To receive a cosmetology license in Arizona 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 as specified by the Arizona State Board of Cosmetology (AZBOC) before you can take the exams. The fees are $100 for the written and $77 for the practical exam. The initial license fee is $70.
Minimum Required Training Hours
- Cosmetology license: 1450 hours
- Aesthetics license: 500 hours
- Hairdresser: Arizona does not have a dedicated ‘hairdresser’ license
- Nail Tech license: 500 hours
Examinations are already stressful, but a lack of information or misinformation only adds unnecessary stress. Therefore, we advise every applicant to read through examination information provided by the AZBOC ahead of time and contact the board if you have questions.
Contact Information Arizona State Board of Cosmetology
Arizona Board of Cosmetology
1721 East Broadway
Tempe, AZ 85282-1611
Agency offices are open Monday through Friday, except holidays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Phone: 480-784-4539
Fax: 480-784-4962
Email: contact
Cosmetology License Renewal
In Arizona, cosmetology licenses must be renewed every two years. The costs are $60 for the renewal. To date, no continuing education units are required in order to renew. License renewal is possible online (60 days prior renewal date) or can be submitted via mail or in person.
Out-of-state License
An out-of-state license does not automatically qualify you for a cosmetology license in Arizona. But you can apply for what is called “reciprocity” via two ways:
- license for license
- examination
The reciprocity application fee is currently $140.
1. License for License
This may be the easier way to obtain a reciprocity license if you qualify. You need to provide a certification of a current license from another state or country. Contact your governing board to obtain a certification of licensure and include it with your application. This envelope has to be sealed by the institution you receive it from and it needs to remain sealed for the AZBOC to be accepted.
National Interstate Council Examination: If you have taken and passed the written and practical portions of this examination within the last year but are not yet licensed, provide a state certification to that effect.
Also, note that Arizona does not have a dedicated hairdressing license which may be transferred to a cosmetology license under certain conditions. Please read the RECIPROCITY APPLICATION (Applications and Forms for Individuals) for details.
2. Examination
For the case that your government does not “license” or if you attended school and your certificate does not verify hours, you may still qualify for reciprocity by education and examination. Obtain verification of hours, curriculum studied, and graduation from a school with substantially similar requirements corresponding with Arizona law. The evaluation service will assess education received. (If your state does verify hours and graduation, obtain a certification, have it mailed to you, and include it with your application. Important: Make sure not to open this envelope. Please read the RECIPROCITY APPLICATION (Applications and Forms for Individuals) for details.
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Disclaimer: We don’t guarantee the accuracy of the above information. Ultimately the Arizona State Board of Cosmetology 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 11/6/2017.