Montana beauty licenses

Montana cosmetology license requirements

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

Montana calls it a Manicurist license, issued by the Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists. It takes 400 hours of training, national Interstate Council (NIC) written and practical exams, $100 in state fees. It renews every 2 years, $100.

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

Montana calls it an Esthetician license, issued by the Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists. It takes 650 hours of training, national Interstate Council (NIC) written and practical exams, $100 in state fees. It renews every 2 years, $100.

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

Montana calls it a Barber license, issued by the Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists. It takes 1,100 hours of training, national Interstate Council (NIC) written and practical exams, $100 in state fees. It renews every 2 years, $100.

To work as a cosmetologist in Montana you need a Cosmetologist license from the Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists. It takes 1,500 hours of school and $100 in state fees. Exams: national Interstate Council (NIC) 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: 1,100
Nail tech hours: 400
Esthetics hours: 650

Licensed by the Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists.How to apply License lookup The state's own words

Cosmetologist

Montana cosmetology license

License: Cosmetologist
Issued by: The Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists
Training: 1,500 hoursAbout 10 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
Exams: National Interstate Council (NIC) written and practical exams
Who can apply: 18 years old, good moral character, high school diploma or equivalent
State fees, first license: $100
Renewal: Every 2 years, $100
Continuing education: None required

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

Barber

Montana barber license

License: Barber
Issued by: The Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists
Training: 1,100 hoursAbout 7 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
Exams: National Interstate Council (NIC) written and practical exams
Who can apply: 18 years old, good moral character, high school diploma or equivalent
State fees, first license: $100
Renewal: Every 2 years, $100
Continuing education: None required

Montana's 1,100 hours are fewer than the 1,250 hours of the middle state.

Nail technician

Montana nail technician license

Montana calls it the Manicurist license.

License: Manicurist
Issued by: The Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists
Training: 400 hoursAbout 3 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
Exams: National Interstate Council (NIC) written and practical exams
Who can apply: 18 years old, good moral character, high school diploma or equivalent
State fees, first license: $100
Renewal: Every 2 years, $100
Continuing education: None required

Montana's 400 hours are more than the 350 hours of the middle state.

Esthetician

Montana esthetician license

License: Esthetician
Issued by: The Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists
Training: 650 hoursA licensed cosmetologist may instead take the esthetics examination without the 650 hours About 4 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
Exams: National Interstate Council (NIC) written and practical exams
Who can apply: 18 years old, good moral character, high school diploma or equivalent
State fees, first license: $100
Renewal: Every 2 years, $100
Continuing education: None required

Montana's 650 hours are more than the 600 hours of the middle state.

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

Moving here

Licensed in another state?

Without examination, if the other state's course-of-study hour requirement is equal to or greater than Montana's and the license is current and not under pending or final discipline

Good to know in Montana

Paying the application fee is what submits the application for review.
A temporary license may be available while you wait for the written or practical exam, if staff find the application routine.
Apprenticeship pathways to licensure took effect 11/22/2025 for these professions.

Sources

What Montana'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: “Cosmetologist by Examination ($80.00)”
boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
Cosmetologist: training hours: “An applicant to practice cosmetology must have completed a course of study of at least 1,500 hours”
mca.legmt.gov
Cosmetologist: exams: “must still pass the same National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) theory and practical licensing exams”
boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
Cosmetologist: who can apply: “must be at least 18 years of age, must be of good moral character, and must possess a high school diploma or its equivalent”
mca.legmt.gov
Cosmetologist: fees: “Original and renewal license to practice barbering, barbering nonchemical, cosmetology, electrology, esthetics, and manicuring $100.”
rules.mt.gov
Cosmetologist: renewal: “Barbers, cosmetologists, electrologists, manicurists, estheticians, and teachers renew every two years.”
boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
“CE is not required for barbers, cosmetologists, electrologists, estheticians, or manicurists.”
boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
“Original and renewal license to practice barbering, barbering nonchemical, cosmetology, electrology, esthetics, and manicuring $100.”
rules.mt.gov
Barber: license: “Barber by Examination ($80.00)”
boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
Barber: training hours: “An applicant to practice barbering must have completed a course of study of at least 1,100 hours”
mca.legmt.gov
Barber: exams: “must still pass the same National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) theory and practical licensing exams”
boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
Barber: who can apply: “must be at least 18 years of age, must be of good moral character, and must possess a high school diploma or its equivalent”
mca.legmt.gov
Barber: fees: “Original and renewal license to practice barbering, barbering nonchemical, cosmetology, electrology, esthetics, and manicuring $100.”
rules.mt.gov
Barber: renewal: “Barbers, cosmetologists, electrologists, manicurists, estheticians, and teachers renew every two years.”
boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
“CE is not required for barbers, cosmetologists, electrologists, estheticians, or manicurists.”
boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
“Original and renewal license to practice barbering, barbering nonchemical, cosmetology, electrology, esthetics, and manicuring $100.”
rules.mt.gov
Nail technician: license: “Manicurist by Examination ($80.00)”
boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
Nail technician: training hours: “An applicant to practice manicuring must have completed a course of study of at least 400 hours”
mca.legmt.gov
Nail technician: exams: “must still pass the same National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) theory and practical licensing exams”
boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
Nail technician: who can apply: “must be at least 18 years of age, must be of good moral character, and must possess a high school diploma or its equivalent”
mca.legmt.gov
Nail technician: fees: “Original and renewal license to practice barbering, barbering nonchemical, cosmetology, electrology, esthetics, and manicuring $100.”
rules.mt.gov
Nail technician: renewal: “Barbers, cosmetologists, electrologists, manicurists, estheticians, and teachers renew every two years.”
boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
“CE is not required for barbers, cosmetologists, electrologists, estheticians, or manicurists.”
boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
“Original and renewal license to practice barbering, barbering nonchemical, cosmetology, electrology, esthetics, and manicuring $100.”
rules.mt.gov
Esthetician: license: “Esthetician by Examination ($80.00)”
boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
Esthetician: training hours: “have completed a course of study of at least 650 hours of training”
mca.legmt.gov
“be a licensed cosmetologist and file an application, deposit the application fee with the department, and pass the esthetics examination”
mca.legmt.gov
Esthetician: exams: “must still pass the same National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) theory and practical licensing exams”
boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
Esthetician: who can apply: “must be at least 18 years of age, must be of good moral character, and must possess a high school diploma or its equivalent”
mca.legmt.gov
Esthetician: fees: “Original and renewal license to practice barbering, barbering nonchemical, cosmetology, electrology, esthetics, and manicuring $100.”
rules.mt.gov
Esthetician: renewal: “Barbers, cosmetologists, electrologists, manicurists, estheticians, and teachers renew every two years.”
boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
“CE is not required for barbers, cosmetologists, electrologists, estheticians, or manicurists.”
boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
“Original and renewal license to practice barbering, barbering nonchemical, cosmetology, electrology, esthetics, and manicuring $100.”
rules.mt.gov
Licensed in another state: “The board shall issue a license to practice under this chapter, without examination, to a person licensed in another state”
mca.legmt.gov
Also good to know: “application so one of our processing staff members can begin reviewing your application.”
boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
Also good to know: “Applicants for barber, barber nonchemical, cosmetologist, electrologist, esthetician, and manicurist can qualify for a temporary license”
boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
Also good to know: “brand new rules for apprenticeship pathways to licensure for barbering, cosmetology, electrology, esthetics, and manicuring in salons and shops”
boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov

Questions

Montana beauty licenses, answered

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

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

How much does a cosmetology license cost in Montana?

The state's fees for a first Cosmetologist license are $100, and it renews every 2 years, $100. School tuition is the much larger cost, and testing companies may charge their own exam fees.

How do you renew a cosmetology license in Montana?

The Cosmetologist license renews every 2 years for $100. The official pages say no continuing education is required. Renew with the Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists before the license expires.

How do you get a nail technician license in Montana?

Montana calls it a Manicurist license, issued by the Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists. It takes 400 hours of training, national Interstate Council (NIC) written and practical exams, $100 in state fees. It renews every 2 years, $100.

How do you get an esthetician license in Montana?

Montana calls it an Esthetician license, issued by the Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists. It takes 650 hours of training, national Interstate Council (NIC) written and practical exams, $100 in state fees. It renews every 2 years, $100.

How do you get a barber license in Montana?

Montana calls it a Barber license, issued by the Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists. It takes 1,100 hours of training, national Interstate Council (NIC) written and practical exams, $100 in state fees. It renews every 2 years, $100.

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

Without examination, if the other state's course-of-study hour requirement is equal to or greater than Montana's and the license is current and not under pending or final discipline Apply with the Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists.

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

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

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