Apply for a cosmetology, barbering, or electrology instructor license

Required documents for all instructor or assistant instructor license applications:

• A 2-inch by 2-inch photo of yourself
• A copy of your driver’s license or other government-issued photo ID
• A copy of your high school diploma or graduate equivalency diploma (GED)
• A notarized Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) form

Additional required documents

You must also include the following documents with your application, depending on the type of license you're applying for.

Cosmetology, barbering, aesthetics, manicuring, or electrology instructor document requirements:

• A copy of your cosmetology, barbering, aesthetics, manicuring, or electrology license or assistant instructor license

• Adequate work experience, depending on your occupation:
  • A cosmetology or aesthetics instructor must have two years of full-time (eight hours a day, five days a week) experience as a cosmetologist, aesthetician, assistant cosmetology instructor, or assistant aesthetics instructor, or the equivalent.
  • A manicuring instructor must have three years of full-time work experience as a manicurist or assistant manicuring instructor or the equivalent.
  • A barbering instructor must have two years of full-time (eight hours a day, five days a week) experience as a barber or assistant barbering instructor, or the equivalent.
  • An electrology instructor must have two years of full-time (eight hours a day, five days a week) experience as an electrologist or the equivalent in the two years prior to applying.

To show work experience, you must submit a notarized affidavit (signed by notary public with a seal) certifying the date you started and stopped working for each employer and whether the work was full- or part- time. Part-time experience will be given half credit, e.g. four years of part-time experience equals two years of full-time experience. This affidavit must be signed by a school director if you worked as an assistant instructor in a school.

• A copy of your diploma from a cosmetology, barbering, aesthetics, manicuring, or electrology school

Cosmetology, barbering, aesthetics, manicuring and electrology assistant instructor document requirements:

• A copy of your cosmetology, barbering, aesthetics, manicuring, or electrology license

• A copy of your diploma from a cosmetology, barbering, aesthetics, manicuring, or electrology school

• An official transcript from your school in a sealed envelope if your professional license is from out of state

An assistant instructor license for cosmetology and aesthetics is valid for two years from the date it's issued and can't be renewed. After working for two years, an assistant instructor may apply to become a full instructor.