Missouri beauty licenses
Missouri cosmetology license requirements
To work as a cosmetologist in Missouri you need a Class CA - Hairdressing & Manicuring license from the Missouri Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners. It takes 1,500 hours of school. Exams: written and practical 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
- 1,000
Licensed by the Missouri Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners.How to apply License lookup The state's own words
Cosmetologist
Missouri cosmetology license
Missouri calls it the Class CA - Hairdressing & Manicuring license.
- License
- Class CA - Hairdressing & Manicuring
- Issued by
- The Missouri Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners
- Training
- 1,500 hours1,500 hours in a licensed school, or 3,000 hours as an apprentice. About 10 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
- Apprenticeship route
- 3,000 hours
- Exams
- Written and practical exams
- Who can apply
- 17 years old, 10th-grade education or equivalent
- State fees, first license
- Not stated
- Exam fees to the testing company
- written exam $90 plus practical exam $60Paid to the company that runs the exam, as stated on the state's own pages.
- Renewal
- Every 2 years, $60
- Continuing education
- Not stated
Missouri's 1,500 hours are the same as the 1,500 hours of the middle state.
Barber
Missouri barber license
- License
- Barber
- Issued by
- The Missouri Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners
- Training
- 1,000 hours1,000 hours in a licensed barber school, or 2,000 hours as an apprentice About 7 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
- Apprenticeship route
- 2,000 hours
- Exams
- Written and practical exams
- Who can apply
- 17 years old or older
- State fees, first license
- $20
- Exam fees to the testing company
- written exam $90 plus practical exam $60Paid to the company that runs the exam, as stated on the state's own pages.
- Renewal
- Every 2 years, $60
- Continuing education
- Not stated
Missouri's 1,000 hours are fewer than the 1,250 hours of the middle state.
Nail technician
Missouri nail technician license
Missouri calls it the Class MO - Manicurist license.
- License
- Class MO - Manicurist
- Issued by
- The Missouri Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners
- Training
- 400 hours400 hours in a licensed school, or 800 hours as an apprentice About 3 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
- Apprenticeship route
- 800 hours
- Exams
- Written and practical exams
- Who can apply
- 17 years old, 10th-grade education or equivalent
- State fees, first license
- Not stated
- Exam fees to the testing company
- written exam $90 plus practical exam $60Paid to the company that runs the exam, as stated on the state's own pages.
- Renewal
- Every 2 years, $60
- Continuing education
- Not stated
Missouri's 400 hours are more than the 350 hours of the middle state.
Esthetician
Missouri esthetician license
Missouri calls it the Class E - Esthetician license.
- License
- Class E - Esthetician
- Issued by
- The Missouri Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners
- Training
- 750 hours750 hours in a licensed school, or 1,500 hours as an apprentice About 5 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
- Apprenticeship route
- 1,500 hours
- Exams
- Written and practical exams
- Who can apply
- 17 years old, 10th-grade education or equivalent
- State fees, first license
- Not stated
- Exam fees to the testing company
- written exam $90 plus practical exam $60Paid to the company that runs the exam, as stated on the state's own pages.
- Renewal
- Every 2 years, $60
- Continuing education
- Not stated
Missouri's 750 hours are more than the 600 hours of the middle state.
Doing lashes, lifts, waxing or threading? See which license Missouri requires for each. Microblading or permanent makeup? See what Missouri requires for it. Microneedling, peels, dermaplaning or lasers? See what an esthetician may do in Missouri.
Moving here
Licensed in another state?
Without examination by reciprocity: a current license from another state with similar requirements, or two consecutive years of practice there (barbers: two consecutive years of practice in another state).
Good to know in Missouri
- The board must approve you before you can schedule an exam with Prov; you get an email once approved.
- A temporary permit may be issued on request to an applicant who qualifies to sit for the exam, allowing supervised practice until the license expires.
- All licenses are renewed every two years and expire September 30 of each odd-numbered year.
Sources
What Missouri'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
“Class CA - Hairdressing & Manicuring”
pr.mo.gov - Cosmetologist: training hours
“no less than one thousand five hundred (1,500) hours of training in a licensed school”
sos.mo.gov - Cosmetologist: apprenticeship
“no less than three thousand hours for cosmetologists, and no less than eight hundred hours for manicurists and no less than fifteen hundred hours for esthetics”
revisor.mo.gov - Cosmetologist: exams
“For all license categories you will be required to pass BOTH a written and practical examination”
pr.mo.gov - Cosmetologist: who can apply
“have an education equivalent to the successful completion of the tenth grade, and be at least seventeen years of age”
revisor.mo.gov - Cosmetologist: fees
“The written examinations cost $ 90 each and the practical examinations cost $60 each.”
pr.mo.gov - Cosmetologist: renewal
“(E) Operator 1. Additional Operator $ 10 2. Reciprocity $100 3. Exam Score Endorsement $100 4. Reinstatement (includes late fee) $ 90 5. Renewal $ 60”
sos.mo.gov “All licenses are renewed biennially. All licenses expire September 30, of each odd year.”
pr.mo.gov - Barber: license
“Any person desiring to practice barbering in this state shall make application for a license”
revisor.mo.gov - Barber: training hours
“no less than one thousand (1,000) hours of training in a licensed school”
sos.mo.gov - Barber: apprenticeship
“the applicant shall have served and completed no less than two thousand hours under the direct supervision of a licensed barber apprentice supervisor”
revisor.mo.gov - Barber: exams
“For all license categories you will be required to pass BOTH a written and practical examination”
pr.mo.gov - Barber: who can apply
“Is seventeen years of age or older;”
revisor.mo.gov - Barber: fees
“3. Certificate of Registration (first license) $ 20 4. License Renewal $ 60”
sos.mo.gov “The written examinations cost $ 90 each and the practical examinations cost $60 each.”
pr.mo.gov - Barber: renewal
“3. Certificate of Registration (first license) $ 20 4. License Renewal $ 60”
sos.mo.gov “All licenses are renewed biennially. All licenses expire September 30, of each odd year.”
pr.mo.gov - Nail technician: license
“Class MO - Manicurist”
pr.mo.gov - Nail technician: training hours
“no less than four hundred (400) hours of training in any licensed school are required for manicuring”
sos.mo.gov - Nail technician: apprenticeship
“no less than three thousand hours for cosmetologists, and no less than eight hundred hours for manicurists and no less than fifteen hundred hours for esthetics”
revisor.mo.gov - Nail technician: exams
“For all license categories you will be required to pass BOTH a written and practical examination”
pr.mo.gov - Nail technician: who can apply
“have an education equivalent to the successful completion of the tenth grade, and be at least seventeen years of age”
revisor.mo.gov - Nail technician: fees
“The written examinations cost $ 90 each and the practical examinations cost $60 each.”
pr.mo.gov - Nail technician: renewal
“(E) Operator 1. Additional Operator $ 10 2. Reciprocity $100 3. Exam Score Endorsement $100 4. Reinstatement (includes late fee) $ 90 5. Renewal $ 60”
sos.mo.gov “All licenses are renewed biennially. All licenses expire September 30, of each odd year.”
pr.mo.gov - Esthetician: license
“Class E - Esthetician”
pr.mo.gov - Esthetician: training hours
“no less than seven hundred fifty (750) hours training in any licensed school are required for estheticians”
sos.mo.gov - Esthetician: apprenticeship
“no less than three thousand hours for cosmetologists, and no less than eight hundred hours for manicurists and no less than fifteen hundred hours for esthetics”
revisor.mo.gov - Esthetician: exams
“For all license categories you will be required to pass BOTH a written and practical examination”
pr.mo.gov - Esthetician: who can apply
“have an education equivalent to the successful completion of the tenth grade, and be at least seventeen years of age”
revisor.mo.gov - Esthetician: fees
“The written examinations cost $ 90 each and the practical examinations cost $60 each.”
pr.mo.gov - Esthetician: renewal
“(E) Operator 1. Additional Operator $ 10 2. Reciprocity $100 3. Exam Score Endorsement $100 4. Reinstatement (includes late fee) $ 90 5. Renewal $ 60”
sos.mo.gov “All licenses are renewed biennially. All licenses expire September 30, of each odd year.”
pr.mo.gov - Licensed in another state
“The board shall grant without examination a license to practice cosmetology to any applicant who holds a current license”
revisor.mo.gov “The board shall grant without examination a license to practice barbering to any applicant who has practiced the trade in another state for at least two consecutive years”
revisor.mo.gov “Barber 1. Reciprocity $100”
sos.mo.gov “(E) Operator 1. Additional Operator $ 10 2. Reciprocity $100 3. Exam Score Endorsement $100 4. Reinstatement (includes late fee) $ 90 5. Renewal $ 60”
sos.mo.gov - Also good to know
“Once you’ve been approved to test you will receive notification via email”
pr.mo.gov - Also good to know
“the board shall, upon request, issue to the applicant, if the applicant is qualified to sit for the examination, a temporary license”
revisor.mo.gov - Also good to know
“All licenses are renewed biennially. All licenses expire September 30, of each odd year.”
pr.mo.gov
Questions
Missouri beauty licenses, answered
How many hours do you need for a cosmetology license in Missouri?
1,500 hours of training for a Class CA - Hairdressing & Manicuring license, or 3,000 hours as an apprentice. About 10 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate). Missouri's 1,500 hours are the same as the 1,500 hours of the middle state.
How much does a cosmetology license cost in Missouri?
The official pages we read do not state the fee. Check the Missouri Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners's fee schedule before you apply.
How do you renew a cosmetology license in Missouri?
The Class CA - Hairdressing & Manicuring license renews every 2 years for $60. The pages we read do not state a continuing education requirement. Renew with the Missouri Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners before the license expires.
How do you get a nail technician license in Missouri?
Missouri calls it a Class MO - Manicurist license, issued by the Missouri Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners. It takes 400 hours of training, written and practical exams. It renews every 2 years, $60.
How do you get an esthetician license in Missouri?
Missouri calls it a Class E - Esthetician license, issued by the Missouri Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners. It takes 750 hours of training, written and practical exams. It renews every 2 years, $60.
How do you get a barber license in Missouri?
Missouri calls it a Barber license, issued by the Missouri Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners. It takes 1,000 hours of training, written and practical exams, $20 in state fees. It renews every 2 years, $60.
Can you transfer a cosmetology license from another state to Missouri?
Without examination by reciprocity: a current license from another state with similar requirements, or two consecutive years of practice there (barbers: two consecutive years of practice in another state). The fee is $100. Apply with the Missouri Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners.
Do you need a separate license to open a salon in Missouri?
Usually, yes: the business needs its own establishment license on top of each person's license. See what Missouri requires to open a salon, with its fees, inspection and booth rental rules.
Once you are licensed
Working for yourself, or opening a salon
- What Missouri requires to open a salon of your own
- Every step to opening a salon in Missouri, as a checklist
- Commission or booth rent? Compare what you would take home
- Renting a chair? Start from a booth rental agreement
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