StateLicensed

Esthetician License Requirements in Utah

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
1200 hrs
Upfront cost
$295
Exam
NIC Master Esthetics Theory (Written) Exam, NIC Master Esthetics Practical Exam
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL), Department of Commerce

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Meet the eligibility requirements set by the issuing board. Utah Code 58-11a-302 (general qualifications for licensure/permitting under this chapter) requires only a completed application, proof of required training hours, and passage of the required exam — it sets no minimum age. DOPL's own fee schedule lists an FBI/BCI fingerprint-search fee for professions that require a criminal-history background check (e.g., nursing, massage therapy, security services, social work); no such fingerprint fee is listed for the Cosmetology/Esthetician license categories, indicating estheticians are not subject to a mandatory fingerprint-based background check. [5]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 1200 hours of training at a state-approved program. Utah restructured esthetics licensing under SB 330 (2025 Utah Laws ch. 491), effective 1/1/2026. As of that date DOPL offers two credentials: a Basic Esthetics Permit (200 hours; limited scope covering cleansing, masks, manual extraction, and manual hair removal only — Utah Code 58-11a-302.11(5) expressly states a Basic Esthetics Permit holder 'is not considered an esthetician') and a Master Esthetics License (1,200 hours; full esthetics scope including body wraps, hydrotherapy, chemical exfoliation, dermaplaning, nonablative cosmetic-device procedures, and lash/brow technology), which is now the standard entry-level full-scope license for new applicants (Utah Code 58-11a-302.18). The pre-2026 600-hour 'Esthetician' license is closed to new enrollees as of 1/1/2026 but remains valid and renewable for people who already held it, or who enrolled in a qualifying 600-hour school program or 800-hour apprenticeship before that date. Holders of a Utah cosmetology license may credit 600 of their cosmetology hours toward the 1,200-hour Master Esthetics requirement (Utah Code 58-11a-302(2)(b)). [1]

  3. 3

    NIC Master Esthetics Theory (Written) Exam

    Pass the NIC Master Esthetics Theory (Written) Exam (fee: $105). Computer-based, at one of 20 Prov written-exam testing sites in Utah Prov's current Utah Cosmetology Candidate Information Bulletin (dated 2026.03.09) lists both 'Esthetician' and 'Master Esthetician' as separate selectable exam categories, so grandfathered 600-hour Esthetician candidates and new Master Esthetician candidates sit different NIC exam forms; the Basic Esthetics Permit is not listed as a distinct NIC exam category in this bulletin. [2]

  4. 4

    NIC Master Esthetics Practical Exam

    Pass the NIC Master Esthetics Practical Exam (fee: $105). In-person hands-on exam on mannequins, at one of four Prov practical-testing locations in Utah For all license categories except Instructor, candidates must pass both the written and the practical exam. [2]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL), Department of Commerce with the $85 application fee. [3]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL), Department of Commerce issues your Master Esthetician for Utah.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $85
License fee [3] None specified
Renewal fee [3] $68
NIC Master Esthetics Theory (Written) Exam [2] $105
NIC Master Esthetics Practical Exam [2] $105
Basic Esthetics Permit application [3] $60
Basic Esthetics Permit renewal [3] $52
Legacy (600-hour) Esthetician license application [3] $60
Legacy (600-hour) Esthetician license renewal [3] $52

Figures above are for the Master Esthetician license (DOPL's fee schedule for fiscal year 7/1/2025-6/30/2026), the current full-scope entry credential. DOPL lists one application fee per license type that also covers initial license issuance; there is no separate license-issuance fee.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years.

Utah cosmetology-related licenses (including Esthetician/Master Esthetician) renew on a fixed cycle expiring September 30 of odd-numbered years. DOPL's renewal page does not list a continuing-education requirement for esthetics license renewal.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

DOPL offers endorsement for applicants who have held an out-of-state esthetician or master esthetician license in good standing for at least one year, via separate Esthetician and Master Esthetician endorsement pathways. Utah is not a confirmed member of the Cosmetology Licensure Compact; as of mid-2026 the compact has been enacted in roughly 10 states (not including Utah), is not yet operational anywhere (no multistate licenses issued), and it remains unconfirmed generally whether enacting states' versions cover estheticians.

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

Cost calculator

  • $85
  • $105
  • $105
Total$295

Frequently asked questions

Did Utah change its esthetics licensing requirements recently?

Yes. SB 330 (2025) restructured Utah's cosmetology and esthetics licensing effective January 1, 2026, replacing the old 600-hour standard Esthetician license for new applicants with a two-tier system: a 200-hour Basic Esthetics Permit (limited scope) and a 1,200-hour Master Esthetics License (full scope).

Is a Basic Esthetics Permit the same as an esthetician license?

No. Utah Code expressly states that a Basic Esthetics Permit holder is not considered an esthetician; it's a narrower, lower-hour credential limited to basic skincare procedures and manual hair removal.

Can my cosmetology hours count toward a Master Esthetics license?

Yes. A Utah cosmetology license holder may apply 600 hours of cosmetology training toward the 1,200-hour Master Esthetics requirement.

What exams do I need to pass, and who administers them?

A written theory exam and a hands-on practical exam from the National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC), administered under contract with Utah DOPL by Prov, Inc.; each costs $105.

If I'm already licensed as an esthetician in another state, can I get a Utah license without retesting?

DOPL offers an endorsement pathway for applicants who have held an out-of-state esthetician or master esthetician license in good standing for at least one year.

Sources

  1. [1] le.utah.gov/xcode/Title58/Chapter11A/C58-11a-S302.18_2026010120250507.html — accessed 2026-07-11
  2. [2] utahboi.provexam.com/UtahCosmetology — accessed 2026-07-11
  3. [3] commerce.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/fee-schedule.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11
  4. [4] commerce.utah.gov/dopl/cosmetology/renew-a-license/ — accessed 2026-07-11
  5. [5] le.utah.gov/xcode/Title58/Chapter11A/C58-11a-S302_2026010120250507.html — accessed 2026-07-11
  6. [6] commerce.utah.gov/dopl/cosmetology/apply-for-a-license/esthetician/ — accessed 2026-07-11