How to Get a Cosmetology License in Texas

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The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR) regulates all beauty careers in Texas, save for electrology. Thus, anyone hoping to launch a career in cosmetology or other beauty fields must adhere to the TDLR requirements. The TDLR dictates that all beauty practitioners must attend a commission-approved program and pass their written and practical exams.

The exams are offered in English, Vietnamese, and Spanish. Applicants who speak other languages can bring interpreters to help them take the exams. On completing the required course hours and passing both exams, you can get a license in cosmetology.

Cosmetology license in Texas.

Please note that, as of now, TDLR has not made any provisions for apprenticeship-based courses. Thus, you must enroll in a commission-approved school and keep up with continuing classes to renew your license. To get an even bigger head start in your beauty career, you can take on more courses even after completing your main program.

Below is information on how you can get your beautician license.

Table of Contents: hide

Operator License

Education Requirements

Anyone applying for an operator license must hold a high school diploma or an equivalent. If you have none of these, you can opt for the ‘ability to benefit’ test, which gauges how much you will benefit from the training. Passing this test will count as meeting the operator license application requirements.

Beauty School Training

All cosmetology operator license applicants must enroll in a licensed beauty school in Texas. The length of the training depends on prior experience and your school of choice. For you to get an operator license, you must prove that you have:

  • Completed at least 1,000 hours of training in a licensed beauty school, or
  • Completed at least 1,000 hours of training in a licensed beauty school in addition to 500 hours of high school courses required as part of a vocational cosmetology program in a public school, or
  • Completed at least 300 hours of training in a licensed beauty school and already hold a Class A barber certificate.

Examinations

TDLR requires that you pass both the written and practical exams before you can get your cosmetology license.

Written Exam

Your school must notify the TDLR of your intention to take the written exam once you complete 900 of the 1,00 required hours of training. TDLR will pass your information to the PSI who will send you an email with instructions on scheduling your exam if you meet the eligibility criteria. The has more information on booking exam appointments.

Practical Exam

You’re eligible to take the practical exam once you complete your required hours and pass the written exam. The PSI will once again send you the scheduling requirements as shown on this exam information page.

Application and Fee

You can only apply for your cosmetology license online or by mail after passing the written and practical exams. Please note that you must be at least 17 years old to apply. The application will cost you $50, and the license lasts two years from the issue date.

Applicants with Criminal Convictions

Criminal convictions can get in the way of acquiring an operator license. They can also result in your license being revoked or suspended. If you’ve ever been convicted of any criminal offense (felony, misdemeanor, federal) or pleaded guilty or no contest to such offenses, you must fill in the criminal history questionnaire. Submit this alongside your application to enable the TDLR to conduct a criminal check on you. You can always apply for a criminal history background check to gauge your suitability for the license even before joining beauty school to get ahead of the situation. That way, you can avoid getting rejected after passing your exams.

The TDLR will assess your history based on the nature of the conviction and how long ago you were convicted. To understand your chances of getting licensed, please go through the Criminal History Evaluation Letter page as well as the Guidelines to License Applicants With Criminal Convictions.

Esthetician and/or Manicurist Specialty License

Education and Training

Education Requirements

To get an esthetician or manicurist specialty license, you must hold a high school diploma or an equivalent. If you have none of these, please check with your local community college on your eligibility to take an ‘ability-to-benefit’ test.

Beauty School Training

You can study to be an esthetician, manicurist, or both at any licensed beauty school in Texas. To complete the program, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Manicurist: At least 600 hours of training in a licensed beauty school.
  • Esthetician: At least 750 hours of training in a licensed beauty school.
  • Manicurist/Esthetician: – 1200 hours of blended manicurist/ esthetician classes or

Upgrade to Esthetician/Manicurist

Applicants with manicurist and esthetician licenses can upgrade to a combined esthetician/ manicurist license. You can apply online or by mail. The application sets you back a non-refundable fee of $50.

Examinations

To acquire a Texas cosmetology license, you must finish all your training requirements before taking written and practical exams administered by the PSI. The exam information page takes you through how you can book your exams and receive the scheduling details.

Application and Fee

If you pass both the written and practical exams, you can apply for your cosmetology license online or by mail. Please note that you must be at least 17 years to make the application which will cost you $50 (non-refundable). The license will last two years from the date of issue.

Instructor or Specialty Instructor License

Current Cosmetology License

To acquire an instructor or specialty instructor license, you must hold a valid cosmetology operator license which must be in good standing.  The license must be in your chosen field of study. E.g., you must hold an esthetician license to apply for a specialty esthetician instructor license.

Instructor Qualification

You can acquire your instructor license using any of the three methods below:

Method 1 – 750 Hours Coursework

This option requires you to complete 750 hours of vocational coursework on teaching methods. You can do so at a vocational training program in a publicly financed post-secondary school or a licensed private beauty school.

Method 2 – 500 Hours Coursework and One Year Experience

Rather than finishing 750 hours of training, you can use this method which combines vocational coursework and related work experience. To get a license this way, you must:

  • Undertake at least 500 hours of cosmetology training in a licensed beauty school, and
  • Prove that you have at least one year of relevant work experience as a licensed operator or in the specialty field you want an instructor license.

Method 3 – College Education

This last method combines coursework and related work experience. To use this path, you must:

  • Attain a degree in education from a licensed university or college or complete at least 15 hours in an education course from a licensed college or university no more than ten years before applying for the instructor license, and
  • Provide proof of work experience as a licensed operator or in the specialty niche you want an instructor license.

Examinations

All Texas cosmetology instructor license applicants must first meet the qualification requirements set out in the section above. Following this, you pass the written and practical exams administered by the PSI. For details on examination booking and scheduling, please refer to the exam information page.

Application and Fee

You must be at least 17 years old to apply for the instructor license. Applicants using methods 1 and 2 can apply online or by mail. Those using method 3 should apply by mail. All applications must accompany a non-refundable fee of $60.

Eyelash Extension Specialty License

Education and Training

Education Requirements

To obtain a Texas cosmetology license, you must hold a high school diploma, its equivalent, or pass the ‘ability-to-benefit’ test. Check with your local community college on where you can take the ‘ability-to-benefit’ test.

Beauty School Training

Before you can get your eyelash extension license, you will need to enroll in a licensed beauty school in Texas. Once you have completed at least 320 hours of training, you will be eligible to take the written and practical examinations.

Examinations

All cosmetology applicants must take and pass written and practical examinations administered by the PSI. For more information on when you can take the test, please check the exam information page.

Application and Fee

You must be at least 17 years old to submit a license application, which you can do online or by mail at a non-refundable cost of $50. The license will remain valid for two years from the date of issue.

Hair Weaving Specialty Certificate

Training and Education

Anyone who wants to obtain a hair weaving specialty license must complete 300 hours of cosmetology training in a licensed beauty school in Texas.

Examinations

Once you have completed your training, the TDLR will assess your eligibility to take the written and practical licensing exams. If you are deemed eligible, the PSI will schedule an exam date and send you the details via email. The exam information page provides more details on exam scheduling.

Application and Fee

You must be at least 17 years old to apply for a cosmetology license. You can submit your application online or via mail at a non-refundable fee of $50. The license will remain valid for two years from the date of issue.

Esthetician Schools in Texas

Should you start an esthetician career in Texas? If the stats are anything to go by, this state’s residents are highly obsessed with their skin. So, you should have a market to purchase your services.

Update Your Personal Information

Have you changed your personal information? We recommend that you do so before applying for license renewal. Such changes include:

Name Changes

If you change your name, you must email the TDLR about this change. Include the following details in the email:

  • Your current license number,
  • The name change,
  • For last name changes: You should include a copy of a government-issued ID or a legal document indicating the change. Examples include court petitions for name changes, marriage licenses, and state-issued IDs,
  • For first name changes: You must provide legal documents indicating the name change, e.g., a copy of a court petition for a name change or a certificate of naturalization. You must also include a government-issued ID.

Update Your Contact Information

Suppose you have also changed your contact details since acquiring your last license. You will need to inform the TDLR about this.

Add Social Security Number

Are your social security details up to date? Please note that you must have a social security number to renew your license online. You can ensure this by emailing the TDLR about any recent changes. When doing so, do not forget to include:

  • A copy of your social security card,
  • Your current license number,
  • A copy of a government-issued ID. Examples include passports and driver’s licenses.

Continuing Education

Every cosmetology license holder must renew their license every two years. However, the renewal is not guaranteed as it depends on if you have kept up with the continuing education requirements. You must enroll in a course and complete the stipulated hours. The course provider must then update these hours in the system within 7 days after you complete your hours. You can always check your registered hours to ensure that the course provider has held up their end of the bargain. Once your hours are complete, you can now apply for license renewal.

What if the expiry date is coming up and you are yet to complete your hours? You can still submit a renewal application to help you avoid paying late renewal fees. Once the renewal goes through, you will have a year to complete your hours.

Renewal Application

Only license holders with social security numbers can renew their licenses online. If you don’t have a social security number or have not updated your details, you can only request a renewal by mail. Contact the TDLR for more information on this.

Fee Schedule

The renewal fees depend on the type of license you hold as follows:

Renewal Fees Type of License
$50
  • Operator
  • Specialty, e.g., esthetician, manicurist, eyelash extension, esthetician/manicurist
  • Specialty certificate, e.g., hair weaving
$60
  • Instructor
  • Instructor specialty, e.g., esthetician, manicurist, eyelash extension, esthetician/manicurist

If you cannot renew your license online or prefer to do it via mail, you can always contact the TDLR for the way forward. Please note that the fees are not refundable or transferrable to other license holders.

Verify Your Renewal Is Complete

You have three checks to complete once you pay the renewal fees as follows:

  • Check that your course provider updated your continuing education hours. They have a maximum of 7 days to do so after you complete your hours. If they are yet to do so, you should contact them for further information.
  • Ensure that your renewal fee reflects in the system.
  • Verify that the TDLR has issued you with a new license. You should receive it within 14 days from the date of application. If you still don’t have it after this time, you should contact the TDLR via email.

Renewal of Expired Licenses

Offering cosmetology services in Texas without a cosmetology license is illegal. Below, we take you through the preliminaries and fees associated with renewing expired licenses based on how long they’ve been expired:

Expiry Period Preliminaries Cost of Renewal
90 days or less None 1.5* the normal cost of renewal
>90 days but less than 18 months None 2* the normal cost of renewal
>18 months but less than 3 years Must get renewal approval from the Executive Director 2* the normal cost of renewal
>3 years Must apply for a new license

Must pass the cosmetology exams

The normal cost of a new license

Renew a Cosmetology Salon License

Please note that you must always renew your license before its expiration date. Failure to do so will subject you to late renewal fees, and TDLR will not accept excuses to the contrary.

Application and Fee

TDLR will send a renewal postcard to your registered mailing address about 60 days before your license expires. To ensure that you get your postcard, you should update your contact information. Suppose you do not receive your postcard approximately 60 days before your license expires. You should contact TDLR and inquire about the delay. Receiving your postcard late or not receiving it at all will not count as an excuse not to pay your renewal fee in time.

Once you have paid the license renewal fees, you should get a new license within 14 days. Should this not happen, feel free to contact customer service via email or call them at (800) 803-9202.

Renewal of Expired Licenses

You cannot train students in a salon whose license is not valid. Doing so would be against the TDLR requirements and can land you in legal trouble. Below is a table depicting the renewal requirements based on how long your license has been expired:

Expiry Period Preliminaries Cost of Renewal
90 days or less None 1.5* the normal cost of renewal
>90 days but less than 18 months None 2* the normal cost of renewal
>18 months but less than 3 years Must get renewal approval from the executive director 2* the normal cost of renewal

Cosmetology License Reciprocity (Transfer) in Texas

You can use your Texas cosmetology license in other states and vice versa. To transfer your license to Texas, you must pay $100. Most states require that you couple your license with one year of work experience. However, Florida and New York require you to provide proof of two years of work experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

My license expires within the next five days. What should I do?

To avoid late fees, send an email to the TDLR with the subject line ‘Renewal within 5 days’, including the following information:

  • Your name,
  • Your current license number, and
  • Your phone number.

I accidentally answered the criminal history question incorrectly on my renewal. How do I change my answer?

You can always change the answers in your renewal by emailing TDLR customer service. Highlight the question you answered wrong and include the correct answer in your email.

What should I do if I have been incarcerated since my last renewal?

Please note that you can lose the right to provide cosmetology services due to any of the following:

  • Revocation of parole,
  • Revocation of mandatory supervision, and
  • Felony conviction.

However, you can always have your license reinstated if you meet TDLR’s eligibility criteria. Read the following administrative code to gauge your eligibility.

TX State Board of Cosmetology Contact Information

Do you want to contact the TDLR? Use the following contact details:

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations

920 Colorado

Austin, TX 78701

PO Box 12057

Austin, TX 78711

Phone Number: 512-463-6599

Fax Number: 512-463-9468

Email Address: education@tdlr.texas.gov