StateLicensed

Cosmetologist License Requirements in North Carolina

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
1500 hrs
Upfront cost
$98
Exam
NIC (National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology) National Examination
Renewal cycle
Every 1 year
Issuing board
North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Meet the eligibility requirements set by the issuing board. No minimum age was found on the Board's own application (it collects date of birth but states no numeric age floor). Per G.S. 88B-24, quoted directly on the Board's license application: 'The Board does not require a criminal history check,' though after completing training and passing the exam, the Board may refuse to license anyone who discloses a felony conviction on the application. [4]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 1500 hours of training at a state-approved program. 1,500 hours in an approved cosmetic art school's cosmetologist curriculum, OR at least 1,200 hours of cosmetology curriculum at an approved school plus completion of a 6-month apprenticeship under the direct supervision of a licensed cosmetologist. Confirmed current on the Board's own student-licensing page (no reduced-hours rule change found in effect as of this research, despite pending state legislation elsewhere on training-hour reform). [1]

  3. 3

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

    Pass the NIC (National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology) National Examination. Written and practical components; minimum passing score 75%. The Board's own FAQ confirms it has used the 'NIC National Examination' since 10/1/2007. No separate exam fee distinct from the $49 license application fee was found on an official Board page; the exam fee may be bundled into the application fee shown in the fees group. [2]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners with the $49 application fee. [3]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners issues your Cosmetologist License for North Carolina.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $49
License fee [3] $49
Renewal fee [3] $49
NIC (National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology) National Examination [2] None specified
Out-of-state applicant cosmetologist license fee [3] $64
Late renewal fee [3] $10
Reinstatement fee (after Nov 1 of expiration year) [3] $25

From the Board's own fee schedule page and its official Personal License Renewal Application: $49 covers the in-state initial application/license fee and the base annual renewal fee (shown as the 'Total Fee Due' for a license expiring 10/1/2025 with no lapse). Out-of-state applicants pay $64. A $10 late fee applies after the Oct 1 renewal deadline, plus a $25 reinstatement fee after Nov 1.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 1 year. 8 continuing education hours required per cycle.

The Board's own renewal application form lists a distinct expiration date and fee due for every single year (e.g. 10/1/2021, 10/1/2022, ... 10/1/2025), which is consistent with an annual renewal cycle (expiring each October 1) rather than a multi-year cycle; some secondary aggregator sources describe this as a '3-year cycle,' but that was not corroborated by the Board's own renewal materials, so it is recorded as annual. G.S. 88B-21(e), quoted on the Board's own license application, requires 8 hours of Board-approved continuing education annually 'for each year of the licensing cycle.'

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

The Board's FAQ states that out-of-state cosmetology license holders 'will not have to take an exam' under standard reciprocity. However, the Board's own license application flags an additional requirement specifically for applicants currently licensed in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, D.C., Florida (cosmetology), Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, or West Virginia — i.e. applicants coming from New York, Oklahoma, or Pennsylvania face this extra requirement (details on the Board's reciprocity page). North Carolina is not shown as a member (enacted or pending) on the official Cosmetology Licensure Compact commission's state map, so it is not a Compact participant.

65 state-approved training providers in North Carolina — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.

Cost calculator

  • $49
  • $49
Total$98

Frequently asked questions

How many training hours does North Carolina require for a cosmetologist license?

1,500 hours at an approved cosmetic art school, or 1,200 hours plus a 6-month supervised apprenticeship.

Who administers the North Carolina cosmetology exam?

The NIC (National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology) National Examination, used by the Board since October 1, 2007.

How often do I renew my North Carolina cosmetologist license?

Annually, for a $49 fee, with 8 hours of Board-approved continuing education required each year.

Does North Carolina require a background check for a cosmetology license?

No formal criminal history check is required, but the Board may refuse to license an applicant who discloses a felony conviction on the application after they complete training and pass the exam.

Can I transfer an out-of-state cosmetology license to North Carolina?

Yes, generally without retesting, though applicants licensed in certain states (including New York, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania) face an additional Board-specified requirement — check the Board's reciprocity page for details.

Sources

  1. [1] nccosmeticarts.com/initiallicensing/ncstudents.aspx — accessed 2026-07-10
  2. [2] nccosmeticarts.com/faq.aspx — accessed 2026-07-10
  3. [3] nccosmeticarts.com/uploads/forms/licenserenewalapplication.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10
  4. [4] nccosmeticarts.com/uploads/forms/license_application.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10