Cosmetologist License Requirements in Kansas
- Training hours
- 1500 hrs
- Upfront cost
- $210
- Exam
- Written Theory Exam, Written Practical Exam
- Renewal cycle
- Every 2 years
- Issuing board
- Kansas Board of Cosmetology (KBOC)
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Be at least 17 years old, Verification of graduation from an accredited high school or equivalent (GED, etc.) is required with the Practitioner Licensure Application; foreign high school credentials must be evaluated by an accredited credential-evaluation service (e.g. NACES, AICE).. No fingerprint-based criminal background check is documented as part of practitioner licensure. Applicants must disclose all felony convictions (K.S.A. 65-1908); failure to disclose can result in disciplinary action, including denial of licensure. The age-17 minimum comes from the exam vendor's Candidate Information Bulletin ('you must be at least 17 years of age' to sign up for the required exams) rather than a standalone Board statute on minimum licensure age. [2]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete 1500 hours of training at a state-approved program. 1,500 instructional/training hours required for the Cosmetologist license (compare: Esthetics 1,000, Manicuring 350, Electrology 500 school / 1,000 apprenticeship). The training school reports completed hours directly to the exam vendor via www.cosmetologykansas.com; the applicant must also list all schools attended and dates on the Practitioner Licensure Application. [1]
- 3
Written Theory Exam
Pass the Written Theory Exam (fee: $75). Computer-administered, multiple-choice, 2 hours. Candidates must be at least 17 years old and have reached 1,000 program hours to schedule this exam. Retest fee is also $75. [2]
- 4
Written Practical Exam
Pass the Written Practical Exam (fee: $75). Computer-administered, 125 multiple-choice questions on procedural/applied knowledge (safe handling and application of tools), 2 hours. No hands-on/live practical component as of the September 2025 revision. Candidates must be within 80 hours of completing their program to schedule this exam. Retest fee is also $75. A separate Blood Spill exam retest fee of $50 applies once the practical exam has been passed. [2]
- 5
Submit your application
Submit your application to Kansas Board of Cosmetology (KBOC) with the $60 application fee. Typical processing time: 7-10 business days to process a complete Practitioner Licensure Application (allow at least 15 business days for renewal submissions before checking status). [1]
- 6
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, Kansas Board of Cosmetology (KBOC) issues your Cosmetologist Practitioner License for Kansas.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [1] | $60 |
| License fee [1] | None specified |
| Renewal fee [1] | $50 |
| Written Theory Exam [2] | $75 |
| Written Practical Exam [2] | $75 |
| Written Theory Exam (National Testing Network) [1] | $75 |
| Written Practical Exam (National Testing Network) [1] | $75 |
| Optional temporary permit (valid 6 weeks, pending exam) [1] | $15 |
| Delinquent renewal (submitted after expiration date) [1] | $75 |
| Delinquent renewal (more than 6 months after expiration) [1] | $125 |
| Out-of-state licensure application fee [1] | $75 |
The Board charges a single non-refundable $60 fee, described interchangeably on official documents as the 'application fee' and the 'Practitioner Initial License Fee'; there is no separate charge to have the license itself issued once the application is approved and exams are passed, so 'license' is recorded as null here to avoid double-counting the $60 already captured under 'application'. Exam fees ($75 written theory + $75 written practical) are paid to the exam vendor, not the Board. K.S.A. 65-1904 sets a statutory cap of $60 on the cosmetologist license renewal fee, but the Board's current renewal form lists an on-time renewal fee of $50.
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 2 years.
Renewable on a biennial basis per K.S.A. 65-1904. Renewal fee is $50 if submitted (by mail or online) before the license expiration date, $75 if submitted after expiration, and $125 if submitted more than 6 months after expiration. Instead of continuing-education hours, renewal requires passing an online or mail-in renewal exam (75% or better) based on Kansas cosmetology law and regulations; a felony-conviction disclosure question and attestation are also required.
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
Kansas offers two separate out-of-state pathways: (1) General out-of-state licensure under K.S.A. 65-1904b — an applicant with 1,500 hours and an active out-of-state cosmetology license takes a 20-question open-book exam instead of the full Board exams; applicants with an active license but fewer hours, or no/expired license, must take the full Board exams. (2) A narrower 'reciprocity' pathway under K.S.A. 48-3406, limited to military members/spouses or applicants establishing Kansas residency, requiring a valid out-of-state license/certification plus 1-3 years of work experience depending on whether the profession is regulated where they practiced; this pathway costs $75. Separately, Kansas enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact via HB 2069 (2025) — confirmed 'Enacted' on the compact commission's official state map (cosmetologycompact.gov/compact-map/) — but the Compact Commission is still in a pre-operational/rulemaking phase and is not yet issuing multistate licenses as of this research, so it is not listed under compacts.
21 state-approved training providers in Kansas — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Cost calculator
- $60
- $75
- $75
Frequently asked questions
How many training hours does Kansas require for a cosmetologist license?
1,500 instructional/training hours at a school, with hours reported by the school directly to the exam vendor's website (cosmetologykansas.com) and also listed on the applicant's Practitioner Licensure Application.
Who administers the Kansas cosmetology exam, and what does it cost?
National Testing Network (NTN), under contract with the Kansas Board of Cosmetology, administers both required exams through cosmetologykansas.com: a Written Theory Exam ($75) and a Written Practical Exam ($75, 125 multiple-choice questions on procedures and tool safety). As of the September 2025 exam revision, both components are computer-administered written exams rather than a live hands-on practical.
How much does a Kansas cosmetologist license cost in total?
A $60 non-refundable application/initial license fee to the Board, plus $75 each for the written theory and written practical exams paid to National Testing Network ($150 total in exam fees). An optional $15 temporary permit is available while awaiting exam results.
How often do I need to renew my Kansas cosmetologist license?
Every two years (biennial renewal). The on-time renewal fee is $50; it rises to $75 if submitted after the expiration date and $125 if submitted more than six months late. Renewal requires passing a short renewal exam on Kansas cosmetology law (75% or better) rather than earning continuing-education hours.
Can I transfer an out-of-state cosmetology license to Kansas?
Yes. With 1,500 hours and an active license from another state, you take a 20-question open-book exam instead of the full Board exams. A separate, narrower reciprocity pathway (for military members/spouses or those establishing Kansas residency) is also available for a $75 fee. Kansas has enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact (2025), but the Compact Commission has not yet begun issuing multistate licenses.
Sources
- [1] kansas.gov/kboc/public-documents/forms-and-applications/COS-PRO/application-for-practitioner-license.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
- [2] s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/ergontn-public/cos-ks/handbooks/cosmetologist-2025-09-01.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
- [3] kansas.gov/kboc/public-documents/forms-and-applications/COS-PRO/practitioner-renewal-form.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
- [4] kansas.gov/kboc/public-documents/forms-and-applications/COS-PRO/application-for-out-of-state-license-holder.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10