How many training hours are required for an Arkansas cosmetology license?

Arkansas requires 1,500 clock-hours for a cosmetologist license. Aesthetician, manicurist, and electrologist licenses each require 600 hours. All training must be at an ADH-licensed Arkansas cosmetology school.

Who administers the written exam for Arkansas cosmetology?

The written theory exam is administered by Prov, Inc. at a fee of $78.00 paid directly to Prov. A separate State Law examination is also required, administered online by the ADH Cosmetology Section after the Prov exam is passed.

Where is the practical exam held in Arkansas?

The practical examination is administered through licensed Arkansas cosmetology schools, not at a dedicated testing center. The state practical exam fee is $65.00.

What does it cost to get an Arkansas cosmetology license?

Key fees: $20.00 enrollment fee, $78.00 Prov written exam fee, $60.00 state written exam fee, and $65.00 state practical exam fee. Reciprocity applicants pay $50.00.

Does Arkansas offer reciprocity for out-of-state cosmetology licenses?

Yes. Active out-of-state license holders submit the reciprocity form and $50.00. Applicants with hours only (no active license) must also pass written and practical exams.

What makes Arkansas cosmetology licensing unique?

Arkansas regulates cosmetology through the Department of Health (not a standalone board), advised by the CTAC. Arkansas also has a unique Registered Hairstylist license and administers practical exams through cosmetology schools rather than testing centers.

Arkansas Cosmetology License Requirements

How to Get a Cosmetology License in Arkansas

Earning an Arkansas cosmetology license requires completing an approved training program and passing both written and practical examinations administered under the authority of the Arkansas Department of Health Cosmetology Section. Here is the step-by-step process:

Meet the minimum education requirement. Cosmetologist, aesthetician, and manicurist applicants must have completed at least the 10th grade or its equivalent. Electrologist applicants must hold a 12th-grade diploma or GED.
Enroll in a licensed Arkansas cosmetology school. Submit an enrollment to the ADH Cosmetology Section and pay the $20.00 enrollment fee. A list of licensed schools is available in PDF form at healthy.arkansas.gov.
Complete the required training hours. Cosmetologist candidates must complete 1,500 clock-hours of approved training. Aesthetician, manicurist, and electrologist candidates each require 600 hours. Your school certifies completed hours via a Certification of Training form.
Apply for and pass the written examination. Submit a Written Examination Application to the Cosmetology Section. Once approved, Prov, Inc. will contact you to schedule the computer-based theory exam. The Prov exam fee is $78.00, paid directly to Prov at provexam.com or (877) 228-3926.
Pass the State Law Examination. After passing the Prov theory exam, the Cosmetology Section emails you a link to take the online State Law exam covering Arkansas cosmetology statutes and rules. A State Law Re-take Examination Form must be submitted to the section if a retake is needed.
Pass the practical examination. The practical exam is administered through licensed Arkansas cosmetology schools — not at a dedicated testing center. Contact any licensed school to schedule. The state practical exam fee is $65.00, paid to the Department of Health.
Receive your license. Once the Cosmetology Section receives your passing scores for all required examinations, your license is mailed within 10 to 14 days. Do not begin practicing until your license arrives.

Training Requirements

Arkansas sets the following minimum clock-hour requirements for each cosmetology-related license type, as established under the Arkansas Cosmetology Law (A.C.A. §§17-26-101 et seq.) and published in the ADH Cosmetology Section's Reciprocity Requirements Hours Summary:

Cosmetologist — 1,500 hours. The cosmetology curriculum covers hair cutting, styling, chemical services (perms, relaxers, color), skin care, nail services, sanitation, infection control, and Arkansas state law. Training must be completed at a school licensed by the ADH Cosmetology Section. A minimum 10th-grade education (or equivalent) is required for enrollment.
Aesthetician — 600 hours. Esthetics training covers facial treatments, skin analysis, makeup application, waxing, and the safe use of Class 1 and Class 2 laser devices within a licensed establishment. The curriculum includes infection control and Arkansas cosmetology law. A minimum 10th-grade education applies.
Manicurist — 600 hours. Manicurist training covers nail anatomy and physiology, manicures, pedicures, artificial nail application and removal, sanitation, and Arkansas state law. Minimum education: 10th grade.
Electrologist — 600 hours. Electrology training covers permanent hair removal by electrolysis, skin physiology, galvanic and thermolysis methods, equipment operation and safety, infection control, and state law. Electrologists must have completed the 12th grade or its equivalent — the highest education prerequisite for any Arkansas cosmetology license type.
Instructor — Applicants must first hold the applicable practitioner license before applying for instructor licensure. Instructor candidates must also pass the Prov instructor examination. Specific instructor curriculum requirements are detailed in the New School Application Packet available from the section.

All training must be completed at a school currently licensed by the ADH Cosmetology Section. A current list of approved schools is published as a PDF at healthy.arkansas.gov. Upon completion of your training program, your school issues a Certification of Training form and a diploma, both of which are required for examination eligibility.

Arkansas also provides a reciprocity-by-hours pathway for applicants who completed training in another state but do not hold an active license there. These applicants must submit an affidavit from the out-of-state licensing entity (or a sealed school transcript), a full curriculum breakdown, and a diploma, along with the $50.00 reciprocity fee. They must then pass both written and practical examinations before a license is issued.

Cosmetology Exam Requirements

Arkansas requires completion of two written examination components and one practical examination before an initial cosmetology license is issued:

Written Examination — Prov, Inc.

The computer-based theory exam is administered by Prov, Inc., the ADH Cosmetology Section's contracted testing provider. After submitting a Written Examination Application to the section and receiving approval, Prov contacts you directly to schedule the exam. The Prov exam fee is $78.00, paid directly to Prov, Inc. Contact information for Prov:

Phone/Text: (801) 733-4455 (messaging rates may apply)
Toll-free: (877) 228-3926
Web: provexam.com
Email: support@provexam.com
Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM CT

Candidate Information Bulletins (CIBs) for each exam type — Cosmetology, Esthetics, Manicure, Electrology, and Instructor — are available on the ADH Cosmetology Testing and Training page. CIBs describe exam content, format, rules, and scheduling procedures. Your government-issued photo ID must exactly match the name on your examination application; name discrepancies must be resolved with the Cosmetology Section before scheduling.

ADA accommodation requests are handled by Prov, Inc. Visit provexam.com to submit an accommodation request before scheduling your exam.

State Law Examination

In addition to the Prov theory exam, Arkansas requires a separate State Law Examination covering Arkansas cosmetology statutes and rules. After passing the Prov written exam, the Cosmetology Section sends you an email link to complete the State Law exam online. Keep your email address and phone number current on your application to receive this link promptly. If you need to retake the State Law exam, submit a State Law Re-take Examination Form to the section by email, mail, or through your school.

Practical Examination

The practical examination is administered through licensed Arkansas cosmetology schools — not at a separate testing facility. Contact any currently licensed Arkansas cosmetology school to schedule your practical exam. The state practical exam fee is $65.00, collected by the Department of Health. Upon passing all required examinations, the Cosmetology Section mails your license within 10 to 14 business days.

How to Renew Your Arkansas Cosmetology License

$50.00

Renewal Fee

2 years

Renewal Period

Arkansas cosmetology practitioner licenses renew on a biennial (two-year) cycle. The practitioner renewal fee is $50.00, effective January 1, 2026, following the restoration of the standard fee schedule under A.C.A. §17-26-209 after a temporary reduction in 2024–2025. There is no continuing education (CE) requirement for Arkansas cosmetology renewal.

How to Renew

Three renewal options are available:

Online via CLIPS — Log into the Cosmetology License and Information Processing System at adhcosmo.arkansas.gov and follow the renewal prompts. Licenses are mailed within 10 to 14 days of a completed online renewal.
By mail — Complete a renewal form and mail it with a check or money order for $50.00 (payable to the Arkansas Department of Health) to: ADH Cosmetology Section, 4815 W. Markham Street, Slot #8, Little Rock, AR 72205.
In person — Visit the office at 4815 W. Markham Street, Slot #8, Little Rock, during business hours (Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM CT).

Expired Licenses

Practicing with an expired license is a violation subject to citation by a Cosmetology Inspector. Expired practitioner licenses may be reinstated for up to five years past the expiration date by paying the $50.00 renewal fee plus a reinstatement fee equal to 50% of the renewal fee ($25.00). After five years, the license is classified as a Lapsed License and requires submission of the Lapsed License Form with the applicable fee.

Address and Information Changes

Notify the Cosmetology Section promptly if your address, phone number, or email address changes, as official correspondence is sent to your address of record. Changes can be reported by phone at (501) 682-2168, by fax at (501) 682-5640, by email at Cosmo@arkansas.gov, or by mail. Salon relocations require a separate Establishment Relocation Application and fee before the salon may open at its new location.

Other Cosmetology License Types in Arkansas

The Arkansas Department of Health Cosmetology Section issues the following license types, each with specific training requirements and authorized scope of practice under A.C.A. §§17-26-101 et seq.:

Cosmetologist (1,500 hours) — The full-service cosmetology license. Authorizes hair cutting, styling, coloring, chemical wave and relaxer services, skin care, facial treatments, nail services, and makeup application within a licensed establishment. Minimum education: 10th grade or equivalent.
Aesthetician (600 hours) — Authorizes facial treatments, skin analysis, makeup application, waxing, microneedling that does not penetrate beyond the epidermis, and laser services using only Class 1 or Class 2 devices within a licensed cosmetology establishment. Microblading is outside this scope and requires a Body Art license. Minimum education: 10th grade.
Manicurist (600 hours) — Authorizes nail services including manicures, pedicures, and application or removal of artificial nail enhancements. Minimum education: 10th grade.
Electrologist (600 hours) — Authorizes permanent hair removal exclusively by electrolysis (galvanic, thermolysis, or blend methods). Laser hair removal is not within this scope. Minimum education: 12th grade or equivalent — the highest educational prerequisite of any Arkansas cosmetology license.
Registered Hairstylist — An Arkansas-specific license category authorizing hairstyling services. Application is submitted via the CLIPS system or on paper to the section office. This is a distinct and separate license from the full cosmetologist, which is unique among U.S. states.
Instructor — Authorizes teaching cosmetology, aesthetics, or nail technology at a licensed Arkansas cosmetology school. Requires the applicable active practitioner license plus passage of the Prov instructor examination.
Cosmetology Establishment (Salon) — Required before offering cosmetology services to the public. New establishment application fee: $100.00. Annual renewal: $50.00. After the application is submitted online, a letter of authorization is issued by the section, allowing the salon to open before the physical inspection. A permanent license is not issued until the establishment passes a Cosmetology Inspector inspection.
Mobile Salon — A mobile cosmetology establishment operating from a vehicle or moveable unit. Requires a separate New Shop Mobile Application and is subject to the same inspection requirements as fixed establishments.
Cosmetology School — Institutions providing cosmetology training must be licensed by the section. New school fee: $1,500.00; annual renewal: $250.00. Ownership or name changes require a School Change of Status Form and applicable fees.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many training hours are required for an Arkansas cosmetology license?: Arkansas requires 1,500 clock-hours of approved school training for a cosmetologist license. Aesthetician, manicurist, and electrologist licenses each require 600 hours. All training must be completed at a school licensed by the ADH Cosmetology Section.
Who administers the written exam for Arkansas cosmetology?: The written theory exam is administered by Prov, Inc. The Prov exam fee is $78.00, paid directly to Prov at provexam.com or by calling (877) 228-3926. A separate State Law examination is also required and is administered online by the ADH Cosmetology Section after the Prov exam is passed.
Where is the practical exam held in Arkansas?: The practical examination is administered through licensed Arkansas cosmetology schools — not at a dedicated testing center. Contact any currently licensed Arkansas school to schedule your practical exam. The state practical exam fee is $65.00, paid to the Department of Health.
What does it cost to get an Arkansas cosmetology license?: Key fees include: $20.00 school enrollment fee, $78.00 Prov written exam fee (paid to Prov), $60.00 state written exam fee, and $65.00 state practical exam fee. Out-of-state reciprocity applicants pay a $50.00 one-time fee. There is no separate state application fee beyond the enrollment fee.
Does Arkansas offer reciprocity for out-of-state cosmetology licenses?: Yes. Practitioners with a current, active license from another state may apply for Arkansas reciprocity by submitting the Reciprocity Requirements form and a $50.00 fee. Applicants who completed training in another state but do not hold an active license must pass both the written and practical examinations in addition to submitting documented proof of training hours.
What makes Arkansas cosmetology licensing unique compared to other states?: Arkansas is one of only a few states that regulates cosmetology through the Department of Health rather than a standalone board. The Cosmetology Technical Advisory Committee (CTAC) advises the department. Arkansas also has a unique Registered Hairstylist license category not commonly found in other states, and practical exams are administered through cosmetology schools rather than at testing centers.