Registered apprenticeship programs are industry-vetted and approved by either the US Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Apprenticeship (OA) or a federally recognized State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) to ensure they meet criteria to maintain quality. Although many aspects of the registration process are the same for “OA states” and “SAA states,” there is one important difference. SAA states have apprenticeship councils that, depending on the state, play a prominent role in registering programs. Federal regulations stipulate that SAAs have the sole authority to approve programs. However, some SAAs delegate this authority to apprenticeship councils, thus adding an extra step to the approval process that may delay approval of apprenticeship programs. This brief explores differences in the states’ apprenticeship approval timelines, number of programs registered, and how the occupations of registered programs vary by registration agency. Specifically, it explores differences between OA states and two types of SAA states: those in which the state agency has sole approval authority and those in which apprenticeship councils can approve programs.