To receive a cosmetology license in Indiana 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 Indiana State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners. After you pass the exam ($53) you can apply for the license. The application fee is $40 for all personal beauty practitioner licenses.
Minimum required training hours
- Cosmetologist license: 1500 hours
- Barber license: 1500 hours
- Esthetician license: 700 hours
- Manicurist license: 450 hours
Examinations are already stressful, but a lack of information or misinformation only adds unnecessary stress. Therefore, we advise every applicant to read through the FAQ documents for information on theory and practical exams at PSI and contact either the Board or Pearson VUE if you have questions. You need to file an application for the exam with the board and wait until you receive an eligibility letter before you can register with PSI.
Contact Information Indiana State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners
Indiana Professional Licensing Agency
(Attn: State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners)
402 W. Washington Street, Room W072
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Staff Phone Number: (317) 234-3031
Staff Email: pla12@pla.in.gov
Cosmetology License Renewal
Cosmetology licenses in Indiana are renewed every four years. No continuing education hours are required for renewal. The fees are $40 for the renewal of all beauty practitioner license types. The licenses are renewed online up to 90 days before expiration. The late fee is $50. A free license card can be directly printed or you can choose to order a license that is printed on blue card stock and mailed to you. The fee for this card is $13.77 ($10.00 license fee + $3.77 online access fee).
Out-of-state license / Out-of-country license
An out-of-state license does not automatically qualify you for a cosmetology license in Indiana. But you may qualify for transfer through reciprocity, by meeting the following criteria
The applicant must:
- have a valid equivalent license in another jurisdiction.
If the applicant’s jurisdiction, however, does not issue a license to practice cosmetology, the applicant may apply for a provisional cosmetologist license (see below). - be at least 18 years of age
- have completed a tenth-grade education or equivalent
- be able to provide a license certification from each jurisdiction where they hold or have held a license, regardless of license status.
Further:
- Applicant’s jurisdiction must require equal hours of education as in Indiana (see above) and Indiana does not accept apprenticeship hours.
However, if apprentice hours are accepted by the applicant’s jurisdiction then the applicant can submit proof of completion of this education requirement.
An applicant who has completed a minimum of 1000 hours of education may substitute one year of licensed practice for one hundred (100) hours of education.
Extra hours of education or experience above the applicant’s state’s minimum education requirement do not count. - Your jurisdiction must require at least 70% passing on both written and practical licensing exams
Jurisdiction outside of the U.S.:
- You need to submit your high school diploma (or record of last year attended) and cosmetology school transcript. Original documents must be accompanied with a certified translation if they are in a foreign language.
An applicant from a jurisdiction that issues a cosmetologist license with less than Indiana’s minimum reciprocity requirement needs to graduate from an Indiana-approved cosmetology school and then apply by examination. Hours from their original out-of-state school may be transferred to a cosmetology school in Indiana. The schools are, however, not required to accept hours from out-of-state schools.
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Disclaimer: We don’t guarantee the accuracy of the above information. Ultimately the Indiana State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners determines license requirements and will provide you with all needed information. We are not affiliated with the Board in any way. The information on this page was last updated on 2/8/2018.