Reciprocity of cosmetology license’s for the 50 states. With laws for the different states changing all the time it would be best to check for updates with the official websites of the states listed below.
For information pertaining to transferring credits to a school in another state you should always check with the administrator of your current school and they will guide you and find out any information you would need to make the transfer as simple and smooth as possible or you can contact the state you are planning to move to and get all the information you would need, either call direct or visit their official website and send them an email. A through H are listed below.
Alabama:
Reciprocity
Must meet the hours requirements of Alabama at the time of licensure. Must present proof of five years of licensed experience.
Contact Information
Alabama Board of Cosmetology
100 N. Union St., #320
Montgomery, AL 36130
334-242-1918 (phone)
334-242-1926 (fax)
Alaska:
Reciprocity
Otherwise known as “license by waiver of examination”. Must be currently licensed in another state, meet the Alaska hour requirements and have taken a practical and written exam. May be able to substitute up to two full years of work experience at 32 hours per week. If you do not meet these requirements it may be necessary to complete additional training and take exams.
Contact Information
Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
P.O. Box 110806
Juneau, AK 99811-0806
(907) 465-2547
(907) 465-2547
Arizona:
Reciprocity
If you come from another state licensure in Arizona may be accomplished through license-for-license or by taking an examination. This requires an application for reciprocity and an explanation of licensure requirements. According the Arizona State Board, notwithstanding sections 32-510, 32-511 and 32-512, a person is entitled to receive a cosmetologist license if:
- They submit to the board an application for a cosmetologist license on a form supplied by the board.
- They submit to the board satisfactory evidence of either of the following: (a) the person is licensed in another state or country or (b) the person graduated from a school that offers a cosmetology course substantially similar to the requirements of this state and passed the board approved cosmetology examination.
- Pays the prescribed fees.
For purposes of substantial equivalent requirements under subsection A, paragraph 2 of this section, the board may consider length of work experience in the state in which the person was licensed before applying for a license under this section if the training requirements of that state are less than sixteen hundred hours.
Contact Information
Arizona Board of Cosmetology
1721 East Broadway
Tempe, AZ 85282-1611
(480) 784-4539
Arkansas:
New Reciprocity in progress .
Reciprocity
Granted to all those who hold a valid license but has passed BOTH a written AND practical exam.
Contact Information
Arkansas State Board of Cosmetology
101 F. Capital, Ste. 108
Little Rock, AR 72201
501-682-2168 (phone)
501-682-5640 (fax)
California:
Reciprocity
No reciprocity available. Applicants must take written and practical exam. In the case of barbers, Barbers have to take both a written and a practical examination, however, barber instructors require only a written exam.
Update :
Inter-state licensing reciprocity was signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger allowing licensed cosmetologists from out of state to obtain their California Cosmetology licenses quickly and go right to work in California.
Contact Information
California State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology
P.O. Box 944226
Sacramento, CA 94244-2260
1-800-952-5210 (phone)
916-575-7281 (fax)
Colorado:
Reciprocity
Colorado does not have reciprocity, they have endorsement and everyone who holds an active license in another state may apply for endorsement and everyone is reviewed on an individual basis.
Contact Information
Colorado Office of Barber and Cosmetologist Licensing
1560 Broadway, #1350
Denver, CO 80202
303-894-7772 (phone)
Connecticut:
Reciprocity
With all States that have the same requirements.
Contact Information
Connecticut Dept. of Public Health – Cosmetology & Licensing
410 Capitol Ave., MS #12 APP
P.O. Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134
860/509-7569(phone)
Delaware:
Reciprocity
Extended to all States, including DC.
Contact Information
Delaware Board of Cosmetology & Barbering
Canon Building, #203
P.O. Box 1401
Dover, DE 19903
302-739-4522 (phone)
District Of Columbia:
Reciprocity
Granted to all individuals whose current license is from a State whose requirements are equivalent to those of DC. Credit for work experience may be granted.
Contact Information
Washington, DC Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs
941 North Capitol Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
202-442-4400 (phone)
Florida:
Reciprocity
Given to those individuals holding a license from another State whose requirements are the same or more stringent than Florida’s. Hair Braiding registration is available in Florida (two day-16 hour course). Home Salons allowed.
Contact Information
Florida Dept. of Business & Professional Regulation
1940 N. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399
850-487-1395 (phone)
Georgia:
Reciprocity
The Georgia State Board of Barbers and Georgia State Board of Cosmetology reciprocity requirements are according to O.C.G.A. 43-10-9, which states that reciprocity may be extended to licensees from other states and countries that have similar training and licensing requirements and will extend reciprocity to Georgia licensees. Out of country applicants’ training will be reviewed by the board and applicants may be required to take the written and practical examination. The Georgia State Board of Cosmetology does not reciprocate with California, Florida, Hawaii or New York. For all other states, reciprocity will be granted or denied on an individual basis in accordance with the law.
The Georgia State Board of Barbers has “Endorsement,” and therefore, will accept licensees from other states with similar licensure requirements and having no disciplinary action against their license. The Georgia State Board of Barbers does not endorse licenses from Alabama, California, Washington, D.C., Hawaii, Nevada, Washington or Oklahoma. For all other states, endorsement will be granted or denied on an individual basis in accordance with the law.
Important to note for students: All out of State applicants who are not licensed must take the exam(s) in the state where their school training was received. The Georgia State Board of Cosmetology does not accept out of state school hours or apprentice hours for an individual to sit for exam.
Contact Information
Georgia State Board of Cosmetology
166 Pryor St. S.W.
Atlanta, GA 30303
478-207-1430 (phone)
478-207-1363 (fax)
Hawaii:
I just found this pdf form that explains what out of state requirements are needed to apply for a beauty operator license in Hawaii . So I would assume the bottom statement is outdated.
There is NO reciprocity. Everyone is required to take a WRITTEN (only) exam.
Contact Information
Board of Barbering & Cosmetology
335 Merchant Street, Room 301
Honolulu, HI 96813
808-586-3000 (phone)
The rest of the states are forthcoming.
Related : Cosmetology Hour Requirements|Cosmetology Reciprocity/N-W States
Hi, i have a question, ; I`m a hair stylist from FL , just move here, i`m not sure what to do , i know that GA doesn`t reciprocate with the state of Fl, what are the steps to follow? do i need to do a apprenticeship program? the application for the reciprocity said that you have to summit proof of training i wonder if is from FL OR? Ga. please help me,
Thanks!
Jen: I believe they are referring to your original training, your transcripts and proof of work history. The best thing to do would be to contact the Georgia State Board, they will be happy to answer any specific questions you have. Many states require additional training hours yearly. Usually when there is no reciprocity with the state you are moving to you are required to take their boards in order to get a license from them.
i have decided to go home i can’t make it here so what i gotta do to keep my pa license it has taken me to long to get a n.c. license still i do not have them all i want to do now is go home to pittsburgh,pa how do i do this with out spending more money HELP !!!!!!!!!
McRae: As far as I know you can be licensed in as many states as you reside and if you are still paying the fees for your PA license then it is still good.
Hi,
My friend has just moved here from another country. she has her native country cosmetology licenese for 7 years. Can she get the cosmetology licenese here without taking written and practical tests? Is any state is offering that kind of reciprocity?
Priyanka most states do have reciprocity with other countries and many do require testing, but you would have to check your state board for that information and since you didn’t tell me where “here” is I have no clue where to direct you.
Thanks a lot for your reply and sorry i didn’t explain clearly. She is in Rhode Island now. But she is ready to move anywhere where she can get her cosmetology license without spending too much time and starts her career asap. Thanks.
I’m afraid it’s not going to be fast or easy no matter which state she decides on because there are many requirements involved and requirements change often in each state. There are many things she will need to have documented to prove she is here legally, her schooling, plus numerous other things that need to be verified and notarized and it all takes time. Rhode Island does have reciprocity, but many requirements and she would be required to sit for an exam. I honestly don’t have the time to research every states requirements, but the list for the state boards are all listed under pages on the side bar. You can start here with Rhode Island’s requirements it is in PDF format, go down to Section 9.0 Requirements for Applicants from Another Country It should be on page 12. All the best.
I am looking to get my Instructor license, i had half of my hrs in CA and the other half in GA, so I am licensed in GA, what I would like to know is if I get my Instructors License here what states would I be able to teach in. If you have a link for me to continue my search please supply it and I will do the rest.
Thanks and have a blessed day.
Any state that has reciprocity with Georgia since that is where you are licensed I really can’t point you to any links, but you could do a Google search for “cosmetology instructor reciprocity list” and see what comes up, but I’m sure it’s the same as I have listed here for Cosmetologist. You would have to decide where you are planning to live and then check with their state board. I have all the state boards listed so you can find them easy. Just look on the sidebar under Pages for the list.
I’m feeling very stuck In upstate NY I have a small salon I’v owened for 10 years I’v had my Cosmetology license for over 30 years .I’m thinking of moviing to a diferent state to be closer to family eather Ohio of Louisiana I’v even thought of Tenesee but I’d rather not retake state boards
I am currently enrolled in a New York State cosmetology course and it will only give me 1000 hours, which is what New York state requires for boards. I live in Pennsylvania and want to get my license there, but they require 1250 hours. My question is if i pass my NY state boards and wish to take my PA boards after that do i have to work 2 years in NY? I don’t mind taking the PA boards after. I know to transfer without taking boards ts requires the 2 years. And if i can just get the required hours some other way? thanks
Jane…I’m not exactly sure if your asking a question or just making a statement.
Tress…I don’t understand why you live in PA and go to school in NY. Why not just transfer your hours to a school in PA?
I live on the NY PA border and the Ny school is only 15 miles, the closest Pa school is over 65 miles and twice the cost. My question is when i read over the requirements for PA it states to transfer a NY license without taking boards you must have a current license plus 2 years experience it doesn’t say anything about what is required if you posses a NY license and are willing to take the board. it only says to take the boards after cosmetology school you are required 1250. hopefully you understood that lol there has to be some kind of a loop hole or an easy way to get the extra hours.
Tress….Most states will give a certain amount of credit for working hours so I imagine that’s where the 2 years experience comes in to equal the difference in hours. I know of no loop holes, but I would suggest contacting the board and explain your situation and see what they suggest? Maybe you could apply to the Board for an apprentice permit and get the hours needed that way. Sorry I can’t be more help.
I currently am licensed in Oregon and am thinking of moving to Texas, but need a job first, the catch is I need a Texas license to find one but I need to still work in Oregon until I do. Is it possible to keep my Oregon cosmetology license and get a Texas cosmetology license at the same time? Thanks!
Kristen…Unless they’ve changed the laws as long as you keep your license up to date you can be licensed in as many states as you want.
I know this question has been visited many times but want to make sure I understand correctly. My FL license is not transferable to GA because there is no reciprocity. What do I need to do to get licensed in GA. (ie. take the exam, complete more hours, both?) thanks for your time.
I am getting my license in South Carolina and then moving to Georgia three months later. In south carolina they give you 600 hours of esthetician training. Georgia requires 1000 hours. Once I move will I be able to recieve a Georgia license without the extra 400 hours education?
Amber…No you need equivalent hours so you would have to return to school for the hours.
hi there…im thinking of moving from texas to illinois…what would i need to do this? is there a difference in hour requirments? would they even accept my texas hours? please help…
I have a current license nail technician license from the state of Florida. What do I need
to do to transfer this license to the state of North Carolina?
Comment by Jeannie
Hi, I tried to search all your comments to see if this had been answered but I don’t think it has. I am still in school, I graduate in 12 days, and I will be moving from Oregon to California. Now everytime I try to call Cali state board I get a client at school, so I haven’t been able to get through. There is no reciprocity in California, so do you know what I would have to do? Just take my boards there and a practical exam? If you could help me out it would be much appreciated! Thank you for your time this website is awesome!
Hi, I have been licensed in NY for 2 years now and have apprenticed here for 4 years, I would like to move to DC but need 500 more hours or 5 years of work experience. So far I only have 4 years in total of work. Ive heard I can apply for reciprocity in another state then transfer to DC who will accept their license. What states share reciprocity with NY and eventually DC? Is this done? Does DC have a website that I can apply through? Ive contacted their agency and they have not contacted me. I would really like to do all of this online. Should I contact my school, if so do they send a letter to me then I fill out some sort of application, and where do I get this application? This is all very hard to figure out, please help me out. Thanks.
I currently have a Texas Cosmetology license where i obtained all 1500 hours, i have been working for almost 2 years now. I want to move to Minnesota and i know that they require that you have 1550 hours. Could someone tell me the steps i need to take to get a license to work in Minnesota?
I have a Fl nail license and now want to move to pittsburgh pa. Ive been in the nail buisness for six years and have gotten all the hours required I just need to know how to change the license from one state to another. Please help.
Hi I currently have my NY state cosmetology license since 2006 and applied for my Ga license the state wants me to complete 250 hours in school but when i call beauty schools they are not ok with me doing just 250 hours. Please let me know what i can do to complete the 250 hours so I can qualify to sit for the test.
Thank You
Fallon
I got my Illinois license 5/10, how long before I can transfer it to Georgia? Or can I just apply for a Georgia license.. thnx
HELLO I RECENTLY RECIEVED MY NEWJERSEY LICENCE AND I WAS WONDERING HOW I GET MY NEWYORK ONE…IF I HAVE TO TAKE ANOTHER EXAM OR JUST PAY A FEE..? PLEASE RESPOMD ASAP THANK YOU!!
i would like to no if kansas has receporcity for tx i am licened in tx thanks
hi! i keep hearing about some universal license you can get if you are licensed in 3+ states. rumor is, if you are licensed in 3 or more states, there is a license you can somehow obtain to be able to work in any state without taking any exams. is this true? if so, how does it work, and why can not find any information on it?
I have been working in Indiana for one year, and they require 1500 hours. I’m moving to California in a few months. will i have to go back to school or just take thier written and practical exams?
I have my nj cosmetology license n recieved it in 2006. but i just got back into it in september. I completed 1200 hrs when i was in beauty school and I was curious as to what i had to do to transfer my nj license to south/north carolina.
jenae…Each state has different requirements and I haven’t heard of a Cosmetology universal license, although that doesn’t mean there isn’t one. Of course if you’re an ESTHETICIAN you can take the cidesco certification course, which is accepted in 36 states. You can always check with your state board to find out the facts. I know Dentists ( http://www.thewealthydentist.com/SurveyResults/134-National-Dental-Licensure.htm) and other fields are fighting for one. Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.
I have a florida nail license and im moving to pittsburgh pa and i need to know how do i change my nail license from fl to pa. Can someone please help me???
i have a licence in england it is called city and guilds what can i do to get my licence in texas please help me