To receive a cosmetology license in District of Columbia or a license in one of the other beauty practitioner disciplines in this state you have to attend a licensed school and complete the minimum required training hours before you can take the state’s board exams. These required training hours are specified by the District of Columbia Board of Barber and Cosmetology. After you pass the exam you can apply for the license. The fee for the license application is $65. There are no fees for the exam, but $110 for the actual license.
Minimum required training hours
- Cosmetologist license: 1500 hours, 500 hours with barber license
- Baber license: 1500 hours, 500 hours with cosmetology license
- Electrologist license: 600 hours
- Esthetician license: 600 hours
- Manicurist license: 350 hours
Examinations are already stressful, but a lack of information or misinformation only adds unnecessary stress. The exams are administered by the National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC).Therefore, we advise every applicant to carefully read the examination information on www.nictesting.org (click Testing program, then choose your discipline) or on the board’s website and contact the Board or NIC if you have further questions
Contact Information DC Board of Barber and Cosmetology
All license applications, supporting documents for licensure, and licensing fees should be mailed to this address:
Pearson VUE
Department DC-Cosmetology
Metro-Plex I, Suite 250
8401 Corporate Drive
Landover, MD 20785
Pearson Vue customer service hotline: 1-877-374-1155
For other questions related to licensure, contact the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA):
DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs
1100 4th Street, SW,
Washington, DC 20024
Phone: (202) 442-4400
Fax: (202) 442-9445
TTY: (202) 123-4567
Contact (DCRA)
Cosmetology License Renewal
Cosmetology licenses in the District of Columbia are renewed every second year after on April 15 of even-numbered years. All other beauty practitioner licenses are renewed on March 31 of even-numbered years. DC requires 6 continuing education (CE) hours for cosmetology, cosmetology specialists, and barber license renewals, from the second renewal period on.
Out-of-state license / Out-of-country license
An out-of-state (or out of country) license does not automatically qualify you for a cosmetology license in DC. But you may qualify for licensure through reciprocity if you can provide proof that you met and completed license requirements equivalent to D.C. requirements. Please contact the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.
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Disclaimer: We don’t guarantee the accuracy of the above information. Ultimately the DC Board of Barber and Cosmetology determines license requirements and will provide you with all needed information. We are not affiliated with the Board in any way. If you have questions or comments please contact us here. The information on this page was last updated on 11/27/2017.