One of the questions that I get asked a lot is how long after graduating from Cosmetology are exams, as well as how much time can pass between graduation and actually taking the exams.
The truth is that there is no generic answer to the question, as each state in the US has their own rules (which also can change every now and then). However, I did some research and found out the information that I am going to share below on the subject.
Why does it matter when you take your licensing exam? The longer you wait, the more likely you are to forget critical material – and the less confident you’ll feel walking into the test. Waiting too long might also create complications, as some states have specific deadlines for eligibility.
The golden rule of thumb here is to do it as soon as possible in order not to risk running into unexpected problems.
IMPORTANT: Don’t take the data below as a fact. Things might change before I get a chance to update this article, so make sure to do your own due diligence and make sure that the information below is up to date!
The easiest way to find the answer to your question is to call your state board directly in order to find out. But I know that takes some planning and maybe you just want to take a quick look before you do that… so here are the answers for each of the states that I managed to get information for, in alphabetical order.
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What do you need to do before getting your cosmetology license?
Before you can even think about scheduling your exam, you’ll need to check a few boxes. Here’s a general rundown of the requirements:
- Complete a cosmetology program: This could be through a school or an apprenticeship, depending on your state’s regulations.
- Meet the minimum hours: Most states require around 1,500 hours of training, but this varies. Double-check your state’s specific requirement.
- Verify your age and education: Some states require you to be at least 16 or 18 years old and have a minimum level of formal education, like a high school diploma or equivalent.
After meeting these requirements, you can take the actual exam. However, you are not forced to take the exam as soon as you meet these requirements – usually by graduating your program – and you can wait a bit longer.
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State-by-State Licensing Timelines
Here is how long after completing your cosmetology training you can take the exams:
Alabama
You must schedule your exam within 90 days of completing your training. Failure to do so could result in penalties for your instructor. Once scheduled, you have two years to complete the licensing process.
Arizona
Your training hours never expire. However, if a significant amount of time passes, proving your hours and remembering the material can become a challenge.
Arkansas
Arkansas recently changed its cosmetology law to allow students to keep their training hours indefinitely.
California
There’s no expiration on your hours in California, but you must be able to prove you completed your training.
Colorado
Colorado does not appear to impose an expiration date on completed training hours. Once you are eligible, you typically can apply for the exam at any time. However, if you start an application and let it sit for too long, you could be asked for updated documents.
Connecticut
While hours don’t expire, you may need to fulfill additional requirements if you haven’t practiced cosmetology for an extended period.
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Delaware
Your hours from school currently do not have an expiration date. The board is considering this in the future but as of right now there is no expiration date (always double check the information, though especially since they plan to change this).
Florida
Your hours never expire, so you don’t have to worry about losing them. Don’t lose your transcripts in case you have to prove your hours.
Georgia
Georgia statutes do not clearly list an expiration on hours. They do require that you meet all requirements (including passing written/practical) before issuing a license, but no direct mention of losing eligibility after a time.
Hawaii
Students who resume their beauty culture courses after a lapse of three years or more will not receive credit hours for previous course work.
Idaho
Unknown – please comment to help.
Illinois
Illinois does not appear to have a set expiration for your completed hours. The main requirement is to graduate from an approved school and pass the examination.
Indiana
You must take the exam within one year of graduation and you have three years to pass. If you have taken the exam twice and failed, you would need to go back for additional education.
Iowa
No direct mention of expiration. Generally, once the hours are on file, you are free to schedule the test when you feel ready.
Kansas
Kansas law does not clearly specify a time limit after graduation for taking the exam.. If you have other details, please comment to help.
Kentucky
No direct mention of hour expiration. Technically, this means that once your school sends your hours to the board, you can schedule the exam at any time.
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Louisiana
Unknown – please comment to help.
Maine
No posted rule on expiration. Generally, no time limit to wait for taking the exam after completing hours.
Maryland
There is no expiration to your eligibility to take the exam after completing your training. If you fail, you may retest on an unlimited basis too.
Massachusetts
There is no information available online but typically, once you meet the training requirement, you can apply to take the exam.
Michigan
No official “expiration” of hours is spelled out. However, if you keep failing your exams, you might be required to go through additional training.
Minnesota
No explicit time limit is stated for using the hours.
Missouri
Hours are good for 5 years from time of enrollment.
Mississippi
Unknown – please comment to help.
Montana
Unknown – please comment to help.
Nebraska
While official data is difficult to come by, it appears that if you wait for too many years (there’s no mention what “too many” means), you might have to retake certain hours.
Nevada
If you completed your hours and paid all owed tuition then your hours would be good forever. There is no time limit to take your test once hours are completed.
New Hampshire
Unknown – please comment to help.
New Jersey
Upon graduation from a beauty school, you have five years from the date of completion to apply for your license without requiring any additional training. After seven years you lose all your credits.
New Mexico
Unknown – please comment to help.
New York
Once your 1,000 hours (for Cosmetology) are complete, you can apparently take the exam whenever you want as there is no aparent deadline in place.
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North Carolina
Hours are valid for five years from your enrollment date. Applications for licensing must also be submitted to the State Board within this timeframe.
North Dakota
No explicit mentions. Typically, hours do not expire.
Ohio
Unknown – please comment to help. Unofficial data I saw claims that hours never expire.
Oklahoma
Unknown – please comment to help.
Oregon
Once your program is completed, you can submit an application for testing when you feel ready as hours don’t expire.
Pennsylvania
Hours are indefinite, so long as you can prove your hours you can take the exams even 20 years later.
Rhode Island
Unknown – please comment to help.
South Carolina
Unknown – please comment to help.
South Dakota
Unknown – please comment to help.
Tennessee
Once you have obtained the required hours in a curriculum you do not lose the hours. There is no time limit as to when you are required to take the examination.
Texas
After completing 1,500 school hours or 1,000 hours in a vocational program, you must pass the written and practical exams. Texas does not specify an expiration timeframe for taking the exam after graduation, which can be interpreted as “you can take the exam anytime afterward”.
Utah
No direct limit found; check with DOPL if a lengthy gap occurs.
Vermont
Unknown – please comment to help.
Washington State
Hours never expire. It is suggested that you keep all records pertaining to your education. The department does not have access to such information and schools close all the time, so there is no way to track them down.
West Virginia
Unknown – please comment to help.
Wisconsin
Unknown – please comment to help.
Wyoming
Unknown – please comment to help.
I must repeat – this data might change, so take these as guidelines. I strive to keep them up to date, but you’re the only one responsible for knowing the up-to-date laws in your state to avoid hours from expring.
For most states, as you can see above, the exact timeframes for taking the cosmetology licensing exam after graduation are not explicitly stated. Therefore, the best idea is to take the exam as soon as possible to avoid potential complications (or you forgetting important information).
If you’ve recently gone through the licensing process and have updates or insights to share – especially for the states where I don’t have the data, please leave a comment. Your experience could help others avoid delays and succeed in their own journeys.
hey you didnt mentin colorado ?
Just updated the article with all the states & new data. Thanks for the heads up!