Esthetician License Requirements in Colorado
- Training hours
- 600 hrs
- Upfront cost
- $163
- Exam
- Esthetician Written Examination, Esthetician Practical Examination
- Renewal cycle
- Every 2 years
- Issuing board
- Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), Division of Professions and Occupations, Office of Barber and Cosmetology Licensure
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Be at least 16 years old, pass a criminal background check. Applicants must be at least 16 years old (§12-105-111(1), C.R.S.) and provide proof of graduation from an approved barber/beauty school. Per the 2025 COPRRR Sunset Review, applicants must answer 'background screening questions' on their application, and a license issues only if they answer 'no' to all of them and have not previously practiced the profession in Colorado without a license; the Director has authority to deny, suspend, or revoke a license based on criminal history. [2]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete 600 hours of training at a state-approved program. 20 credit hours / 600 contact hours in a program approved by the Colorado Division of Private Occupational Schools or the Colorado Community College System (or, for out-of-state training, the equivalent approving agency), per 4 CCR 731-1 Rule 2.1. Required topic areas: facials & skin care (7 credit/210 contact hrs), facial makeup (1/30), hair removal (3/90), laws/rules/regulations (1/30), management/ethics/interpersonal skills/salesmanship (1/30), and disinfection/cleaning/safe work practices (7/210). [1]
- 3
Esthetician Written Examination
Pass the Esthetician Written Examination (fee: $62). 75 scored questions, 90 minutes; covers safety and infection control, client consultation, skin care, makeup, hair removal, and advanced treatments Figures per the Colorado Office of Policy, Research and Regulatory Reform (COPRRR) 2025 Sunset Review of the Barber and Cosmetologist Act. [2]
- 4
Esthetician Practical Examination
Pass the Esthetician Practical Examination (fee: $69). 95 minutes; minimum passing score 70%; topics are workstation preparation, basic facial, eyebrow waxing and tweezing, makeup application, and end-of-day clean-up [2]
- 5
Submit your application
Submit your application to Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), Division of Professions and Occupations, Office of Barber and Cosmetology Licensure with the $32 application fee. [2]
- 6
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), Division of Professions and Occupations, Office of Barber and Cosmetology Licensure issues your Esthetician License for Colorado.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [2] | $32 |
| License fee [2] | None specified |
| Renewal fee [2] | None specified |
| Esthetician Written Examination [2] | $62 |
| Esthetician Practical Examination [2] | $69 |
| Written exam (PSI) [2] | $62 |
| Practical exam (PSI) [2] | $69 |
Applicants submit a $32 application fee to PSI along with their exam registration and proof of training (per the 2025 COPRRR Sunset Review). No separate initial license-issuance fee was found — the license is issued once both exams are passed. The Office of Barber and Cosmetology Licensure does not publish a static renewal, endorsement, or reinstatement fee schedule on its public pages; current amounts are shown only inside the authenticated DORA Online Services portal at the time of application/renewal, so those figures are recorded as null rather than guessed.
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 2 years.
Esthetician licenses expire March 31 of even-numbered years (a 2-year cycle), with a 60-day grace period after expiration during which the licensee may continue to provide services. No continuing education is required for on-time renewal. Continuing education is required only to reinstate a license that has lapsed: 16 hours (for a lapse of 2-5 years) or 24 hours (for a lapse of more than 5 years), per 4 CCR 731-1 Rule 5.3 — or the applicant may instead verify an active out-of-state license held during the lapse period, or pass the initial-licensure written exam again.
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
Colorado offers licensure by endorsement for applicants holding an active, good-standing license from another state or U.S. territory. Endorsement applicants must attest to: graduation from an approved school; completion of training hours substantially equivalent to Colorado's; passage of a written exam administered or accepted by the other jurisdiction's licensing agency; and either passage of a practical exam accepted by that jurisdiction, at least 1,000 hours of relevant work experience within the preceding 2 years, or having held a valid license for at least 1 year in a jurisdiction with a substantially similar scope of practice. Applicants must disclose any disciplinary actions. If requirements aren't met, the applicant must take all or part of the Colorado written and practical exams. The endorsement application fee is not published on a static Board page (set in the DORA Online Services portal), so it is not recorded here. Colorado is not confirmed as an operational member of any interstate cosmetology/esthetics compact — the Cosmetology Licensure Compact is not yet issuing multistate licenses anywhere — so compacts is empty.
15 state-approved training providers in Colorado — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Cost calculator
- $32
- $62
- $69
Frequently asked questions
How many training hours does Colorado require for an Esthetician license?
600 contact hours (20 credit hours) in a program approved by the Division of Private Occupational Schools or the Colorado Community College System.
Who administers Colorado's esthetician licensing exams?
PSI administers both the written exam ($62, 75 questions, 90 minutes) and the practical exam ($69, 95 minutes, 70% passing score), after a $32 application fee.
Is continuing education required to renew a Colorado Esthetician license?
No, not for an on-time renewal. Continuing education (16 or 24 hours) is required only when reinstating a license that has lapsed for more than 2 years.
How old do I need to be to get an Esthetician license in Colorado?
At least 16 years old, per Colorado Revised Statutes §12-105-111(1).
Can I transfer an out-of-state esthetician license to Colorado?
Yes, through licensure by endorsement, if you hold an active license in good standing and meet Colorado's training/exam equivalency requirements. If not, you'll need to take all or part of Colorado's written and practical exams.
Sources
- [1] sos.state.co.us/CCR/GenerateRulePdf.do — accessed 2026-07-11
- [2] coprrr.colorado.gov/sites/coprrr/files/documents/2025SunsetBarbersCosmotologists.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11
- [3] dpo.colorado.gov/BarberCosmetology/Applications — accessed 2026-07-11