StateLicensed

Cosmetologist License Requirements in Maine

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
1500 hrs
Upfront cost
$20
Exam
NIC National Cosmetology Written (Theory) Examination, NIC National Cosmetology Practical (Skills) Examination
Renewal cycle
Every 1 year
Issuing board
Maine Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (OPOR), Department of Professional and Financial Regulation — Barbering and Cosmetology Licensing Program

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Be at least 16 years old, pass a criminal background check. The general licensure-qualifications statute for cosmetology (32 M.R.S. §14226) had explicit 'Age' and 'Education' subsections repealed by PL 2019, c. 373, §28, so the qualifications statute itself no longer states a minimum age or education level to hold the license. However, the separate school-enrollment statute (32 M.R.S. §14233, 'Students,' last amended by the same 2019 act) still requires a student to be at least 16 years of age to enroll in a licensed cosmetology school (a school may accept a 15-year-old who will turn 16 during the course), and — since completing a licensed course of training is itself a precondition of licensure under §14226(3) — this functions as the real-world minimum age. §14233 as currently in force does not restate a specific grade-level/education requirement (an older Program rule, Chapter 27 §14, effective 2016, references a 10th-grade-completion admissions standard that predates the 2019 statutory amendment, so 'education' is left unset here rather than asserted as current law). Background check: the Office's own Individual License Application form states, citing 5 M.R.S. §§5301-5303, that 'the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation requires a criminal history records check as part of the application process for all applicants,' so backgroundCheck is true. [5]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 1500 hours of training at a state-approved program. 32 M.R.S. §14226(3) sets two alternative training pathways to qualify for a cosmetology license: (1) 1,500 hours of instruction in not less than 9 months at a school licensed by the OPOR Director (the school/student pathway, recorded as the headline figure here), or (2) 2,500 hours of instruction distributed over at least 18 months as a Cosmetologist Trainee under the direct supervision of a qualified supervising cosmetologist at a licensed establishment (the apprenticeship/trainee pathway). The Program's rules (Chapter 23) publish a detailed recommended subject-hour breakdown that totals 2,500 hours for the trainee pathway; an equivalent published breakdown specific to the shorter 1,500-hour school pathway was not found, so clinicalHours is omitted rather than guessed. Applicants with fewer than the required hours may substitute verifiable licensed practice work experience toward the shortfall. [1]

  3. 3

    NIC National Cosmetology Written (Theory) Examination

    Pass the NIC National Cosmetology Written (Theory) Examination. Written/computer-based theory examination. Maine's Program rules (Chapter 20, Definitions) confirm 'NIC' is the National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology, Inc., and Chapter 21 §1(3) requires applicants to pass a two-part practice-appropriate examination consisting of the NIC National Written Examination and the NIC National Practical Examination. OPOR's own fee schedule (Chapter 10, 'Establishment of License Fees') lists the barbering/cosmetology 'Examination' fee simply as '3d party' (a fee for a standardized exam paid directly by the applicant to the administering organization or its designee) rather than a dollar figure, and no Maine-specific NIC candidate fee amount was found on an official maine.gov or nictesting.org page, so fee is left null rather than guessed. [2]

  4. 4

    NIC National Cosmetology Practical (Skills) Examination

    Pass the NIC National Cosmetology Practical (Skills) Examination. Hands-on practical/skills examination. Second of the two required components under Chapter 21 §1(3) of the Program's rules. Applicants who fail to pass all examination components within one year of their first sitting must retake both the written and practical exams. As with the written component, OPOR's fee schedule marks this as a third-party (3d party) fee paid directly to NIC rather than publishing a dollar amount, so fee is left null. [2]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Maine Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (OPOR), Department of Professional and Financial Regulation — Barbering and Cosmetology Licensing Program with the $0 application fee. [3]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Maine Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (OPOR), Department of Professional and Financial Regulation — Barbering and Cosmetology Licensing Program issues your Cosmetologist License for Maine.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $0
License fee [3] $20
Renewal fee [3] $20
NIC National Cosmetology Written (Theory) Examination [2] None specified
NIC National Cosmetology Practical (Skills) Examination [2] None specified
Trainee License (annual) [3] $10
Licensure by Endorsement Application Fee (out-of-state applicants) [3] $41
Late Renewal Fee, up to 90 days after expiration (OPOR Chapter 11 uniform late fee) [3] $50
Late Renewal Fee, more than 90 days after expiration [3] $25

OPOR's 'Establishment of License Fees' rule (Chapter 10, §5(8)) sets a single Cosmetologist license fee of $20/year that, per §5's general instruction, 'shall apply to both initial issuance and renewal unless otherwise indicated' — recorded here as both license and renewal. The Program's own 'Exam Approval Application' (submitted after completing the required training hours, to become eligible to sit the NIC exam) is explicitly marked 'NO FEE' on the official form, recorded here as application = 0; the actual license is then issued via a separate Individual License Application carrying the $20 fee above. A distinct $41 non-refundable application fee applies only to the licensure-by-endorsement pathway for applicants transferring a valid out-of-state license (see reciprocity). The NIC examination fee itself is a separate third-party charge paid directly to the vendor and is not published by OPOR (see exams).

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 1 year.

Maine cosmetologist licenses renew annually, with a uniform expiration date of October 31st, for the $20 fee described under fees. No continuing education requirement was found anywhere in the Program's statute or rules for cosmetologist license renewal, so ceHours is null. A licensee who renews late is charged a $50 uniform late fee if within 90 days of expiration (OPOR Chapter 11) or a $25 late fee if more than 90 days late (Chapter 10 §5(8)); per 32 M.R.S. §14235, an application filed more than 90 days after expiration must instead meet all new-applicant requirements.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

Maine allows licensure by endorsement for applicants who hold a valid cosmetology (or related) license from another U.S. jurisdiction, via a $41 non-refundable application fee plus an original verification of licensure from the issuing state/jurisdiction (no new Maine exam is required for an applicant with a valid license in good standing). An applicant who does not currently hold a valid license may still apply by endorsement under 32 M.R.S. §14231, but if their completed course hours fall short of Maine's requirement they must substitute verifiable licensed practice work experience (documented via W-2 or similar records from the prior 4 years) to make up the difference, per Chapter 21 §4(2) of the Program's rules. No cosmetology interstate compact currently covers Maine: the Cosmetology Licensure Compact is a newly-activating multistate compact, but Maine was not listed among the compact's enacted member states (Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington, as of this research) on the compact commission's own site, so compacts is left empty.

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

Cost calculator

  • $0
  • $20
Total$20

Frequently asked questions

How many training hours does Maine require to become a licensed cosmetologist?

1,500 hours of instruction over at least 9 months at a licensed cosmetology school, or 2,500 hours over at least 18 months as a trainee under a qualified supervising cosmetologist at a licensed establishment.

Who administers Maine's cosmetology licensing exam?

The National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC), under contract with the Maine Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation. Applicants must pass both the NIC National Written Examination and the NIC National Practical Examination.

How much does it cost to get a Maine cosmetologist license?

The Individual License Application carries a $20 fee (the same $20 also applies each year at renewal). The prior Exam Approval Application, filed once training hours are complete, has no state fee. A separate NIC examination fee is paid directly to NIC and is not published by the state.

How often does a Maine cosmetologist license need to be renewed?

Annually, with all licenses expiring on October 31st. There is no continuing education requirement for renewal.

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

Yes, through licensure by endorsement: submit a $41 application fee along with verification of your current license from the issuing state. No new Maine exam is required if your license is valid and in good standing.

Sources

  1. [1] legislature.maine.gov/statutes/32/title32sec14226.html — accessed 2026-07-10
  2. [2] maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/sites/maine.gov.pfr.professionallicensing/files/inline-files/Bc%20Rules.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
  3. [3] maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/sites/maine.gov.pfr.professionallicensing/files/inline-files/Establishment%20of%20License%20Fees-Amended.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
  4. [4] maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/barbering-cosmetology-licensing/licensing — accessed 2026-07-10
  5. [5] legislature.maine.gov/statutes/32/title32sec14233.html — accessed 2026-07-10