StateLicensed

Esthetician License Requirements in Missouri

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
750 hrs
Upfront cost
$246
Exam
Esthetics Theory (Written) Examination, Esthetics Practical Examination
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Missouri State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Be at least 17 years old, Education equivalent to successful completion of the tenth grade.. Per RSMo § 329.050(1), applicants must document completion of board-approved courses, have an education equivalent to the tenth grade, and be at least 17 years old. The Rules describe criminal convictions as post-licensure disciplinary grounds (RSMo § 329.140) but do not describe a mandatory fingerprint-based or third-party criminal-history-check step as part of the initial application itself, so backgroundCheck is recorded as false rather than assumed true. Verified via Wayback Machine archive snapshot 2026-07-11 (pr.mo.gov blocks direct fetches). [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 750 hours of training at a state-approved program. 750 hours in a licensed school (Class E — Esthetician classification), or 1,500 hours as a registered apprentice under the supervision of a licensed cosmetologist, per RSMo § 329.050 and 20 CSR 2085-2.030. Students must complete at least 75 hours of classroom training before performing esthetic services on the public. Missouri also allows a currently licensed cosmetologist to become licensed as an esthetician by completing the same 750-hour esthetician training and passing the required exam (RSMo § 329.265). Verified via Wayback Machine archive snapshot 2026-07-11 (pr.mo.gov blocks direct fetches). [1]

  3. 3

    Esthetics Theory (Written) Examination

    Pass the Esthetics Theory (Written) Examination (fee: $88). Computer-based written exam at a Prov testing center. Fee is uniform across all Missouri cosmetology-board license categories, per Prov's own Candidate Information Bulletin (dated 2024.06.03). [2]

  4. 4

    Esthetics Practical Examination

    Pass the Esthetics Practical Examination (fee: $58). Hands-on skills demonstration (e.g. full facial, hair removal, makeup application) at one of Prov's designated Missouri practical testing sites. Fee is the same whether testing for the first time or retaking. [2]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Missouri State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners. [1]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Missouri State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners issues your Esthetician License (Class E) for Missouri.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [1] None specified
License fee [1] $100
Renewal fee [1] $60
Esthetics Theory (Written) Examination [2] $88
Esthetics Practical Examination [2] $58
Reciprocity fee [1] $100
Exam Score Endorsement Fee [1] $100
Duplicate License Fee [1] $10

The Board's fee schedule (20 CSR 2085-3.010) lists a single 'Initial Application/License Fee' of $100 under Operator Fees (the category covering cosmetologists, estheticians, and manicurists) — there is no separately itemized application fee apart from this $100, so 'application' is left null to avoid double-counting. Current Renewal Fee is $60 (raised from $30 effective October 1, 2017). Prov's exam fees ($88 written + $58 practical) are paid separately to Prov, not the Board. Verified via Wayback Machine archive snapshot 2026-07-11 (pr.mo.gov blocks direct fetches).

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years.

Per 20 CSR 2085-4.010, all barber and cosmetology licenses (including Operator/Esthetician) are renewed biennially and expire on September 30 of each odd-numbered year. The Board's Rules and Statutes describe a continuing-education requirement (a teacher-training seminar every two years) only for Instructor licenses — no continuing-education requirement for the standard Operator/Esthetician license was found, so ceHours is recorded as null to reflect the absence of a stated CE mandate rather than an unpublished figure. Verified via Wayback Machine archive snapshot 2026-07-11 (pr.mo.gov blocks direct fetches).

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

Per RSMo § 329.130, the Board shall grant a license without examination to any applicant holding a current license from another state, US territory, or DC whose requirements are similar to Missouri's at the time of application, OR who has practiced cosmetology for at least two consecutive years in another state/territory/DC. Applicants currently under disciplinary action in another jurisdiction do not qualify. The Reciprocity Fee is $100. No interstate esthetics/cosmetology compact was found in the Board's Rules — the Cosmetology Licensure Compact has been enacted in some states but is not yet operational anywhere, including Missouri, so compacts is recorded as empty. Verified via Wayback Machine archive snapshot 2026-07-11 (pr.mo.gov blocks direct fetches).

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

Cost calculator

  • $100
  • $88
  • $58
Total$246

Frequently asked questions

How many training hours does Missouri require for a Class E Esthetician license?

750 hours at a licensed school, or 1,500 hours as a registered apprentice under a licensed cosmetologist.

Who administers Missouri's esthetician exam?

Prov, Inc., under contract with the State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners. The written exam costs $88 and the practical exam costs $58.

What does a Missouri Esthetician license cost?

A $100 initial application/license fee, with a $60 renewal fee every two years (licenses expire September 30 of odd-numbered years). Prov's exam fees are paid separately.

What are the minimum age and education requirements?

Applicants must be at least 17 years old with an education equivalent to completion of the tenth grade.

Can an out-of-state esthetician get a Missouri license without retaking the exam?

Yes — Missouri grants a license without examination to an applicant holding a current license from a state with similar requirements, or who has practiced cosmetology for at least two consecutive years elsewhere. The reciprocity fee is $100.

Sources

  1. [1] pr.mo.gov/boards/cosmetology/Rules%20and%20Statutes.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11
  2. [2] provexam.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Prov_CIB_MO_Inc_Written_Site_Inst_2024.06.03.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11