Cosmetology License Reciprocity By State
As of 2026
Cosmetology licensing requirements vary by state. The following chart provides a general overview of the education and reciprocity requirements for transferring a cosmetology license from one state to another.
Requirements may change, and individual circumstances can affect eligibility. Before applying, contact the licensing board in the state where you plan to work to confirm its current requirements.
| State | Accepted Curriculum | Reciprocity Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | The state allows anyone who completed a program in another state to request licensure. | Request certification from the current state, contact the state board for paperwork and examinations, and pay a $100 fee. |
| Alaska | Hold a current license in a state with equivalent requirements of 1,650 hours. | Hold a current license in a state with equivalent requirements of 1,650 hours; complete one year of full-time employment plus 1,500 school hours; or complete two years of full-time employment in the field. |
| Arizona | The state allows anyone who completed a program in another state to request licensure. | Have at least one year of practice in the current state of licensure within the five years preceding the application. |
| Arkansas | The state allows anyone who completed a program in another state to request licensure. | Hold a valid cosmetology license, provide certification of licensure and training, and pass a state law examination. |
| California | The state allows anyone who completed a program in another state to request licensure. | Hold a cosmetology license in good standing in the home state and have been licensed for three of the last five years. |
| Colorado | Hold a valid license from a home state with equivalent requirements of 1,800 hours. | Apply for licensure by endorsement and hold a valid license from a home state with equivalent requirements of 1,800 hours. |
| Connecticut | Hold a valid license from a home state with equivalent requirements of 1,500 hours. | Hold a valid license from a state with equivalent requirements of 1,500 hours and pass a written examination. |
| Delaware | Be licensed in a state with equivalent requirements of 1,500 hours. | Be licensed in a state with equal requirements of 1,500 hours or submit a notarized statement from an employer certifying at least five years of work in the field. |
| District of Columbia | Be licensed in a state with equal or greater requirements of 1,500 hours. | Applicants for licensure by reciprocity must provide a letter of good standing from a jurisdiction whose requirements were substantially equivalent at the time of the applicant’s licensure to those of the District of Columbia; have passed an examination acceptable to the board; hold an active certification from a recognized national certifying organization; and have no disciplinary or disqualifying action by the national certifying organization. |
| Florida | Hold an active license in another state with equal requirements of 1,200 hours. | Hold an active license in another state with equal requirements of 1,200 hours or complete additional training hours to qualify for endorsement. |
| Georgia | Be licensed in a state with similar requirements of 1,500 hours. | Be licensed in a state with similar requirements of 1,500 hours and submit an application and endorsement fee. |
| Hawaii | Complete similar or equivalent education requirements of 1,800 hours. | Complete similar or equivalent education requirements of 1,800 hours and, when required, take written and practical examinations. |
| Idaho | Complete similar education requirements of 1,600 hours. | A current license holder from another state may be eligible for licensure by endorsement when the other state’s standards are not less than Idaho’s 1,600-hour standards, or when the applicant holds a current license and has at least one year of recent work experience. Applicants who do not meet the equal-standards or experience requirement may need additional training and examination. Applicants who do not meet the equivalent-training requirement must graduate from a licensed Idaho school of barbering or cosmetology. |
| Illinois | The state allows anyone who completed a program and holds a license in another state to request licensure by endorsement. | Apply for licensure by endorsement and provide certification of licensure from the current state board. |
| Indiana | Be licensed in a state that requires at least 1,500 training hours. | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 1,500 training hours and have achieved a passing score of at least 70% on written and practical examinations. |
| Iowa | Be licensed in a state with similar or equivalent requirements of 2,100 hours. | Transfer through endorsement and be licensed in a state with similar or equivalent requirements of 2,100 hours for 12 of the previous 24 months. |
| Kansas | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 1,500 training hours. | Be licensed in a state with similar or equivalent requirements of 1,500 hours and pass an open-book examination. |
| Kentucky | The state allows anyone who completed a program in another state to request licensure. | Provide certification of the license from the state board that issued it. Applicants may also be required to take state licensing examinations. |
| Louisiana | Reciprocity is available to states that use the National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology examination. | Applicants from Wisconsin, Vermont, Texas, Tennessee, New York, Minnesota, Michigan, Massachusetts, Missouri, Kansas, Hawaii, Florida, Connecticut and Colorado must take the NIC examination, including NIC, state theory and practical examinations. |
| Maine | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 1,500 hours. | Hold a valid license in another state with similar requirements of 1,500 hours. If requirements differ, applicants must pass state examinations. |
| Maryland | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 1,500 training hours. | Hold a valid license in another state with similar requirements of 1,500 hours and provide certification that the license is current and in good standing. |
| Massachusetts | Accepts training provided in other states. | Pass the state’s written and practical board examinations. |
| Michigan | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 1,500 training hours. | Hold a valid license in another state with similar or greater requirements of 1,500 hours. |
| Minnesota | Accepts training provided in other states. | Provide verification of current licensure, a high school diploma, completion of examinations and an application for reciprocity. |
| Mississippi | Accepts training provided in other states. | Submit an application and an affidavit or certification of training that meets Mississippi’s reciprocity requirements, and appear for an application eligibility interview. |
| Missouri | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 1,500 training hours. | Hold a current license in a state with substantially similar or superior requirements of 1,500 hours and have practiced cosmetology for two consecutive years in another state. |
| Montana | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 2,000 training hours. | Hold a license in a state with comparable training and testing requirements of 2,000 hours. Additional training hours and national examinations may be required. |
| Nebraska | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 2,100 training hours. | Hold a current license issued by another jurisdiction based on written and practical examinations and completion of a cosmetology course consisting of at least 2,100 hours. |
| Nevada | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 1,600 training hours. | Hold a current license in good standing in another state and have passed the NIC national written examination or take the Nevada State Council of State Boards of Cosmetology written examination. |
| New Hampshire | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 1,500 training hours. | Complete 1,500 training hours in the home state and pass a hands-on practical examination and a national written examination in English. |
| New Jersey | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 1,200 training hours. | Hold a current license in another state with satisfactory requirements of 1,200 hours. Otherwise, submit an out-of-state application and required documentation and pass state examinations. |
| New Mexico | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 1,600 training hours. | Provide verification of licensure in another state with similar or superior requirements of 1,600 hours. Applicants may substitute 150 credit hours for each six full months of licensed experience. |
| New York | The state limits acceptable curriculum to states on its approved list. | Applicants must be currently licensed by a state on New York’s reciprocity list. In some cases, one or more years of licensure may be required. The number of required years varies by state. |
| North Carolina | The state limits acceptable curriculum to states on its approved list. | Hold a current license in good standing with no disciplinary action. Applicants must be licensed in a state offering reciprocity to North Carolina. Individuals from states that do not offer reciprocity may need to provide transcripts for verification and complete additional training when the required practical experience was not obtained. |
| North Dakota | Accepts training provided in other states. | Provide a letter of certification from the current state board, a copy of that state’s licensing requirements, and pass the North Dakota Laws, Rules and Regulations examination. |
| Ohio | Does not recognize curriculum from other states. | Ohio does not offer reciprocity. Applicants must take and pass Ohio’s practical, theoretical and manager examinations. |
| Oklahoma | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 1,500 training hours. | Hold a current license in a state with equal or higher requirements of 1,500 hours, have at least three years of recent licensed work experience, and complete any required state licensure examinations. |
| Oregon | Accepts training provided in other states. | Submit an affidavit of licensure and a qualifying application, and pass the written examination, which includes the Oregon Laws and Rules examination. |
| Rhode Island | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 1,500 training hours. | Hold a license in another state with equivalent educational requirements of 1,500 hours. Work experience may be considered. Applicants must pass licensing examinations. |
| South Carolina | Accepts training provided in other states. | Hold a current license in good standing in another state and have passed a nationally recognized examination. |
| South Dakota | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 2,100 training hours. | Hold a current license from a state with equal or greater requirements of 2,100 hours. Work experience may be considered, with two work hours equaling one school hour. Applicants must pass the South Dakota Laws and Rules examination. |
| Tennessee | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 1,500 training hours. | Provide proof of a current license from another state with equal requirements of 1,500 hours. Applicants may substitute five years of work experience. |
| Texas | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 1,000 training hours. | Be licensed in a state with substantially equivalent requirements of 1,000 hours. In some cases, work experience may be credited. |
| Utah | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 1,600 training hours. | Submit verification of current licensure and meet the educational requirement of 1,600 hours and examination requirements. |
| Vermont | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 1,500 training hours. | Hold a license in a state whose requirements are equal or superior to 1,500 hours and pass a state law examination. |
| Virginia | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 1,200 hours, or 80% of Virginia’s 1,500-hour requirement. | Hold a current license in a state with substantially similar training requirements of at least 1,200 hours, submit an application for endorsement, and provide proof of licensure. |
| Washington | Accepts training provided in other states. | Hold a current license in good standing in another state. |
| West Virginia | Accepts training provided in other states when the state uses the NIC examination for licensure. | Applicants licensed in a state using the National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology examination must take and pass the state law examination in the state that does not use the NIC examination. Applications may need to be submitted for review. |
| Wisconsin | Accepts training provided in other states. | Be currently licensed in another state. |
| Wyoming | Be licensed in a state requiring at least 2,000 training hours. | Be currently licensed in a state with equal requirements of 2,000 hours, have graduated from a state-recognized school, and have taken board-administered examinations. |
Important: This information is provided as a general reference and does not guarantee eligibility for licensure. State laws, education-hour requirements, examination requirements and reciprocity policies may change. Contact the appropriate state licensing board for the most current information.
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