Mississippi beauty licenses

Mississippi cosmetology license requirements

Q: How do you get a nail technician license in Mississippi?

Mississippi calls it a Nail Technician license, issued by the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology. It takes 350 hours of training, practical and written exams, $50 in state fees. It renews every 2 years, $50.

Q: How do you get an esthetician license in Mississippi?

Mississippi calls it an Esthetician license, issued by the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology. It takes 600 hours of training, practical and written exams, $50 in state fees. It renews every 2 years, $50.

Q: How do you get a barber license in Mississippi?

Mississippi calls it a Barber license, issued by the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology. It takes 1,500 hours of training, practical and written exams, $50 in state fees. It renews every 2 years, $50.

To work as a cosmetologist in Mississippi you need a Cosmetologist license from the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology. It takes 1,500 hours of school and $50 in state fees. Exams: practical and written exams. Barbers, nail technicians and estheticians each need a license of their own, below. Every figure is quoted from the state's official pages, read on October 22, 2026.

Cosmetology hours: 1,500
Barber hours: 1,500
Nail tech hours: 350
Esthetics hours: 600

Licensed by the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology.How to apply The state's own words

Cosmetologist

Mississippi cosmetology license

License: Cosmetologist
Issued by: The Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology
Training: 1,500 hours1,500 hours over at least nine months at a licensed school, or 3,000 hours in a board-certified apprenticeship About 10 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
Apprenticeship route: 3,000 hours
Exams: Practical and written exams
Who can apply: At least 16 years old; high school education or equivalent, or enrolled in a community college
State fees, first license: $50
Renewal: Every 2 years, $50
Continuing education: Not stated

Mississippi's 1,500 hours are the same as the 1,500 hours of the middle state.

Barber

Mississippi barber license

License: Barber
Issued by: The Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology
Training: 1,500 hours1,500 hours at a board-approved barbering school, or 3,000 hours of board-approved apprenticeship training About 10 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
Apprenticeship route: 3,000 hours
Exams: Practical and written exams
Who can apply: At least 16 years old; high school education or equivalent, or enrolled in a community college
State fees, first license: $50
Renewal: Every 2 years, $50
Continuing education: Not stated

Mississippi's 1,500 hours are more than the 1,250 hours of the middle state.

Nail technician

Mississippi nail technician license

License: Nail Technician
Issued by: The Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology
Training: 350 hours350 hours of practice and related theory over at least nine weeks at a licensed school, or 700 hours in an apprenticeship program About 2 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
Apprenticeship route: 700 hours
Exams: Practical and written exams
Who can apply: At least 16 years old; high school education or equivalent, or enrolled in a community college
State fees, first license: $50
Renewal: Every 2 years, $50
Continuing education: Not stated

Mississippi's 350 hours are the same as the 350 hours of the middle state.

Esthetician

Mississippi esthetician license

License: Esthetician
Issued by: The Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology
Training: 600 hours600 hours of esthetics training at a licensed school, or 1,200 hours in a board-certified apprenticeship About 4 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
Apprenticeship route: 1,200 hours
Exams: Practical and written exams
Who can apply: At least 16 years old; high school education or equivalent, or enrolled in a community college
State fees, first license: $50
Renewal: Every 2 years, $50
Continuing education: Not stated

Mississippi's 600 hours are the same as the 600 hours of the middle state.

Doing lashes, lifts, waxing or threading? See which license Mississippi requires for each. Microblading or permanent makeup? See what Mississippi requires for it. Microneedling, peels, dermaplaning or lasers? See what an esthetician may do in Mississippi.

Moving here

Licensed in another state?

By reciprocity: a current license from another state that has a written reciprocal agreement with Mississippi, or under the Universal Recognition of Occupational Licensing Act.

Good to know in Mississippi

A student who has completed the required hours may be issued a temporary permit, which lasts until the next examination but no more than six months.
Applications for an examination and license must include two recent passport-style photographs.
A 60-day grace period is given in which to renew a license.

Sources

What Mississippi's official pages say

Each figure above, in the words of the state's own pages, rules or statutes, read on October 22, 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the board before you enroll or apply.

Cosmetologist: license: “examinations for cosmetologists, barbers, estheticians”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Cosmetologist: training hours: “less than fifteen hundred (1500) hours over a period of no less”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Cosmetologist: apprenticeship: “less than three thousand (3,000) hours in an apprenticeship”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Cosmetologist: exams: “An examination for any practitioner or instructor license is both practical and written”
sos.ms.gov
Cosmetologist: who can apply: “any person who is at least sixteen (16) years”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
“education or its equivalent or has been successfully enrolled in a”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Cosmetologist: fees: “barber, nail technician or esthetician * * *............... $ 50.00”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
“Initial license/renewal for cosmetologist, manicurist or esthetician....50.00”
sos.ms.gov
Cosmetologist: renewal: “for * * * two (2) years, and * * * the license shall be subject to”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
“licenses shall be renewed biennially under the fee schedule in”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
“barber, nail technician or esthetician * * *............... $ 50.00”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Barber: license: “barbering license any person who is at least sixteen (16) years”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Barber: training hours: “less than fifteen hundred (1500) hours at a barbering school”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Barber: apprenticeship: “approved by the board or three thousand (3,000) hours of”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Barber: exams: “An examination for any practitioner or instructor license is both practical and written”
sos.ms.gov
“examinations for cosmetologists, barbers, estheticians”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Barber: who can apply: “barbering license any person who is at least sixteen (16) years”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
“education or its equivalent or has been successfully enrolled in a”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Barber: fees: “barber, nail technician or esthetician * * *............... $ 50.00”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Barber: renewal: “a barbering license which shall be valid for two (2) years”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
“barber, nail technician or esthetician * * *............... $ 50.00”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Nail technician: license: “nail technician's license any person who is at least”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Nail technician: training hours: “hundred fifty (350) hours of practice and related theory in”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
“over a period of no less than nine (9) weeks”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Nail technician: apprenticeship: “than seven hundred (700) hours in an apprenticeship program”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Nail technician: exams: “An examination for any practitioner or instructor license is both practical and written”
sos.ms.gov
Nail technician: who can apply: “sixteen (16) years old and who has made application to the board”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
“equivalent or has been successfully enrolled in a community”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Nail technician: fees: “barber, nail technician or esthetician * * *............... $ 50.00”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Nail technician: renewal: “licenses shall be renewed biennially under the fee schedule in”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
““Biennial” means every two years (24 months)”
sos.ms.gov
“barber, nail technician or esthetician * * *............... $ 50.00”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Esthetician: license: “esthetician's license any person who is at least sixteen (16)”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Esthetician: training hours: “training in esthetics of not less than six hundred (600)”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Esthetician: apprenticeship: “no less than twelve hundred (1200) hours in an apprenticeship”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Esthetician: exams: “An examination for any practitioner or instructor license is both practical and written”
sos.ms.gov
Esthetician: who can apply: “esthetician's license any person who is at least sixteen (16)”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
“Has a high school education or its equivalent”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
“or has been successfully enrolled in a community college”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Esthetician: fees: “barber, nail technician or esthetician * * *............... $ 50.00”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Esthetician: renewal: “licenses shall be renewed biennially under the fee schedule in”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
“barber, nail technician or esthetician * * *............... $ 50.00”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Licensed in another state: “An individual who holds a current license from another state”
sos.ms.gov
“written reciprocal agreement may be eligible for a practitioner license”
sos.ms.gov
“The Board shall issue a license under the Universal Recognition of Occupational Licensing Act”
sos.ms.gov
Also good to know: “temporary permit until such time as the next examination may”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Also good to know: “examination and license shall be accompanied by two (2) recent”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us
Also good to know: “grace period of sixty (60) days will be given in which to renew”
billstatus.ls.state.ms.us

Questions

Mississippi beauty licenses, answered

How many hours do you need for a cosmetology license in Mississippi?

1,500 hours of training for a Cosmetologist license, or 3,000 hours as an apprentice. About 10 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate). Mississippi's 1,500 hours are the same as the 1,500 hours of the middle state.

How much does a cosmetology license cost in Mississippi?

The state's fees for a first Cosmetologist license are $50, and it renews every 2 years, $50. School tuition is the much larger cost, and testing companies may charge their own exam fees.

How do you renew a cosmetology license in Mississippi?

The Cosmetologist license renews every 2 years for $50. The pages we read do not state a continuing education requirement. Renew with the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology before the license expires.

How do you get a nail technician license in Mississippi?

Mississippi calls it a Nail Technician license, issued by the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology. It takes 350 hours of training, practical and written exams, $50 in state fees. It renews every 2 years, $50.

How do you get an esthetician license in Mississippi?

Mississippi calls it an Esthetician license, issued by the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology. It takes 600 hours of training, practical and written exams, $50 in state fees. It renews every 2 years, $50.

How do you get a barber license in Mississippi?

Mississippi calls it a Barber license, issued by the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology. It takes 1,500 hours of training, practical and written exams, $50 in state fees. It renews every 2 years, $50.

Can you transfer a cosmetology license from another state to Mississippi?

By reciprocity: a current license from another state that has a written reciprocal agreement with Mississippi, or under the Universal Recognition of Occupational Licensing Act. Apply with the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology.

Do you need a separate license to open a salon in Mississippi?

Usually, yes: the business needs its own establishment license on top of each person's license. See what Mississippi requires to open a salon, with its fees, inspection and booth rental rules.

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