North Dakota beauty licenses

North Dakota cosmetology license requirements

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

North Dakota calls it a Manicurist license, issued by the North Dakota State Board of Cosmetology. It takes 350 hours of training, practical and theoretical examinations, plus the North Dakota law, rules and regulations examination, $50 in state fees. It renews every year, $50.

Q: How do you get an esthetician license in North Dakota?

North Dakota calls it an Esthetician license, issued by the North Dakota State Board of Cosmetology. It takes 600 hours of training, practical and theoretical examinations, plus the North Dakota law, rules and regulations examination, $50 in state fees. It renews every year, $50.

Q: How do you get a barber license in North Dakota?

North Dakota calls it a Licensed barber license, issued by the North Dakota Board of Barber Examiners. It takes 1,550 hours of training, practical and theory-sanitation examinations, $100 in state fees. It renews every year, $100.

To work as a cosmetologist in North Dakota you need a Cosmetologist license from the North Dakota State Board of Cosmetology. It takes 1,500 hours of school and $50 in state fees. Exams: practical and theoretical examinations, plus the North Dakota law, rules and regulations examination. 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 23, 2026.

Cosmetology hours: 1,500
Barber hours: 1,550
Nail tech hours: 350
Esthetics hours: 600

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

Cosmetologist

North Dakota cosmetology license

License: Cosmetologist
Issued by: The North Dakota State Board of Cosmetology
Training: 1,500 hoursSchool route shown; state law also allows substantially equal work experience in place of hours. About 10 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
Exams: Practical and theoretical examinations, plus the North Dakota law, rules and regulations examination
Who can apply: Not stated
State fees, first license: $50
Renewal: Every year, $50
Continuing education: Not stated

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

Barber

North Dakota barber license

North Dakota calls it the Licensed barber license.

License: Licensed barber
Issued by: The North Dakota Board of Barber Examiners
Training: 1,550 hours1,550 hours at a board-approved barber school; if fewer hours, each year of later barbering experience counts as 200 hours. About 10 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
Exams: Practical and theory-sanitation examinations
Who can apply: At least 18 and one-half years old, with a high school diploma or equivalency degree
State fees, first license: $100
Renewal: Every year, $100
Continuing education: Not stated

North Dakota's 1,550 hours are more than the 1,250 hours of the middle state.

Nail technician

North Dakota nail technician license

North Dakota calls it the Manicurist license.

License: Manicurist
Issued by: The North Dakota State Board of Cosmetology
Training: 350 hoursAbout 2 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
Exams: Practical and theoretical examinations, plus the North Dakota law, rules and regulations examination
Who can apply: Not stated
State fees, first license: $50
Renewal: Every year, $50
Continuing education: Not stated

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

Esthetician

North Dakota esthetician license

License: Esthetician
Issued by: The North Dakota State Board of Cosmetology
Training: 600 hoursAbout 4 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
Exams: Practical and theoretical examinations, plus the North Dakota law, rules and regulations examination
Who can apply: Not stated
State fees, first license: $50
Renewal: Every year, $50
Continuing education: Not stated

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

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

Moving here

Licensed in another state?

By endorsement (N.D.C.C. 43-11-25): a license from another state with equivalent exam and training standards, which that state verifies, plus the original license fee. An exam is still required if the out-of-state license is under one year old, or under three years old when the original state did not require NIC exams. Barbers may receive a certificate without an exam after three years of full-time practice in another state (N.D.C.C. 43-04-38.1).

Good to know in North Dakota

North Dakota does not issue temporary permits; applying or passing an exam does not authorize practice.
Cosmetology, esthetics and manicuring licensees must complete 4 board-approved CE hours a year, starting with the 2028 renewal cycle.
Barbers must complete 6 hours of continuing education every two years.

Sources

What North Dakota's official pages say

Each figure above, in the words of the state's own pages, rules or statutes, read on October 23, 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the board before you enroll or apply.

Cosmetologist: license: “"Cosmetologist" means an individual licensed under this chapter to practice cosmetology.”
ndlegis.gov
Cosmetologist: training hours: “One thousand five hundred hours in cosmetology;”
ndlegis.gov
“Cosmetology: 1,500 hours”
ndcosmetology.com
Cosmetologist: exams: “must include practical and theoretical examinations on”
ndlegis.gov
“passing the North Dakota law, rules, and regulations examination.”
ndlegis.gov
Cosmetologist: fees: “Cosmetologist, original license $50.00”
ndlegis.gov
Cosmetologist: renewal: “Cosmetologist, annual renewal $50.00 per year”
ndlegis.gov
“Every license must be renewed on or before December thirty-first in each year.”
ndlegis.gov
Barber: license: “"Licensed barber" means a licensee who has:”
ndlegis.gov
Barber: issued by: “"Board" means the board of barber examiners.”
ndlegis.gov
Barber: training hours: “completed a minimum of one thousand five hundred fifty hours of instruction at a barber school or”
ndlegis.gov
“each year of the applicant's subsequent barbering experience”
ndlegis.gov
“constitutes the equivalent of two hundred hours of instruction”
ndlegis.gov
Barber: exams: “Practical work in:”
ndlegis.gov
“Theory-sanitation:”
ndlegis.gov
Barber: who can apply: “Is at least eighteen and one-half years of age.”
ndlegis.gov
“Has completed high school or received a high school equivalency degree.”
ndlegis.gov
Barber: fees: “For examination and issuance of a certificate to practice master barbering, one hundred dollars.”
ndlegis.gov
Barber: renewal: “annually, on or before July first, shall renew that person's certificate of registration”
ndlegis.gov
“Every registered barber who continues in active practice or service, annually, on or before July first, shall renew that person's certificate of registration and pay the required fee.”
ndlegis.gov
“For renewal of a master barber's certificate, one hundred dollars.”
ndlegis.gov
Nail technician: license: “"Manicurist" means an individual licensed under this chapter to practice manicuring.”
ndlegis.gov
Nail technician: training hours: “Three hundred fifty hours in manicuring;”
ndlegis.gov
“Manicuring: 350 hours”
ndcosmetology.com
Nail technician: exams: “must include practical and theoretical examinations on”
ndlegis.gov
“passing the North Dakota law, rules, and regulations examination.”
ndlegis.gov
Nail technician: fees: “Manicurist, original license $50.00”
ndlegis.gov
Nail technician: renewal: “Manicurist, annual renewal $50.00 per year”
ndlegis.gov
“Every license must be renewed on or before December thirty-first in each year.”
ndlegis.gov
Esthetician: license: “"Esthetician" means an individual licensed under this chapter to practice esthetics.”
ndlegis.gov
Esthetician: training hours: “Six hundred hours in esthetics;”
ndlegis.gov
“Esthetics: 600 hours”
ndcosmetology.com
Esthetician: exams: “must include practical and theoretical examinations on”
ndlegis.gov
“passing the North Dakota law, rules, and regulations examination.”
ndlegis.gov
Esthetician: fees: “Esthetician, original license $50.00”
ndlegis.gov
Esthetician: renewal: “Esthetician, annual renewal $50.00 per year”
ndlegis.gov
“Every license must be renewed on or before December thirty-first in each year.”
ndlegis.gov
Licensed in another state: “Is licensed by another jurisdiction with similar scope of work through”
ndlegis.gov
“An individual has held a license in another jurisdiction for a period of less than one year at the”
ndlegis.gov
“has practiced full time as a barber in that state for a period of at least three years.”
ndlegis.gov
“An individual's original licensing jurisdiction did not require the NIC practical and NIC theory”
ndlegis.gov
“Paying an original licensure fee as set forth in section 43-11-28.”
ndlegis.gov
Also good to know: “North Dakota does not issue temporary permits. Submitting an application or passing an exam does not authorize practice.”
ndcosmetology.com
Also good to know: “Each licensee shall complete at least four hours of board-approved continuing education annually.”
ndlegis.gov
Also good to know: “All barbers licensed to practice barbering in North Dakota must complete a minimum of six hours of continuing education every two years.”
ndlegis.gov

Questions

North Dakota beauty licenses, answered

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

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

How much does a cosmetology license cost in North Dakota?

The state's fees for a first Cosmetologist license are $50, and it renews every year, $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 North Dakota?

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

How do you get a nail technician license in North Dakota?

North Dakota calls it a Manicurist license, issued by the North Dakota State Board of Cosmetology. It takes 350 hours of training, practical and theoretical examinations, plus the North Dakota law, rules and regulations examination, $50 in state fees. It renews every year, $50.

How do you get an esthetician license in North Dakota?

North Dakota calls it an Esthetician license, issued by the North Dakota State Board of Cosmetology. It takes 600 hours of training, practical and theoretical examinations, plus the North Dakota law, rules and regulations examination, $50 in state fees. It renews every year, $50.

How do you get a barber license in North Dakota?

North Dakota calls it a Licensed barber license, issued by the North Dakota Board of Barber Examiners. It takes 1,550 hours of training, practical and theory-sanitation examinations, $100 in state fees. It renews every year, $100.

Can you transfer a cosmetology license from another state to North Dakota?

Do you need a separate license to open a salon in North Dakota?

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

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