Career-PathGPS
← All education and training
Career

Court, Municipal, and License Clerks

Typical education: High school diplomaLower pressure

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $48,700 Median per year · $23.41/hr Most earn $36,300–$73,820

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Perform general office duties, such as taking or transcribing dictation, typing or proofreading correspondence, distributing or filing official forms, or scheduling appointments.
  • Prepare dockets or calendars of cases to be called.
  • Answer questions or provide advice to the public regarding licensing policies, procedures, or regulations.
  • Respond to requests for information from the public, other municipalities, state officials, or state and federal legislative offices.
  • Perform administrative tasks, such as answering telephone calls, filing court documents, or maintaining office supplies or equipment.
  • Prepare and issue orders of the court, such as probation orders, release documentation, sentencing information, or summonses.

Job outlook

United States
3% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 17,100 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals70.9%
  • State government, excluding education and hospitals26.9%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

This is an entry-level job that usually takes a high school diploma, plus about 1 to 2 years of related office work, to get hired into. Many people start with general office clerk experience and move into court or municipal clerk roles from there.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Build reading, writing, math, and computer skills, which are the basics for keeping records, answering public questions, and handling forms accurately.

  2. General Office Clerk

    1-2 years

    Learn filing, data entry, phone and front-desk work, and handling paperwork with deadlines, which is the everyday work of a court or municipal clerk.

  3. Court, Municipal, and License Clerk

    Ongoing career, starts after about 1-2 years of office experience

    You process court filings, issue licenses or permits, collect fees, keep fiscal records, and help judges, officials, and the public with official business.

Where it can lead

  1. Paralegal

    2-4 years of experience first

    You move from clerical work into legal research and case preparation, which usually calls for a bachelor's degree or a paralegal training program along with experience.

  2. Executive Secretary

    2-4 years of experience first

    You take on more responsibility for a senior official's schedule, communications, and projects, usually building on several years of administrative work and often an associate degree.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take business or computer classesTyping, spreadsheets, and word processing skills are used every day in clerk offices.
  • Take government or civics classLearning how courts, city councils, and licensing offices work helps you understand what the job involves.
  • Get a starter job or volunteer at a local officeWorking at a school office, library, or town hall gives you real experience with records, forms, and the public.
  • Join a club that involves organizing or leadershipRoles like treasurer or secretary of a student club build record-keeping and responsibility skills.
  • Practice accuracy and attention to detailClerks must double-check names, dates, and numbers, so careful habits on schoolwork pay off.

In college

  • Take courses in public administration, business, or legal studiesThese classes teach how government and court systems work, which helps you understand the rules you will apply.
  • Find a campus job in an officeWork-study or front-desk jobs build the clerical and customer service experience employers look for.
  • Get an internship at a courthouse, city hall, or county officeSeeing the work firsthand helps you decide if this career is right and gives you a reference.
  • Build office software skillsLearning spreadsheets, databases, and document tools makes you a stronger candidate for clerk roles.
  • Join a student organization focused on government or lawGroups like these connect you with people in public service and show your interest on applications.

Tips for getting started

  • Get comfortable with computers and spreadsheets now, since most clerk offices track cases, licenses, and payments in software.
  • Look for part-time or summer jobs at a local government office, library, or law office to see how public records work and to earn the experience employers ask for.
  • Practice clear, polite communication, because clerks answer questions from people who are often stressed or confused about legal or official matters.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

Related careers