Prevailing Wage for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
Prevailing wage for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks (SOC 43-4031) is set by the DOL using regional wage surveys, so the floor a City Clerk in San Francisco must meet differs significantly from what a License Specialist in a smaller market faces. DOL defines four experience levels, and the applicable level determines which floor your offer must clear.
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Entry-level clerks with limited experience, typically in their first year handling routine tasks under close supervision. This level covers candidates new to governmental clerical work who require regular guidance from senior staff to complete assignments.
Qualified clerks with one to three years of experience performing standard duties with moderate supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks, covering staff who handle routine licensing, recordkeeping, or court docketing independently.
Experienced clerks who independently manage complex case files, draft official correspondence, or oversee licensing processes. These professionals typically have several years in the role and may informally mentor junior staff or handle escalated matters.
Fully competent senior clerks, such as a City Recorder or lead Court Clerk, who exercise independent judgment across a broad scope. They may supervise others, develop procedural policies, or serve as the primary point of contact for a governmental office.
Prevailing Wage for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
Confirm whether your title matches SOC 43-4031
Titles like License Specialist, City Recorder, or Motor Vehicle Field Representative can sometimes be filed under adjacent SOC codes. Verify your offer letter title maps to SOC 43-4031, not a clerical or administrative SOC with a lower prevailing wage floor.
Expect Level 2 filings at most government offices
Most municipal and court employers sponsor clerks at Level 2 because the role quickly moves beyond entry supervision. If an employer files at Level 1 for a position requiring independent case handling, that is a red flag worth questioning before signing.
Watch the wage gap between coastal and inland metros
The prevailing wage floor for City Clerk roles in the San Francisco Bay Area runs nearly double what applies in parts of the South and Midwest. If your offer is near the national median, confirm whether your worksite city has a higher local floor that your offer must clear.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers sponsoring clerk roles
Migrate Mate shows which employers have a documented history of sponsoring Court, Municipal, and License Clerks, so you can prioritize agencies and government contractors that have already run the H-1B or green card process for this SOC.
Jobs for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for this rolePrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 43-4031.00 alongside Court, Municipal, and License Clerks, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
City Clerk Prevailing Wage
City Clerk Prevailing Wage
City Clerk positions fall under SOC 43-4031.00 (Court, Municipal, and License Clerks). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
City Recorder Prevailing Wage
City Recorder Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a City Recorder for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 43-4031.00 (Court, Municipal, and License Clerks). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Court Clerk Prevailing Wage
Court Clerk Prevailing Wage
Court Clerk is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 43-4031.00 (Court, Municipal, and License Clerks). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
License Clerk Prevailing Wage
License Clerk Prevailing Wage
License Clerk positions fall under SOC 43-4031.00 (Court, Municipal, and License Clerks). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
License Specialist Prevailing Wage
License Specialist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a License Specialist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 43-4031.00 (Court, Municipal, and License Clerks). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Motor Vehicle Field Representative (MVFR) Prevailing Wage
Motor Vehicle Field Representative (MVFR) Prevailing Wage
Motor Vehicle Field Representative (MVFR) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 43-4031.00 (Court, Municipal, and License Clerks). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Motor Vehicle Licensing Clerk Prevailing Wage
Motor Vehicle Licensing Clerk Prevailing Wage
Motor Vehicle Licensing Clerk positions fall under SOC 43-4031.00 (Court, Municipal, and License Clerks). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Municipal Clerk Prevailing Wage
Municipal Clerk Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Municipal Clerk for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 43-4031.00 (Court, Municipal, and License Clerks). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Permits Specialist Prevailing Wage
Permits Specialist Prevailing Wage
Permits Specialist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 43-4031.00 (Court, Municipal, and License Clerks). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Town Clerk Prevailing Wage
Town Clerk Prevailing Wage
Town Clerk positions fall under SOC 43-4031.00 (Court, Municipal, and License Clerks). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks?
DOL calculates the prevailing wage for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The result is an area wage for SOC 43-4031 at four experience levels. Employers must request a prevailing wage determination from OFLC before filing an LCA, and the certified wage becomes the minimum the offer must meet.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which applies to my offer?
DOL assigns Level 1 to entry positions requiring close supervision, Level 2 to qualified independent workers, Level 3 to experienced staff with broader responsibility, and Level 4 to fully competent senior or lead professionals. Your level is determined by the actual duties and supervision described in the job description, not just the job title. OFLC and USCIS both review whether the certified level matches the role as described.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same clerk role vary so much by city?
DOL uses regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, so wages reflect what employers in each metropolitan area actually pay. Dense, high-cost markets like San Jose and Seattle push regional medians higher, which raises the floor. The LCA requires the employer to list the specific worksite address, and the prevailing wage for that worksite metro applies. A position in a lower-wage region is entirely separate from an identical title in a high-cost area.
What happens if an employer's offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
OFLC will not certify an LCA where the offered wage falls below the prevailing wage for the worksite location and experience level. Without a certified LCA, USCIS will not approve the H-1B petition. For PERM-based green card cases, DOL similarly requires the offered wage to meet or exceed the prevailing wage determination. An offer below the floor must be renegotiated before the sponsorship process can proceed.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Court, Municipal, and License Clerks position in a specific city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 43-4031 by metropolitan area. Enter the worksite city and the appropriate experience level to see the current wage floor. You can also reference O*NET for occupational context. Migrate Mate lists employers who have actively sponsored Court, Municipal, and License Clerks, which helps you identify which organizations are already familiar with meeting these DOL wage requirements.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Court, Municipal, and License Clerks right now.
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