Virginia Cosmetology License Requirements
Information verified:How to Get a Cosmetology License in Virginia
Virginia licenses cosmetologists through the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, housed inside DPOR. The path is approved training plus a Prov-administered written and practical exam. Out-of-state applicants can use the endorsement application or Universal License Recognition instead of retraining. Steps for an in-state applicant:
- Pick a qualifying training pathway. The most common is 1,000 hours at a licensed Virginia cosmetology school. Other accepted paths under 18VAC41-20: a Virginia Works registered apprenticeship in cosmetology, a Virginia high school cosmetology program approved by the Department of Education, a substantially equivalent out-of-state program (with possible work-experience documentation), an out-of-country program with an evaluated translated transcript, or two years of cosmetology experience in the U.S. armed forces.
- Complete the program. Have your school complete the Training Verification Form (A450-1213TR). Hours and program completion are reported to DPOR / Prov.
- Submit the Cosmetology Examination & License Application. Apply online at provexam.com (the preferred method) or mail form A450-1201_04EXLIC. Select your exam type — the typical first-time applicant chooses the combined Practical & Theory exam at $194 ($99 theory, $95 practical if taken individually). The exam fee is paid to Prov; the $120 license fee is paid to DPOR.
- Schedule your exam(s) with Prov. After Prov processes the application and confirms eligibility, schedule the written and practical sittings through your Prov account.
- Pass the written and practical exam. The written exam covers cosmetology theory, Virginia laws and regulations, and infection control. The practical exam tests hands-on competencies aligned with the 18VAC41-20 performance requirements (365 minimum performances).
- Receive your Virginia cosmetology license. DPOR issues the license after Prov reports passing scores and the application is complete. The license is valid for two years and expires on the last day of the month it was issued.
An applicant who fails to pass a reexamination within one year of the initial exam date must submit a new application and a new exam fee.
Training Requirements
Cosmetology training in Virginia is set by 18VAC41-20-210 (curriculum requirements) and 18VAC41-20-220 (performance requirements). The current program is 1,000 hours, taught at a licensed Virginia cosmetology school whose curriculum has been approved by the board.
Hour Total Over Time
- 1,500-hour program: Closed to new enrollment on September 1, 2024. Students who began before that date must complete the program by August 31, 2026.
- 1,000-hour program (Sept 1, 2024 – Nov 30, 2025): Briefly included straight-razor shaving and body treatments. Students who enrolled in this version and continue under it must finish by July 31, 2026.
- 1,000-hour program (Dec 1, 2025 onward): Topics rebalanced after HB 2669 narrowed the cosmetology scope of practice. Hours and performances were redirected away from straight-razor shaving and body treatments and toward chemical services, hair coloring, and lash and brow work. Total hours unchanged at 1,000.
Required Topics (December 1, 2025 Curriculum)
- Orientation and business — minimum 45 hours
- Laws and regulations — minimum 10 hours
- General sciences (infection control, SDS, chemical safety) — minimum 55 hours
- Applied sciences (anatomy, physiology, histology) — minimum 40 hours
- Shampooing, rinsing, and scalp treatments for all hair types — minimum 25 hours
- Hair styling for all hair types — minimum 65 hours
- Hair cutting for all hair types — minimum 125 hours
- Permanent waving and chemical relaxing for all hair types — minimum 135 hours
- Hair coloring and bleaching for all hair types — minimum 190 hours
- Wigs, hair pieces, and related theory — minimum 15 hours
- Manicuring and pedicuring — minimum 75 hours
- Skin care — minimum 150 hours
- Lashes and brows — minimum 35 hours
- Hair removal — minimum 35 hours
Virginia's curriculum explicitly addresses textured hair across hair styling, cutting, chemical services, and coloring. The board also requires a minimum of 365 hands-on performances across categories such as hair styling, hair cutting, chemical services, hair coloring, manicuring and pedicuring, sculptured nails, lashes and brows, skin care, and hair removal.
Other Qualifying Pathways
Cosmetology training credit is also accepted from a Virginia Works registered apprenticeship, a Virginia high school cosmetology program, an equivalent out-of-state program (with documentation and, when needed, six months of work experience), or an out-of-country program with a translated and evaluated transcript. Two years of U.S. armed forces cosmetology experience also qualifies — contact the board for instructions.
Cosmetology Exam Requirements
Virginia contracts cosmetology examinations to Prov, Inc. — the testing vendor of record on the current Cosmetology Examination & License Application (form A450-1201_04EXLIC, version 12/01/2025). Prov receives applications, schedules exams, and reports passing scores back to DPOR.
Three Exam Options on the Application
- 1201 — Practical & Theory Exam: $194 (the standard combined sitting for first-time applicants)
- 1201 — Practical Exam only: $95
- 1201 — Theory Exam only: $99
Written (Theory) Exam
The written exam covers cosmetology sciences (anatomy, infection control, chemical safety), Virginia laws and regulations, and the topics enumerated in 18VAC41-20-210 (orientation and business, hair, skin, nails, lashes and brows, hair removal). It is delivered at a Prov test center. Bring a valid government ID matching the name on the application.
Practical (Skills) Exam
The practical exam tests hands-on competency aligned with the 18VAC41-20-220 performance categories — shampooing, hair styling, hair cutting, chemical services, hair coloring, manicuring and pedicuring, sculptured nails, lashes and brows, skin care, and hair removal. The practical content reflects the December 1, 2025 curriculum (no straight-razor shaving and no body treatments).
Scheduling and Retakes
Apply and pay the exam fee through provexam.com. Scheduling opens once Prov has confirmed eligibility. If you fail one component, you may retake that part — but per the application, an applicant who does not pass a reexamination within one year of the initial exam date must submit a new application and a new exam fee. Direct exam-eligibility questions to bchoplicensing@dpor.virginia.gov at the board, or to Prov at (877) 228-3926.
How to Renew Your Virginia Cosmetology License
Virginia cosmetology licenses renew on a two-year cycle under 18VAC41-20-140. The renewal fee is $120 for cosmetologist, barber, master barber, nail technician, and wax technician licenses. Virginia does not require continuing education for any of those credentials.
License Expiration Date
Each license expires on the last day of the month in which it was originally issued, two years from the issuance date. A license issued April 14 expires April 30 of the renewal year. Verify the exact expiration inside your DPOR online account.
Renewing Through DPOR Online Services
Renew at dpor.virginia.gov/Boards/Guest_Renewal_Payment. You need your license number and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Pay by credit card. The renewed license is mailed to the address on file — update your address before renewing if it has changed; DPOR does not forward license cards.
Reinstatement of an Expired License
An expired license cannot be used to practice. Reinstatement under 18VAC41-20-140 costs $240 total — a $120 renewal fee plus a $120 reinstatement fee. Submit the Reinstatement Application (form A450-1213REI). Licenses that have been expired beyond the reinstatement window must reapply as a new applicant under the current training and exam requirements.
Address and Status Changes
Address changes can be filed through the DPOR online portal at no charge. Name changes require supporting legal documentation. Notify the board within 30 days of a change to keep your record current.
Other Cosmetology License Types in Virginia
The Virginia Board for Barbers and Cosmetology issues multiple practitioner licenses with different training-hour minimums and different scopes of practice. Hour totals shown reflect the minimums in effect on December 1, 2025.
| License Type | Training Hours | Scope / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetologist | 1,000 | Hair, skin (basic facial: cleanse, tone, mask or moisturizer), nails, lashes and brows, and hair removal. No straight-razor shaving, body treatments, or machine facials. |
| Barber | 750 | Reduced from 1,100 hours on December 1, 2025. Hair cutting and standard barbering services. |
| Master Barber | 250 (on top of barber license) or 1,000 (dual barber/master barber) | Adds chemical texture services (relaxers, waving, color) to the barber scope. |
| Esthetician | 600 | Skin care services within the regulatory scope. |
| Master Esthetician | 600 (on top of esthetician license) | Advanced esthetics services as authorized in 18VAC41-70. |
| Nail Technician | 150 | Manicures, pedicures, nail enhancements, electric filing. |
| Wax Technician | 115 | Waxing services only — a standalone credential that is unusual nationally. |
| Tattooer | 750 (or 1,500-hour licensed apprenticeship) | Tattooing under 18VAC41-50. Bloodborne-pathogen and First Aid certification required. |
| Permanent Cosmetic Tattooer | 200 | Permanent makeup. Master Permanent Cosmetic Tattooer is a separate add-on credential. |
| Body-Piercer | 1,500-hour apprenticeship | Body piercing other than ear piercing. Health-education certification required. |
| Ear-Piercer | 500-hour apprenticeship | Newly licensed under HB 2680 / SB 1419 (effective July 1, 2025). Earlobe-only piercing has its own application. |
| Instructor Certificate | Pathways under 18VAC41-20 | Standalone instructor program closed to new students on December 1, 2025; instructor candidates qualify through the alternative pathways set out in the regulations. |
Virginia's wax technician license is uncommon nationally — it lets a practitioner offer waxing services without completing the full esthetician or cosmetologist curriculum. Virginia is also one of the first ten states to enact the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, which the compact commission is targeting for activation in early 2026; once active, eligible cosmetologists will be able to practice in other compact states under a multistate license.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many hours are required for a Virginia cosmetology license?
- 1,000 hours at a licensed Virginia cosmetology school. The 1,500-hour program closed to new enrollment on September 1, 2024; legacy 1,500-hour students must finish by August 31, 2026.
- What changed on December 1, 2025?
- The cosmetology curriculum was rewritten to match the narrower scope of practice that took effect July 1, 2025 — straight-razor shaving, body treatments, and machine facials are no longer in scope. Total hours stayed at 1,000; topic and performance hours were rebalanced toward chemical services, hair coloring, and lash and brow work.
- Who administers the Virginia cosmetology exam?
- Prov, Inc. The combined Practical & Theory exam is $194. Written-only is $99 and practical-only is $95. Apply and schedule at provexam.com. The $120 license fee is paid separately to DPOR.
- What is the application fee for a Virginia cosmetology license?
- $120 paid to DPOR (per 18VAC41-20-140). The same $120 fee applies at each biennial renewal. License-by-endorsement applicants also pay $120.
- Does Virginia require CE to renew a cosmetology license?
- No. Virginia does not require continuing education for cosmetologists, barbers, master barbers, nail technicians, or wax technicians.
- What does it cost to reinstate an expired license?
- $240 — a $120 renewal fee plus a $120 reinstatement fee under 18VAC41-20-140. Submit form A450-1213REI. Licenses expired past the reinstatement window must reapply as a new applicant.
- Is Virginia in the Cosmetology Licensure Compact?
- Yes. Virginia is one of the first ten states to enact the compact, with activation targeted by the Cosmetology Licensure Compact Commission for early 2026.