The State Boards are very strict in all states and when you visit any of the state board sites you will usually find the mission statement like the one from the PA state board site below. You must follow all state board laws of sanitation. You can be fined heavily and shut down and according to any offense may spend some time in jail.
Mission Statement:
The State Board of Cosmetology regulates the practice and licensure of estheticians; nail technicians; cosmetologists and teachers of cosmetology; and cosmetology salons and schools in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Board promulgates and enforces regulations for the examination and licensure of applicants to practice or teach cosmetology and to manage schools of cosmetology. The Board also issues apprentice permits in appropriate circumstances as well as licenses to perform nail technology only or practice esthetics only. The Board prescribes disinfection standards to be followed to prevent the creation or spread of infectious diseases.
You must display your license so clients can see it. If they have any complaints it is very easy for them to report you and believe me the board will check you out throughly and make sure everything is up to code and all rules and laws are being carried out.
Below I have listed the hours required in order to get your license from each state. You must have a valid license in order to practice. If you are planning on moving to another state you will need to check with that state board to find out if they have reciprocity.
Reciprocity deals with being able to transfer credits or experience if you attend beauty or cosmetology school in one state and then wish to work in a different state. Depending on the state and school, you are usually required to take additional courses and tests in order to be legally licensed to work in a state other than the state where you attended school.Each state is different so always check all the requirements from the state you are interested in.
* Alabama State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 clock hours or 1200 credit hours
* Alaska State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-HAIRDRESSER: 1650 hours or 2000 apprenticeship hours with specific curriculum
* Arizona State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements- 1600 hours
* Arkansas State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements- 1500 hours
* California State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1600 hours
* Colorado State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1450 hours
* Connecticut State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements- 1500 hours
* Delaware State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours, apprenticeship 3000 hours
* District of Columbia State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours
* Florida State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1200
* Georgia State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 Hours, Apprenticeship 3000 Hours
* Hawaii State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1800 Hours, apprenticeship 3600 hours
* Idaho State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-2000 Hours, apprenticeship 4000 hours
* Illinois State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours
* Indiana State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours
* Iowa State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-2100 hours
* Kansas State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours
* Kentucky State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1800 hours
* Louisiana State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours
* Maine State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours, apprenticeship of not less than 2500 hours.
* Maryland State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours
* Massachusetts State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1000 hours
* Michigan State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours
* Minnesota State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1550 hours
* Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1550 hours
* Missouri State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours
* Montana State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-2000 hours
* Nebraska State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-2100 hours
* Nevada State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1800 hours
* New Hampshire State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours
* New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1200 hours
* New Mexico State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1600 hours
* New York State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1000 hours
* North Carolina State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours
* North Dakota State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1800 hours
* Ohio State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours
* Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours
* Oregon State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1450 hours- more information
* Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1250 hours
* Rhode Island State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours
* South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours
* South Dakota State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-2100 hours
* Tennessee State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours
* Texas State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours
* Utah State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-2000 hours
* Vermont State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours
* Virginia State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1500 hours
* Washington State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1600 hours
* West Virginia State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-2000 hours
* Wisconsin State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-1800 hours
* Wyoming State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements-2000 hours
Related:Cosmetology Reciprocity A-H|Cosmetology Reciprocity/N-W States
Amy,
I’m not sure how updated this is, but it will give some guideline Ca. goverment form You can also order video’s and publications to help you prepare, just do a search for california cosmetology state board exam.
I am going to school in Missouri which requires 1500 hours and am thinking of moving to Arizona which requires 1600. If I finish out my schooling here, and take my boards in Missouri will I be able to transfer my license once I get to Arizona? ….Or, should I just take boards out there? Will I have to make up those 100 hours? What is the best way for me to go about that?
Thanks!
–Hannah
Hannah,
Since you are a student and don’t have work hours you would need those extra hours so if it were me I would have my transcripts sent to a school in Arizona and finish there and then take your boards in Arizona.
I have my cosmetology liscense for louisiana and im moving to washington d.c.! what do i have to do to get my liscense there?
I have not renew my NYS cosmetologist license since 2006, is it too late..
I moved my NC to NYS. I just paid the license fees due to the fact North Carolina has more hour credits than NYS. I think the fee was only $20. You need your test scores from North Carolina to apply for a NYS license. I wrote to Raleigh, NC told them what I was trying to do,the information was sent to me at no cost and then the rest was easy. Be sure not to have issues such as felony, child support or a bank lien because my cousin tried to do what I did and realized he had pending issues.
i recently got my cosmetology license in in california in september and im moving to oregon how do i go about getting my license in oregon? thanks
Brooke