StateLicensed

Esthetician License Requirements in Hawaii

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
600 hrs
Upfront cost
$42
Exam
Esthetics Theory Examination (Beauty Operator Licensing Exam)
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Hawaii Board of Barbering and Cosmetology

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Be at least 16 years old, High school graduate or equivalent (1 year of licensed beauty-operator experience can satisfy this in lieu of a diploma), pass a criminal background check. Applicants must disclose prior criminal convictions, complaints, or disciplinary actions; a 'yes' answer requires a criminal history record check from the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center (and from any other state of conviction) plus supporting statements, which the Board reviews before licensure. [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 600 hours of training at a state-approved program. 600 beauty-school hours, or 1,200 apprenticeship hours (2 apprenticeship hours = 1 beauty-school hour). Esthetician is one of 4 licensure categories under Hawaii's single 'Beauty Operator' license (cosmetologist, hairdresser, esthetician, nail technician), each with its own hour minimum. [1]

  3. 3

    Esthetics Theory Examination (Beauty Operator Licensing Exam)

    Pass the Esthetics Theory Examination (Beauty Operator Licensing Exam). The Board's application materials (Dec 2025) direct candidates to PSI Services LLC (test-takers.psiexams.com/hitrade) for exam registration and fee payment; the exact PSI exam fee is not published on the Board's own pages. An earlier Board FAQ (dated 2025-04-29) names Prometric as the testing agency instead of PSI — the more recent Dec-2025 application form is treated as current and the Prometric reference as stale, per source rule 4. [1]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Hawaii Board of Barbering and Cosmetology with the $20 application fee. Typical processing time: License card issued approximately 2-3 weeks after Board ratification at its monthly meeting; wall certificate mailed approximately 4-6 weeks after the meeting. [2]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Hawaii Board of Barbering and Cosmetology issues your Beauty Operator – Esthetician Classification for Hawaii.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [1] $20
License fee [1] $22
Renewal fee [1] None specified
Esthetics Theory Examination (Beauty Operator Licensing Exam) [1] None specified
Compliance Resolution Fund (CRF) – initial licensure, even-numbered license year [1] $100
Compliance Resolution Fund (CRF) – initial licensure, odd-numbered license year [1] $50
Temporary permit (optional) [1] $40

The biennial renewal fee is not published as a fixed figure on the Board's own site; it includes a Compliance Resolution Fund assessment that is reset periodically, so no reliable current renewal-fee number could be sourced from a primary page. Only the initial-licensure fee components (application, license, and CRF split by even/odd license year) are documented.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years.

All beauty operator licenses (including esthetician) expire December 31 of every odd-numbered year — a fixed calendar date rather than an individual anniversary. No continuing-education requirement applies to renewal, per the Board's own FAQ.

Reciprocity

No reciprocity or endorsement route was found.

The Board's official FAQ states Hawaii has no reciprocal arrangements with any other cosmetology board — out-of-state licensees must qualify and apply as new applicants. However, at least 1 year of out-of-state licensed beauty-operator experience can be credited toward Hawaii's training-hour requirement, and a passed NIC theory exam score from another jurisdiction can be submitted in place of retaking the Hawaii exam (under a different, lower fee schedule). Hawaii is not listed as enacting the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, which in any case is not yet operational in any state.

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

Cost calculator

  • $20
  • $22
Total$42

Frequently asked questions

What training does Hawaii require for an esthetician license?

600 hours at a beauty school, or 1,200 hours as an apprentice (2 apprenticeship hours count as 1 school hour). Esthetician is one of four categories under Hawaii's single Beauty Operator license.

Who administers the Hawaii esthetics exam?

PSI Services LLC administers the Esthetics Theory Examination on behalf of the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, per the Board's current (December 2025) application instructions.

Does Hawaii reciprocate esthetician licenses from other states?

No. The Board has no reciprocal arrangements with other states' cosmetology boards, so out-of-state licensees must apply as new applicants — though out-of-state experience and a passed NIC exam score can be credited toward Hawaii's own requirements.

How often do I need to renew my Hawaii esthetician license?

Every 2 years. All Beauty Operator licenses, regardless of issue date, expire on December 31 of every odd-numbered year, and there is no continuing-education requirement to renew.

Is there a minimum age to get licensed as an esthetician in Hawaii?

Yes, you must be at least 16 years old and a high school graduate or equivalent (1 year of licensed beauty-operator experience can satisfy the education requirement instead).

Sources

  1. [1] cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/files/2025/12/PVL_FORM_BEAUTY_OPERATOR_LICENSE_APPLICATION_2025-12.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11
  2. [2] cca.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/BarberingCosmetology-FAQs_20250429.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11