Transfer a cosmetology, aesthetics, manicuring, barber, or electrology license to Massachusetts

Your application must include the following documents: 

Out-of-state applications

• A 2-inch by 2-inch photo
• A copy of your driver’s license
• A copy of your cosmetology, aesthetics, manicuring, barber, or electrology license from another state
• A license verification. The state in which you are licensed must email a verification (also called a certification) of your license directly to the Board of Cosmetology and Barbering at cosmetologyandbarberingboard@mass.gov. This step must be completed whether or not your license is current. This verification should show your license status, any pending actions, and any disciplinary information.
  • NOTE: If you obtained your current license through reciprocity, you must also have the state where you were originally licensed send the board a verification of your original license, even if it is expired.

• An official transcript from your school in an envelope sealed by the school showing the subjects and the number of hours in each subject that you completed, and your graduation from the program. If your school is closed, and you can't get a transcript, you must include a letter or communication from the state where your school was located confirming that it is closed. 
• Proof you passed a license exam in a state or jurisdiction in the United States. This can be confirmed on the verification letter from your state or your exam score results.
• A notarized Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) form.

Exam requirement for out-of-state applicants

Applicants must take an exam if any of the following apply:

• You do not have a current license in another state or jurisdiction
• You have completed a program in a school substantially equivalent to the board’s requirements, but you do not have a license in any state or jurisdiction
• You have not passed a license exam in a state or jurisdiction in the United States
• Your license(s) in another state or jurisdiction has been suspended or revoked at any time
• Your completed education is less than the obard’s required education hours:
  • 1,000 hours for cosmetology, including 50 hours of manicuring and 80 hours of aesthetics
  • 600 hours for aesthetics after June 1, 2019; 300 hours of aesthetics prior to June 1, 2019
  • 100 hours for manicuring
  • 1,000 hours for barbering
  • 1,100 hours for electrology
• You completed your training through an apprenticeship rather than a school
• Your license in another state or jurisdiction does not cover all of the services that the board’s license covers. For example, a hairstyling license that does not cover manicuring or aesthetics services, or a barber license that does not cover chemical services.
  • Please note that you must also go back to school to fulfill the board’s required hours in any area that you have not received training in that applies to the license you are seeking. For example, if you have a hairstyling license that does not include manicuring or aesthetics services, you must have 50 hours in manicuring and 80 hours in aesthetics training to meet the board’s requirement for a cosmetologist license. Required training hours can be found in the board’s school regulations.

Applicants do not have to take an exam if all of the following applies:

• You have a current license in another state or jurisdiction
• You have obtained a related license by passing an exam in a state or jurisdiction in the United States
• None of your licenses has ever been suspended or revoked
• You have completed a school program substantially equivalent to the board’s requirements (see hour requirements)
• Your current license’s scope is equivalent to the license you are applying for. For example, your cosmetologist license from another state must permit you to provide hairdressing, manicuring, and aesthetics services.

Out-of-country applications

• A 2-inch by 2-inch passport-style photo
• A copy of your passport
• A notarized Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) form

You also must provide one of the following:

• An affidavit or transcript from your school notarized in the country where you studied. This document should confirm your enrollment dates, completion of your course, and specify the number of training hours in each subject. The affidavit must state the exact hours in each subject, rather than providing vague totals. For example, istead of saying “300 hours in skin care,” it should detail specific hours for each subject like “25 hours in waxing, 8 hours in skin diseases,” etc. Your school affidavit must be accompanied by official government documentation showing that the school was authorized or licensed to operate when you attended and the dates it was authorized or licensed. 
• An affidavit (cosmetology affidavits, barber affidavits) from your employer notarized in the country where you worked, certifying that you worked for at least 2 years as a cosmetologist, barber, aesthetician, manicurist, or electrologist. For self-employed applicants, a notarized affidavit from your landlord certifying that you operated a salon or barbershop for at least 2 years.

All supporting documents must be originals and translated by an accredited agency.