StateLicensed

Cosmetologist License Requirements in Montana

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
1500 hrs
Upfront cost
$100
Exam
National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) Theory Examination, National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) Practical Examination
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists (Department of Labor and Industry, Business Standards Division)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Be at least 18 years old, High school diploma or equivalent (per the school-based licensure pathway). The board's official cosmetologist license-information page states applicants 'must be at least 18 years or older and provide proof, such as a birth certificate or driver's license' (not 17, as some non-official aggregators claim). The board's General FAQ describes 'personal history questions' about prior criminal convictions/discipline that are evaluated by board staff as part of application review, but this is a self-disclosure and staff-review process, not a mandatory formal fingerprint-based background check, so backgroundCheck is set to false. [3]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 1500 hours of training at a state-approved program. 1,500 hours at a Montana-authorized cosmetology school, per 37-31-304, MCA (confirmed directly from the Montana Code Annotated). This school-based hour figure has NOT been reduced — it is unchanged. What did change, effective November 22, 2025 (Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists rule adoption, MAR Notice 2025-221, implementing HB 336 and HB 246 from the 2025 Legislature): (1) a brand-new apprenticeship pathway now exists via the Montana Registered Apprenticeship Program, requiring 3,000 apprenticeship hours for cosmetology (double the school hours, per the board's 'twice the school hours' standard, since cosmetology apprenticeships were previously not permitted at all); and (2) for out-of-state applicants whose prior state's requirements are not substantially equivalent to Montana's, the board now accepts an attested work-experience credit of 3,000 hours in lieu of formal education. Prior to these 2025 rule changes, school (1,500 hrs) was the only pathway to cosmetology licensure in Montana. [1]

  3. 3

    National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) Theory Examination

    Pass the National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) Theory Examination. Written/computer-based knowledge test. Minimum passing score is 75% (ARM 24.121.611). Students become test-eligible after completing 90% of school hours; apprentices become eligible after completing 90% of their Montana Registered Apprenticeship Program hours. Exam fees are paid directly to the board's contracted exam administration service and are not published in the board's rules; left null rather than guessed. [1]

  4. 4

    National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) Practical Examination

    Pass the National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) Practical Examination. Hands-on, proctored skills demonstration. Minimum passing score is 75% (ARM 24.121.611). Exam fees are paid directly to the board's contracted exam administration service and are not published in the board's rules; left null rather than guessed. [1]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists (Department of Labor and Industry, Business Standards Division). [2]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists (Department of Labor and Industry, Business Standards Division) issues your Cosmetologist License for Montana.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [2] None specified
License fee [2] $100
Renewal fee [2] $100
National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) Theory Examination [1] None specified
National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) Practical Examination [1] None specified

ARM 24.121.401(1) sets a single 'Original and renewal license' fee covering barbering, barbering nonchemical, cosmetology, electrology, esthetics and manicuring. The Board amended that rule as proposed in MAR Notice 2025-221, effective November 22, 2025, raising the fee from $80 to $100; the same amount is charged for the original license and for each biennial renewal, and there is no separate license-issuance fee beyond it. Several of the Board's own license-information pages still display the pre-increase $80 figure — they have not been refreshed since the amendment took effect. Exam fees are billed separately by the Board's contracted exam vendor and are not set in the rules.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years.

Renewal is biennial; the individual renewal window runs January 2 through March 1, with late online renewal available through April 15 (per the board's official cosmetologist license-information page). No continuing-education-hour requirement for practitioner (cosmetologist) renewal was found in the board's rules.

Reciprocity

No reciprocity or endorsement route was found.

The board's own General FAQ states directly: 'You cannot transfer a license nor does Montana have reciprocity agreements with any other states. If you are interested in applying for a Montana license you will need to apply and pay the associated application fee,' with the application handled under the state's 'out-of-state' licensing rule. Effective October 1, 2025 (HB 246), an out-of-state applicant whose prior state's requirements are not substantially equivalent to Montana's may attest to 3,000 hours of work experience in lieu of formal education — but this is a hours-credit substitute within the standard application process (full fee, full exam), not a true endorsement/reciprocity waiver, so endorsementAvailable is set to false. Per the official Cosmetology Compact Commission site (cosmetologycompact.gov, checked 2026-07-10), Montana appears on the compact's map with an introduced bill (SB 515) but is not marked as having enacted the legislation, and the compact itself is not yet operational anywhere — no state is issuing multistate licenses under it as of this research.

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

Cost calculator

  • $100
Total$100

Frequently asked questions

How many training hours does Montana require for a cosmetology license?

1,500 hours at a Montana-authorized cosmetology school. As of November 22, 2025, a new apprenticeship pathway also exists (3,000 hours through the Montana Registered Apprenticeship Program).

Does Montana have reciprocity with other states?

No. The board's own FAQ states Montana does not have reciprocity agreements with any other state and licenses cannot be transferred. Out-of-state applicants must apply under Montana's standard 'out-of-state' licensing process, including the exam.

What exams does Montana require?

National-Interstate Council (NIC) theory and practical examinations, each requiring a minimum score of 75%.

How much does a Montana cosmetology license cost?

$100 for the original and renewal license, effective under the board's rule adopted November 22, 2025 (up from a prior $80).

How often does a Montana cosmetology license need to be renewed?

Every 2 years. The individual renewal window is January 2 through March 1, with late online renewal available through April 15.

Sources

  1. [1] dli.mt.gov/_docs/rules/2025-221pro-arm.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
  2. [2] boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/_docs/cos/2025-221adp-arm.pdf — accessed 2026-07-27
  3. [3] boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/barber-and-cosmetologists/license-information/cosmetologist — accessed 2026-07-10
  4. [4] boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov/_docs/cos/cos-faq-gen.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10