Cosmetologist License Requirements in Massachusetts
- Training hours
- 1000 hrs
- Upfront cost
- $68
- Exam
- Cosmetologist Written Theory Examination
- Renewal cycle
- Every 2 years
- Issuing board
- Massachusetts Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering (Division of Occupational Licensure)
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Pass a criminal background check. The board's own materials do not state a minimum age or education prerequisite for the standard in-state cosmetologist pathway (school completion + written exam), so minAge is left null rather than guessed. A notarized Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) form is explicitly required as part of the board's out-of-state/out-of-country license-transfer application; background check is set true on that basis, though the board's page for first-time in-state applicants does not separately restate a CORI requirement. Verified via archive snapshot 2026-03-07 (mass.gov 403s automated fetches). [3]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete 1000 hours of training at a state-approved program. 1,000-hour course in a board-licensed cosmetology school, including 50 hours of manicuring and 80 hours of aesthetics (per the board's transfer-requirements page, which spells out the subject breakdown within the 1,000-hour total). No apprenticeship pathway exists for the standard in-state cosmetologist license; out-of-state applicants who trained via apprenticeship instead of school must sit for the exam. Verified via archive snapshot 2025-11-15 (mass.gov 403s automated fetches). [1]
- 3
Cosmetologist Written Theory Examination
Pass the Cosmetologist Written Theory Examination. Written/computer-based theory exam only, scheduled through PSI (test-takers.psiexams.com/macos). Massachusetts eliminated the separate practical/skills exam (as of October 2023, per secondary reporting corroborated by the board directing all first-time applicants only to a written theory exam); only the written theory component remains. The $68 fee referenced on the board's 'how to become' page is described as the application fee (paid to PSI) rather than a separately broken-out exam fee, so exam fee is left null here and the $68 is recorded under fees.application instead to avoid double-counting. Verified via archive snapshot 2025-11-15 (mass.gov 403s automated fetches). [1]
- 4
Submit your application
Submit your application to Massachusetts Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering (Division of Occupational Licensure) with the $68 application fee. [1]
- 5
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, Massachusetts Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering (Division of Occupational Licensure) issues your Cosmetologist License for Massachusetts.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [1] | $68 |
| License fee [1] | None specified |
| Renewal fee [1] | $68 |
| Cosmetologist Written Theory Examination [1] | None specified |
| Late Renewal Fee [1] | $57 |
| Out-of-state application, no exam required [1] | $204 |
| Out-of-state application, exam required [1] | $136 |
| Out-of-country application [1] | $136 |
The board's fee materials list a single $68 'application fee' paid to PSI for first-time cosmetologist applicants (which also functions as the initial license fee — no separate license-issuance charge is listed), and a $68 renewal fee due every 2 years on the licensee's birthday (per the board's published renewal-fees CSV). No distinct 'license' fee beyond the $68 application fee was found. Application/out-of-state fees verified via archive snapshot 2025-11-15; renewal fee verified via archive snapshot 2026-06-23 of the board's renewal-fees CSV (mass.gov 403s automated fetches).
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 2 years.
Renews every 2 years on the licensee's birthday (per the board's published cosmetology/barbering renewal-fees schedule). Massachusetts does not require continuing education hours for cosmetologist renewal. Verified via archive snapshot 2026-03-07 of the fees/renewal schedule page, and 2026-06-23 of the linked renewal-fees CSV (mass.gov 403s automated fetches).
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
Massachusetts allows transfer of an out-of-state or out-of-country cosmetology/aesthetics/manicuring license via reciprocity. No exam is required ($204 fee) if the applicant holds a current license in good standing, obtained by exam, from a state with substantially equivalent training hours and equivalent license scope, and has never had a license suspended/revoked. Otherwise an exam is required ($136 fee). Required documents include a license verification sent directly from the issuing state, a sealed official school transcript, and a notarized CORI form. Per the official Cosmetology Compact Commission site (cosmetologycompact.gov, checked 2026-07-10), Massachusetts has pending/introduced Cosmetology Licensure Compact legislation (SD 2627, 2025 session) but has not enacted it, and the compact itself is not yet operational anywhere — no state is issuing multistate licenses under it as of this research. Verified via archive snapshot 2026-03-07 (mass.gov 403s automated fetches).
17 state-approved training providers in Massachusetts — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Cost calculator
- $68
Frequently asked questions
How many training hours does Massachusetts require for a cosmetologist license?
1,000 hours in a board-licensed cosmetology school, including 50 hours of manicuring and 80 hours of aesthetics. There is no apprenticeship pathway for the standard in-state license.
Who administers the Massachusetts cosmetology exam, and what does it cover?
PSI Services, under contract with the Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering. Massachusetts requires only a written theory exam; the separate practical/skills exam has been eliminated.
How often does a Massachusetts cosmetologist license need to be renewed, and is continuing education required?
Every 2 years, on the licensee's birthday, for a $68 fee. No continuing education hours are required for renewal.
Can I transfer my out-of-state cosmetology license to Massachusetts without retaking the exam?
Yes, if you hold a current license in good standing obtained by exam from a state with training and scope equivalent to Massachusetts's requirements and have never had a license suspended or revoked. The transfer application fee is $204 without an exam, or $136 if an exam is required.
What documents are required to transfer a cosmetology license from another state?
A license verification sent directly from your issuing state's board, a sealed official school transcript showing hours completed by subject, proof you passed a licensing exam, and a notarized Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) form.
Sources
- [1] mass.gov/info-details/how-can-i-become-a-cosmetologist-electrologist-manicurist-aesthetician-or-barber — accessed 2026-07-10
- [2] mass.gov/info-details/fees-and-license-renewal-schedules-for-cosmetology-barbering-and-electrology — accessed 2026-07-10
- [3] mass.gov/how-to/transfer-a-cosmetology-aesthetics-manicuring-barber-or-electrology-license-to-massachusetts — accessed 2026-07-10