To receive a cosmetology license in Pennsylvania 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 State Board of Cosmetology. After you pass the exam you can apply for the license. The fee for the complete initial license exam/licensure $150.

Minimum required training hours

  • Cosmetologist license: 1250 hours
  • Esthetician license: 300 hours
  • Manicurist license: 200 hours
  • Natural Hair Braider license: 300 hours

 

Examinations are already stressful, but a lack of information or misinformation only adds unnecessary stress. The exams are administered by the Pearson Vue.Therefore, we advise every applicant to carefully read the examination information and check the deadlines with Pearson Vue and contact the Board or Pearson Vue if you have further questions.

 

Contact Information Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology

State Board of Cosmetology
Mailing Address
State Board of Cosmetology
P.O. Box 2649, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649

Physical Address
One Penn Center, 2601 N. 3rd Street
Harrisburg, PA 17110

Phone: (717) 783-7130
Fax: (717) 705-5540

Email: St-COSMETOLOGY@pa.gov

Website, Fees, Application Forms, 

 

Cosmetology License Renewal

Cosmetology licenses in Pennsylvania are renewed every two years on January 31st. The renewal fees are $67 for all beauty practitioner disciplines. Nail Technicians need to renew their licenses in even years and Hair Braiders and Estheticians in odd years. Pennsylvania does not require continuing education (CE) hours for individual license renewals.

 

Out-of-state license / Out-of-country license

Out of state

An out-of-state license does not automatically qualify you for a cosmetology license in Pennsylvania. But you qualify for licensure through reciprocity. Pennsylvania allows for cosmetology license reciprocity with most states. The exceptions are Connecticut, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, New Mexico, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Utah. For Nail Technicians there is no reciprocity with South Carolina, Alabama or West Virginia. The fee to transfer your license to  $20 fee to transfer your license to PA.

For out of country license questions, we recommend contacting the board directly.

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Disclaimer: We don’t guarantee the accuracy of the above information. Ultimately the 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. If you have questions or comments please contact us here. The information on this page was last updated on 11/13/2017.