About the Board

LICENSING FORMS and INFO

Renewals

Active License Renewal Application (for operators and salon managers – printable form)
Retired License Renewal Application
Retired License Activation Application
School Manager Renewal Application
Instructor Renewal Application

The Board has contracted with a national testing vendor, PSI, to provide tests for applicants for Minnesota licensure. Questions about costs, scheduling a test, test locations, etc. should be directed to PSI by phone or the PSI website. 

For exam content outlines (e.g. study topics) for operators, salon managers, and school managers, please refer to the Candidate Information Bulletin. (Or refer to the Spanish version or Vietnamese version.)

 For instructor exams, refer to the Instructor Candidate Information Bulletin.

The state exam study outlines should be used in conjunction with Minnesota Rule chapters 2105 and 2110 and Minnesota Statute chapter 155A.

Helpful Hints for Successful Studying and Testing

Instructor Continuing Education

Instructors and School Managers: When is it OK to Double-Dip?

All instructor continuing education courses must be pre-approved by the Board.*
To renew an instructor license, 45 hours of continuing education are required:

• 30 hours of teaching-methodology courses
• 15 hours of clinical practice courses

*You may use qualifying credits from completed classes on teaching methods or clinical practice from the MnSCU system schools, the University of Minnesota, or other postsecondary schools licensed by the Office of Higher Education but not licensed by the Board. Preapproval of such classes is not required. You must attach an official transcript and the class syllabus or catalog course description, which must establish the class hours and establish that the content of the course is based on teaching methodology or clinical practice, to your Instructor Renewal Application. Postsecondary courses are equivalent to 16 CE hours per credit, and lab courses are equivalent to 32 CE hours per credit. CEUs earned are accepted as one CE hour per CEU credit.

For Instructors:

2020 Instructor Continuing Education Course List

For Providers:

2020 Instructor CE Course Approval Application

Signs to Post in your Salon

Credo Blades Sign
Porous Materials Sign

Notices

10/2019 School Memo
3/2019 School Memo
11/2018 School Memo
8/2018 School Memo
8/2018 School Memo Attachment
7/2018 School Memo on Cent PST for Comment
6/2018 Health & Safety Seminar Invitation
6/2018 Health & Safety Seminar Agenda
4/2018 Inspections Made Easier
12/2017 School Memo
11/2017 School Memo
6/2017 Legislative Update to Schools
12/2016 School Memo
10/2016 BCE Bulletin: Clinical Service Exercise Protocol
9/2016 School Memo
8/2016 School Memo

The purpose of this credentialing process is to verify the authenticity and US equivalency of foreign education and related documents.

Any documents which originated outside of the United States, such as high school diplomas and cosmetology training transcripts, must be formally evaluated by a credentialing service, Aequo International, prior to submitting an application to the Board.  At this time, Aequo International is the only Board-approved provider for foreign document evaluations; evaluations performed by other providers will not be accepted.

The Board encourages applicants to submit any relevant foreign documentation to Aequo International for evaluation at the start of cosmetology school training.  The evaluation time frame can be extensive, and starting the process at the beginning of training will help to avoid a delay after graduation and upon application for licensure.

                    

Please visit: https://aequointernational.com/evaluations/

After payment is made on the Aequo website, you will be directed to the Aequo International evaluation application page to create an account and complete the necessary requirements. You will also see the required documents for your evaluation and instructions for submission. If for some reason you are not immediately directed to the Aequo International evaluation application page after payment is submitted, you will receive an email confirmation containing the link to the Aequo International page where you can create your account.

Did you complete your cosmetology training outside of the US?
Applicants with training and/or work experience in another country who have not been licensed in another state must apply to a Board licensed school as a transfer student for an evaluation of training, school records, and work experience prior to submitting a license application to the Board office. Any records from another country, including records in English, must first be evaluated by Aequo International at the student’s or school’s expense.

Please contact Aequo International with any questions related to the evaluation application or process by calling 844.882.3786 or by emailing [email protected].

**The Legislature repealed the requirement for hair braiders to register annually with the Board and exempts hair braiding from Board regulation, effective 7/1/2019.**

Hair Braiding Registration Repeal

Historical Documents:
Hair Braiding Bulletin
Hair Braiding Court Order 05-5467

Consumer INFO

Documents and Articles for Consumers and Licensees

Makeup Services in Minnesota

Inspections Made Easier

Injectable Skin Lightening Products:  What You Should Know (FDA)

Infection Control and Salon Prohibitions Summary
Mercury Poisoning Linked to Skin Products (FDA)

Brazilian Blowout – BCE
Brazilian Blowout Hazard Alert – OSHA (United States Department of Labor)
Skin-Lightening Product Fact Sheet (MDH)

Scrub the Tub: A Good, Clean Pedicure
Scrub the Tub: A Good, Clean Pedicure (Vietnamese)

Protecting the Workers of Nail Salons (EPA)
Protecting the Workers of Nail Salons in Vietnamese (EPA)

Credo Blades
Porous Materials

Additional Websites for Consumers and Licensees

CDC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
EPA – Environmental Protection Agency
FDA – Food and Drug Administration
OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Laws & Rules INFO

2019 Legislative Update

2018 Legislative Update

2017 Legislative Update

2017 Eyelash Technician Licensing Update

2016 Eyelash Extensions Bulletin

2016 Legislative Session Summary

2015 Legislative Update

2015 Legislative Session Guidance