StateLicensed

Cosmetologist License Requirements in Kentucky

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
1500 hrs
Upfront cost
$270
Exam
Cosmetologist Theory (Written) Examination, Cosmetologist Practical (Skills) Examination
Renewal cycle
Every 1 year
Issuing board
Kentucky Board of Cosmetology (Kentucky State Board of Hairdressers and Cosmetologists)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Be at least 18 years old, 12th grade education or equivalent. KRS 317A.050 requires applicants to 'be of good moral character and temperate habit' but no explicit criminal background check or fingerprinting requirement for individual Cosmetologist license applicants was found on the Board's official License Requirements, Fees, or Exams pages, or in the text of KRS 317A.050 itself; backgroundCheck is set to false rather than guessed as true. [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 1500 hours of training at a state-approved program. 201 KAR 12:030 and the Board's License Requirements page require 1,500 hours at a licensed cosmetology school, 12th grade education (or equivalent), and a minimum age of 18 to qualify for the Cosmetologist license. The Board does not break the 1,500 hours into a separate clinical-hours sub-requirement (unlike its Nail Technician (450 hrs) or Esthetician (750 hrs) tracks), so clinicalHours is omitted rather than guessed. [1]

  3. 3

    Cosmetologist Theory (Written) Examination

    Pass the Cosmetologist Theory (Written) Examination (fee: $85). Computer-based theory exam administered at PSI testing centers; theory must be passed before a candidate may register for the practical exam. Theory scores are valid for six (6) months. The $85 fee listed on the Board's Exams > Fees page covers the full individual-license examination (theory and practical are scheduled together under one exam fee/candidate record); the practical is a separate testing event held at scheduled sites (e.g. Hilton Lexington Downtown). [2]

  4. 4

    Cosmetologist Practical (Skills) Examination

    Pass the Cosmetologist Practical (Skills) Examination (fee: $85). Hands-on skills exam at a scheduled practical-exam site (Kentucky practical exams are held at the Hilton Lexington Downtown per the Board's Exams page); candidates must bring specific supplies (mannequin head/hand, disinfectant, scrubs) per the Board's practical exam rules. Retake fee is also $85 per the Board's Exams > Fees page. The $85.00 figure appears once on that page's 'Fee' column (not split into separate theory/practical line items), so both entries here cite the same $85 fee; treat it as the combined per-attempt exam cost rather than two additive charges. [2]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Kentucky Board of Cosmetology (Kentucky State Board of Hairdressers and Cosmetologists) with the $50 application fee. [3]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Kentucky Board of Cosmetology (Kentucky State Board of Hairdressers and Cosmetologists) issues your Cosmetologist License for Kentucky.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $50
License fee [3] $50
Renewal fee [3] $50
Cosmetologist Theory (Written) Examination [2] $85
Cosmetologist Practical (Skills) Examination [2] $85
Theory/Practical Examination Fee (PSI, per attempt) [3] $85
Restoration Fee (lapsed license) [3] $50

The Board's Fees page lists a single $50.00 figure that applies to the Individual License (Cosmetologist/Esthetician/Nail Technician/Shampoo Stylist) row across the Initial Fee, Annual Renewal Fee, and Restoration Fee columns; the exam fee ($85, PSI) is billed separately per the Exams > Fees page and is listed under 'other' rather than folded into application/license.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 1 year.

Kentucky cosmetology licenses are renewed annually: the renewal window runs July 1 through July 31 each year (11:59 PM EST on July 31 deadline), per the Board's License Renewal Information page. No continuing-education hour requirement for the Cosmetologist license was found on the Board's Fees, License Requirements, or Renewal pages, so ceHours is left null rather than guessed; renewal appears to be a fee-based annual registration, not a CE-hours-based cycle.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

Kentucky grants licensure by endorsement to out-of-state Cosmetologists who hold current credentials from another state (1,500 hours + 12th grade equivalence minimums apply; certification must come directly from the transferring state's agency, not the applicant), for a $100 endorsement fee. Kentucky HAS enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact (confirmed on the compact commission's own site, cosmetologycompact.gov/compact-commission/delegates: Kentucky delegate Joni Upchurch appointed October 8, 2024) and is one of 12 enacted member states as of June 2026, but the compact is NOT YET operational — the commission's own FAQ states multistate licenses are not yet being issued and that activation (after the 7th state enacted in mid-2024) 'typically takes 18-24 months.' Per research instructions, compacts[] is left empty until the compact is confirmed operational rather than merely enacted.

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

Cost calculator

  • $50
  • $50
  • $85
  • $85
Total$270

Frequently asked questions

How many training hours does Kentucky require to become a licensed Cosmetologist?

1,500 hours at a licensed cosmetology school, plus a 12th grade education (or equivalent) and a minimum age of 18, per the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology's License Requirements page.

Who administers Kentucky's cosmetology licensing exam?

PSI Services LLC administers both the theory (written) and practical (skills) examinations for Kentucky. The exam fee is $85, and Kentucky practical exams are held at scheduled sites such as the Hilton Lexington Downtown.

How often do Kentucky cosmetologists need to renew their license?

Annually. The renewal window runs July 1 through July 31 each year, and the license/renewal fee is $50. No continuing education hours are required for renewal.

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

Yes, through licensure by endorsement. You'll need certification sent directly from your prior state's licensing agency (not from you) documenting at least 1,500 hours and a 12th grade equivalence, plus a $100 endorsement fee; the Board may still require an exam.

Is Kentucky part of the Cosmetology Licensure Compact?

Kentucky has enacted the compact (one of 12 member states as of mid-2026), but the compact is not yet operational — the Compact Commission has not begun issuing multistate licenses, so out-of-state cosmetologists still need to apply for endorsement rather than a compact-based multistate license for now.

Sources

  1. [1] kbc.ky.gov/Licensure/Pages/License-Requirements.aspx — accessed 2026-07-10
  2. [2] kbc.ky.gov/exams/Pages/Fees.aspx — accessed 2026-07-10
  3. [3] kbc.ky.gov/Fees/Pages/default.aspx — accessed 2026-07-10
  4. [4] kbc.ky.gov/Licensure/Pages/License-Renewal-Information.aspx — accessed 2026-07-10
  5. [5] kbc.ky.gov/Licensure/Pages/Out-of-State-Info.aspx — accessed 2026-07-10