StateLicensed

Cosmetologist License Requirements in Iowa

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
1550 hrs
Upfront cost
$143
Exam
NIC Cosmetology Theory (Written) Examination
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) — Board of Barbering and Cosmetology Arts and Sciences

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Pass a criminal background check. No official DIAL page states a minimum age for cosmetologist licensure (only unofficial aggregator sites cite an age, which per source rules cannot be used), so minAge is left null rather than guessed. Each applicant must disclose prior criminal history/disciplinary action as part of licensure; DIAL evaluates disclosed convictions against its published list of potentially disqualifying criminal convictions under Iowa Code 272C.15(2), with an individualized rehabilitation-review process available — this is a disclosure-and-evaluation process rather than a mandated fingerprint/FBI background check submission at the point of application. [4]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 1550 hours of training at a state-approved program. 1,550 total hours at a Board-approved or nationally-accredited barbering and cosmetology school/program, OR completion of an Iowa Office of Apprenticeship-certified apprenticeship, OR a non-accredited program whose curriculum meets Iowa Administrative Code 481-941.14. This is a reduction from Iowa's historical 2,100-hour requirement found in the older (1998-era) Iowa Administrative Code 645-Chapter 60 text; DIAL's current application page confirms 1,550 hours is the in-force figure as of this research date. No separate clinical/practical-hours breakdown of the 1,550 total was published on the official page, so clinicalHours is omitted rather than guessed. [1]

  3. 3

    NIC Cosmetology Theory (Written) Examination

    Pass the NIC Cosmetology Theory (Written) Examination (fee: $83). Remote, online-proctored written/theory exam taken from home via the Examroom.ai remote proctoring platform (Prov's testing system); no separate in-person practical/skills exam is required for cosmetologist licensure in Iowa — only the written theory exam. Passing score is 75% or higher, reported as a scaled score. The $83 fee is the same whether testing for the first time or retaking. [2]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) — Board of Barbering and Cosmetology Arts and Sciences with the $60 application fee. [1]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) — Board of Barbering and Cosmetology Arts and Sciences issues your Cosmetologist License for Iowa.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [1] $60
License fee [1] None specified
Renewal fee [1] $60
NIC Cosmetology Theory (Written) Examination [2] $83
NIC Cosmetology Written Exam (Prov, Inc.) [1] $83

DIAL's $60 application fee is nonrefundable and covers initial licensure (no separate license-issuance fee was found beyond the application fee, hence license: null). The $83 written exam fee is paid separately to Prov, Inc., the Board's contracted testing vendor, and is not collected by DIAL.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years. 6 continuing education hours required per cycle.

Biennial renewal: per Iowa Administrative Code 645-64.2(1), the compliance period begins April 1 of one year and ends March 31 two years later. Each biennium requires a minimum of 6 hours of continuing education: at least 4 hours in the licensee's prescribed practice discipline and at least 2 hours in Iowa cosmetology law/rules and sanitation. Licensees holding more than one active license need 4 discipline hours per license plus the 2 law/sanitation hours. First-time licensees are exempt from CE at their first renewal. Renewal fee is $60 per biennium (dial.iowa.gov renewal page); a $60 late fee applies during the 30-day grace period after expiration.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

Iowa does not offer automatic reciprocity but allows licensure by endorsement: applicants licensed in another state, district, or territory must submit official verification of that licensure (license number, issue/expiration dates, status, and any disciplinary history) to DIAL. Iowa is NOT a member of the Cosmetology Licensure Compact — as of this research date the Compact Commission's own materials list Alabama, Arizona, Kentucky, Colorado, Maryland, Ohio, Tennessee, Kansas, Washington, and Virginia as enacted member states; Iowa has not enacted compact legislation, so compacts is left empty per the source rules rather than speculatively including it.

17 state-approved training providers in Iowa — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.

Cost calculator

  • $60
  • $83
Total$143

Frequently asked questions

How many training hours does Iowa require for a cosmetologist license?

1,550 hours at a Board-approved or nationally-accredited school (or an approved apprenticeship). This is lower than Iowa's historical 2,100-hour requirement, which was reduced under current rules.

Who administers Iowa's cosmetology licensing exam?

Prov, Inc. administers the NIC Cosmetology written theory exam under contract with the Iowa Board of Barbering and Cosmetology Arts and Sciences. It is taken remotely online via Examroom.ai and costs $83. Iowa requires only the written exam — no separate practical/skills exam.

How often do I need to renew my Iowa cosmetologist license, and what does it cost?

Renewal is biennial (every two years, April 1 to March 31), costs $60, and requires 6 hours of continuing education (4 discipline-specific, 2 in Iowa cosmetology law/rules and sanitation) — except your very first renewal, which is exempt from the CE requirement.

Can I transfer my out-of-state cosmetology license to Iowa?

Yes, via licensure by endorsement. You must submit official verification of your out-of-state license (license number, dates, status, and disciplinary history) to DIAL. Iowa is not currently a member of the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, so this endorsement process — not compact reciprocity — is how out-of-state cosmetologists get licensed in Iowa.

Does Iowa require a background check for a cosmetology license?

Applicants must disclose any prior criminal history or disciplinary action. DIAL evaluates disclosed convictions against a published list of potentially disqualifying offenses (Iowa Code 272C.15(2)), and applicants with a disqualifying conviction can submit proof of rehabilitation for an individualized review.

Sources

  1. [1] dial.iowa.gov/licenses/barbering-cosmetology/licensure/how-do-i-barber-cosmetology-license — accessed 2026-07-10
  2. [2] provexam.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Prov_CIB_IA_Cosmetology_Inc_Written_Site_Inst_2024.06.19_Eff_2024.07.01.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
  3. [3] legis.iowa.gov/docs/iac/chapter/12-27-2023.645.64.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
  4. [4] dial.iowa.gov/licenses/other-professional-licensure/licensure/criminal-history-background-checks — accessed 2026-07-10