StateLicensed

Esthetician License Requirements in Alabama

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
1000 hrs
Upfront cost
$255
Exam
Written Examination, Practical Examination
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Be at least 16 years old, Completion of at least 10 grades of secondary school (or the equivalent). Applicants must be at least 16 years old, have completed at least 10 grades of secondary school (or the equivalent), and be legally permitted to work in the United States. No criminal background check is mentioned on the Board's official licensing pages. [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 1000 hours of training at a state-approved program. 1,000 school clock hours OR 2,000 apprenticeship clock hours; the two tracks may not be combined. [1]

  3. 3

    Written Examination

    Pass the Written Examination (fee: $75). Candidates have 2 years from program completion to pass both the Written and Practical exams, with up to 3 attempts per exam within that period. [2]

  4. 4

    Practical Examination

    Pass the Practical Examination (fee: $130). [2]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering. [3]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering issues your Esthetician License for Alabama.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] None specified
License fee [3] $50
Renewal fee [3] $100
Written Examination [2] $75
Practical Examination [2] $130
Written Examination (PSI) [3] $75
Practical Examination (PSI) [3] $130
Late renewal fee [3] $54

No separate application fee beyond the original license fee ($50) and exam fees ($75 written + $130 practical, paid to PSI). Late renewal (after the birth-month deadline in an odd-numbered year) adds a $54 fee. Fees listed as current as of 8/1/2023 on the Board's fee page.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years.

Personal esthetician licenses renew during the licensee's birth month in odd-numbered years (a 2-year cycle). No continuing-education hours are required to renew a personal esthetician license in Alabama.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

Alabama accepts out-of-state license transfers via reciprocity: the applicant requests a certification of licensure from their current state ($25 per state, money order only), then submits Alabama's reciprocity application ($100 domestic / $175 international, non-refundable), and may need to pass the written and/or practical exam if the Board determines home-state training/testing doesn't fully meet Alabama's requirements. Distance-education/online training hours may not be accepted for reciprocity purposes. Alabama has enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, but the Compact Commission has not yet begun issuing multistate licenses as of this research, so it is not listed under compacts.

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

Cost calculator

  • $50
  • $75
  • $130
Total$255

Frequently asked questions

How many training hours does Alabama require for an esthetician license?

1,000 school clock hours, or 2,000 apprenticeship clock hours — the two paths cannot be combined.

Who administers the Alabama esthetician licensing exam?

PSI Services administers both the Written ($75) and Practical ($130) examinations.

When do Alabama esthetician licenses renew?

During the licensee's birth month in odd-numbered years. There is no continuing-education requirement for renewal.

How old do I need to be to get an esthetician license in Alabama?

You must be at least 16 years old and have completed at least 10 grades of secondary school (or the equivalent).

Can I transfer an out-of-state esthetician license to Alabama?

Yes, through the Board's reciprocity process. Your current state must send a certification of licensure to Alabama, then you submit the reciprocity application; depending on how your training compares to Alabama's requirements, you may also need to pass the written and/or practical exam.

Sources

  1. [1] aboc.alabama.gov/licensing/license-types — accessed 2026-07-11
  2. [2] aboc.alabama.gov/exams/exam-requirements-fees — accessed 2026-07-11
  3. [3] aboc.alabama.gov/licensing/fees — accessed 2026-07-11
  4. [4] aboc.alabama.gov/faqs — accessed 2026-07-11