as name, address, or age, and record data on prescribed forms.
- Issue public notification of all official activities or meetings.
- Record and maintain all vital and fiscal records and accounts.
- Record case dispositions, court orders, or arrangements made for payment of court fees.
What Court, Municipal, and License Clerks Need to Know
Successful court, municipal, and license clerks draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Agent Licensing Clerk
- Animal Control Licensing Worker
- Appeals Clerk
- Appellate Court Clerk
- Basic Traffic Minute Clerk
- Birth Certification Clerk
- Calendar Clerk
- Case Clerk
How Many Court, Municipal, and License Clerks Are There?
There are roughly 791,548 court, municipal, and license clerks working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +12.5% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Court, Municipal, and License Clerks Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $39,473 |
| Hourly median | $18.98 |
| 10th percentile | $26,239 |
| 25th percentile | $32,856 |
| 75th percentile | $46,090 |
| 90th percentile | $52,707 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Court, Municipal, and License Clerks Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $62,460 |
| California | $62,390 |
| Connecticut | $60,610 |
| Massachusetts | $59,950 |
| Oregon | $58,790 |
| Rhode Island | $58,560 |
| Maryland | $56,440 |
| Alaska | $55,930 |
| Nevada | $55,390 |
| Minnesota | $55,310 |
| New York | $54,230 |
| Wisconsin | $53,540 |
| Hawaii | $52,570 |
| North Dakota | $52,190 |
| New Jersey | $51,890 |
| Nebraska | $50,850 |
| Colorado | $50,510 |
| Vermont | $49,110 |
| Iowa | $48,710 |
| North Carolina | $48,140 |
| Maine | $48,100 |
| Idaho | $47,690 |
| New Hampshire | $47,550 |
| Utah | $47,330 |
| Michigan | $47,240 |
| Arizona | $47,110 |
| Wyoming | $47,070 |
| Ohio | $46,890 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,500 |
| Illinois | $46,490 |
| Texas | $46,030 |
| Florida | $45,820 |
| Indiana | $45,340 |
| New Mexico | $45,010 |
| Tennessee | $44,920 |
| Montana | $44,460 |
| Louisiana | $44,120 |
| Virginia | $42,620 |
| Kentucky | $42,150 |
| South Dakota | $42,140 |
| Kansas | $41,780 |
| Georgia | $40,810 |
| South Carolina | $40,500 |
| Delaware | $39,750 |
| Missouri | $39,730 |
| Alabama | $38,120 |
| Oklahoma | $37,300 |
| Arkansas | $36,470 |
| West Virginia | $36,120 |
| Mississippi | $36,070 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for court, municipal, and license clerks differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $61,315 | 12.4% | 0.74 |
| New England | $55,727 | 4.3% | 1.15 |
| Middle Atlantic | $52,185 | 13.8% | 1.03 |
| Rocky Mountains | $49,006 | 7.3% | 2.06 |
| Plains States | $47,983 | 10.0% | 1.51 |
| Great Lakes | $46,717 | 14.7% | 1.26 |
| Southwest | $44,919 | 12.9% | 1.05 |
| Southeast | $42,693 | 24.7% | 1.08 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $80,760 | 560 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $77,730 | 2,000 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | CA | $72,270 | 110 |
| Madison, WI | WI | $70,140 | 170 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | CA | $69,630 | 70 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $68,550 | 1,170 |
| Modesto, CA | CA | $67,270 | 140 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | CA | $64,390 | 130 |
Top Industries Employing Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
The largest employers of court, municipal, and license clerks are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,830 | $33,530 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 400 | $37,280 |
| Retail Trade | 130 | $41,100 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 130 | $45,640 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 110 | $34,410 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Court, Municipal, and License Clerks Use
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Video conferencing software: Zoom (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for court, municipal, and license clerks reflects the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level court, municipal, and license clerks positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Compliance Officers (Primary-Short)
- Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents (Supplemental)
- Lawyers (Supplemental)
- Judicial Law Clerks (Supplemental)
- Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers (Supplemental)
- Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates (Supplemental)
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants (Primary-Short)
- Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers (Primary-Short)
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 43-4031.00 (Court, Municipal, and License Clerks).
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