Delaware State Board of Cosmetology
Information verified:About the Delaware State Board of Cosmetology
The Delaware Board of Cosmetology and Barbering is a state occupational licensing board established under 24 Del. C., Chapter 51. Unlike many states that operate standalone cosmetology regulatory bodies, Delaware's board functions as one of more than 30 professional licensing boards administered by the Division of Professional Regulation (DPR), a division of the Delaware Department of State. The board's primary objective is to protect the general public from unsafe practices and from occupational practices that reduce competition or artificially fix the price of services, while maintaining standards of professional competence and service delivery.
The board regulates five distinct practice areas: cosmetology, barbering, aesthetics, electrology, and nail technology. Within each area it issues licenses and permits to apprentices, practicing professionals, instructors, shops and salons, mobile salons, and schools. All licensing applications, renewals, and account management are handled exclusively through DELPROS (Delaware Professional Regulation Online Services) at delpros.delaware.gov. Complaints against licensees are also filed through DELPROS, where they are directed to DPR's Investigative Unit.
The board's office is located in the Cannon Building, Suite 203, 861 Silver Lake Blvd., Dover, DE 19904. The main DPR telephone is (302) 744-4500; fax is (302) 739-2711; and the email for all inquiries is customerservice.dpr@delaware.gov. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. ET. The division is closed on Delaware state holidays.
Unless otherwise notified, the board meets on the last Monday of each month at 9:00 a.m., except in August and December. All meetings are open to the public and are held in the Cannon Building at 861 Silver Lake Boulevard, Dover. Meeting schedules are posted on the State of Delaware public meeting calendar.
The board's rules and regulations are codified at Title 24, Section 5100 of the Delaware Administrative Code (24 Del. Admin. Code § 5100), most recently updated in June 2023. Key provisions include requirements that all license applicants provide proof of general education (certified transcript or GED) and submit applications with the appropriate fee through DELPROS. The board reviews complete applications at its next scheduled monthly meeting, and incomplete applications are not reviewed.
Delaware is one of a small number of states that includes electrology within its cosmetology regulatory framework, alongside cosmetology, barbering, aesthetics, and nail technology. Electrologists are licensed and inspected under the same authority as cosmetologists. The board also recognizes mobile salons as a distinct licensed category — a cosmetology shop in a self-contained, transportable facility — subject to all of the board's licensing requirements plus additional operational rules specific to mobile units. No service may be performed in a moving vehicle, and the salon name and license number must be displayed on at least two exterior sides of each mobile unit in lettering at least five inches high.
Delaware offers both school-based and apprenticeship pathways to licensure across all five regulated practice areas, one of the more comprehensive apprenticeship systems among state cosmetology boards. Apprenticeship terms range from 15 weeks (for nail technology and electrology) to up to 36 months (for cosmetology and barbering), with strict requirements for apprentice teachers, documentation, and quarterly reporting to the board.
Licenses Regulated
The Delaware Board of Cosmetology and Barbering regulates five practice areas and issues individual practitioner licenses, instructor licenses, and business permits within each. Delaware is one of few states that includes electrology in its cosmetology licensing framework, and it also licenses mobile salons as a distinct category separate from fixed shops. The following license types are issued by the board:
Cosmetologist
Authorizes the full range of cosmetology services including haircutting, styling, coloring, chemical treatments, skin care, and nail services. Requires 1,500 hours of training in a board-licensed cosmetology school or 3,000 hours in a board-approved apprenticeship program (completed in no less than 18 months and no more than 36 months). Cosmetologist licenses expire on October 31 of each even-numbered year.
Master Barber
Authorizes all barbering services including shaving. Requires 1,500 school hours or 3,000 apprenticeship hours — the same training requirement as the cosmetologist license. Master Barber licenses expire on March 31 of each even-numbered year.
Barber
A distinct license from the Master Barber. Requires 1,250 school hours or 3,000 apprenticeship hours. Barber licenses expire on March 31 of each even-numbered year.
Aesthetician
Authorizes skin care services including facial treatments, makeup application, and hair removal. Requires 600 school hours or 1,200 apprenticeship hours. An applicant who began school prior to June 26, 2010, needed only 300 hours. Aesthetician licenses expire on March 31 of each even-numbered year.
Nail Technician
Authorizes manicuring, pedicuring, and artificial nail services. Requires 300 school hours or 600 apprenticeship hours. An applicant who began school prior to June 26, 2010, needed only 125 hours. Nail technician licenses expire on March 31 of each even-numbered year.
Electrologist
Authorizes permanent hair removal by electrolysis. Requires 300 school hours or 600 apprenticeship hours. Delaware is one of the few states that licenses electrologists through its cosmetology board rather than a separate regulatory authority. Electrologist licenses expire on March 31 of each even-numbered year.
Instructor
Required to teach in any board-licensed school. Instructor applicants must hold a current license in the subject area they intend to teach. Alternatively, the board offers a provisional pathway: a temporary instructor permit may be issued to a licensed practitioner employed by a vocational or accredited school, who must then complete 500 hours of supervised teaching (or 250 hours plus two years of full-time licensed experience) and pass the instructor examination. Instructor licenses expire on March 31 of each even-numbered year.
Cosmetology/Barbering Establishment (Shop or Salon)
Required for any fixed location where cosmetology, barbering, aesthetics, electrology, or nail technology services are performed for compensation. Application fee: $128. Establishment licenses expire on June 30 of each odd-numbered year — a different cycle from individual licenses.
Mobile Salon
A licensed category unique to Delaware among smaller states. A mobile salon is a cosmetology shop in a self-contained facility that may be moved, towed, or transported from one location to another. Mobile salons must maintain a permanent business address for records, display the salon name and license number on at least two exterior sides, and may not provide services while the vehicle is moving. Application fee: $128. Expires on June 30 of each odd-numbered year.
School
Any institution offering training in the practice areas regulated by the board must hold a school license. Schools must follow one of the approved curricula (Milady or Pivot Point, or a board-approved equivalent) and maintain all required equipment. Application fee: $128. Expires on June 30 of each odd-numbered year.
Renew Your Delaware Cosmetology License
Delaware uses staggered renewal schedules depending on license type — cosmetologist licenses follow a different expiration calendar than other individual licenses, and business licenses follow a third calendar. All renewals are submitted through DELPROS (Delaware Professional Regulation Online Services) at delpros.delaware.gov. The renewal fee amount is communicated at the time of renewal. All processing fees are non-refundable.
Renewal Expiration Dates by License Type
- Cosmetologist: October 31 of each even-numbered year (e.g., 2024, 2026)
- Barber, Master Barber, Nail Technician, Aesthetician, Electrologist, and all Instructor types: March 31 of each even-numbered year (e.g., 2024, 2026)
- Cosmetology/Barbering Establishment, Mobile Salon, and School: June 30 of each odd-numbered year (e.g., 2025, 2027)
How to Renew
A renewal notice is sent to the email address on file several months before the expiration date. Log in to your DELPROS account, answer the renewal questions, and pay the renewal fee by credit card. It is the licensee's responsibility to keep contact information current in DELPROS — failure to receive a notice due to an outdated email address does not excuse late renewal.
Continuing Education
Delaware does not require continuing education for cosmetologist, barber, aesthetician, nail technician, or electrologist license renewals. The board's rules and regulations (24 Del. Admin. Code § 5100) contain no CE requirement for individual practitioner licenses.
Late Renewals
Practicing with an expired individual license is illegal in Delaware. Individual licensees may submit a late renewal application up to five years after the expiration date through DELPROS. A late fee of 50% of the renewal fee is charged in addition to the standard renewal fee. Even after submitting a late renewal, the licensee must not resume practicing until the license is confirmed as renewed to active status. The late period is not a grace period.
Establishment licenses have a much shorter late window: late renewal may be submitted up to 45 days after expiration. After 45 days, the establishment license terminates and the owner must reapply as a new applicant.
Reinstatement After Termination
If an individual license terminates (expired more than five years, or not renewed within the late period), the licensee must submit a reinstatement application through DELPROS and pay the reinstatement fee. Reinstatement applicants may also be required to pass the practical examination. If it has been over five years since the Delaware license expired and the applicant holds a current license in another jurisdiction and has practiced there for at least one continuous year within the past five years, they may reapply by reciprocity rather than reinstatement.
File a Complaint
The Division of Professional Regulation's Investigative Unit handles complaints against all licensees regulated by the Delaware Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, including cosmetologists, barbers, aestheticians, nail technicians, electrologists, instructors, and establishments. Complaints about unlicensed practice of any board-regulated activity are also accepted.
How to File a Complaint
All complaints are submitted through the DELPROS portal at delpros.delaware.gov. The complaint tile is visible on the DELPROS home page. Complaints go directly to DPR's Investigative Unit. General questions about the complaint process may be directed to the DPR office at (302) 744-4500 or by email at customerservice.dpr@delaware.gov.
Investigation Process
Once a complaint is received, DPR's Investigative Unit reviews whether the alleged conduct falls within the board's jurisdiction. Investigations are conducted confidentially. Where the evidence supports a violation, the case may proceed to a negotiated settlement, a formal hearing before the board, or — in cases of unlicensed practice — a referral to law enforcement. Formal disciplinary outcomes can include license revocation, suspension, civil fines, and required remedial education.
What Complaints the Board Can Address
The board has disciplinary authority over violations of 24 Del. C., Chapter 51 and the board's rules and regulations (24 Del. Admin. Code § 5100). Actionable complaints include unsafe or unsanitary practices, practicing with an expired or invalid license, operating an unlicensed establishment, and conduct listed under the criminal history provisions of Section 18.0 of the regulations. Licensees and shop owners are also responsible for verifying that all persons providing services in their establishment hold valid Delaware licenses — failure to do so constitutes a separate basis for discipline under 24 Del. C. § 5113(a)(7).
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Delaware Board of Cosmetology and Barbering and where is it located?
- The Delaware Board of Cosmetology and Barbering is the state licensing authority for cosmetologists, barbers, aestheticians, nail technicians, electrologists, instructors, shops, and schools in Delaware. It operates under the Division of Professional Regulation (DPR), not as a standalone board. The office is located at Cannon Building, Suite 203, 861 Silver Lake Blvd., Dover, DE 19904. Phone: (302) 744-4500. Email: customerservice.dpr@delaware.gov. Office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m. and 1:30–4:15 p.m. ET.
- When does my Delaware cosmetology or nail technician license expire?
- Delaware uses different renewal dates depending on license type. Cosmetologist licenses expire on October 31 of each even-numbered year. Barber, Master Barber, Nail Technician, Aesthetician, Electrologist, and Instructor licenses expire on March 31 of each even-numbered year. Establishment, Mobile Salon, and School licenses expire on June 30 of each odd-numbered year. Renewal is completed through DELPROS.
- Does Delaware require continuing education for cosmetology license renewal?
- No. Delaware does not require continuing education for cosmetologist, barber, aesthetician, nail technician, or electrologist license renewals. The board's rules and regulations (24 Del. Admin. Code § 5100) contain no CE requirement for individual practitioner licenses. Licensees simply complete the online renewal in DELPROS and pay the renewal fee.
- How many training hours are required for a Delaware cosmetologist license?
- A Delaware cosmetologist license requires 1,500 hours of training in a board-licensed cosmetology school, or 3,000 hours in a board-approved apprenticeship program. Other license types have different requirements: Aesthetician: 600 school hours or 1,200 apprenticeship hours; Barber: 1,250 school hours or 3,000 apprenticeship hours; Nail Technician: 300 school hours or 600 apprenticeship hours; Electrologist: 300 school hours or 600 apprenticeship hours.
- What exams are required for a Delaware cosmetology license?
- Delaware requires both the NIC written theory examination and the NIC practical examination for cosmetologist applicants. New applicants apply through Prometric's candidate management system. After approval, candidates receive an Authorization to Test and schedule their written exam through IQTtesting.com. Practical exams are held at the Hilton Wilmington Christiana, 100 Continental Drive, Newark, DE 19713. High school transcripts must be mailed directly from the school to Prometric.
- How do I file a complaint against a Delaware cosmetologist or salon?
- Complaints against any licensee or establishment regulated by the Delaware Board of Cosmetology and Barbering are filed through DELPROS. The complaint tile is on the DELPROS home page and routes directly to DPR's Investigative Unit. For questions call (302) 744-4500 or email customerservice.dpr@delaware.gov.