Wisconsin beauty licenses

Wisconsin cosmetology license requirements

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

Wisconsin calls it a Manicurist license, issued by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS). It takes 300 hours of training, written and practical examinations, $11 in state fees. It renews every 2 years, $11.

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

Wisconsin calls it an Aesthetician license, issued by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS). It takes 450 hours of training, written and practical examinations, $11 in state fees. It renews every 2 years, $11.

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

Wisconsin calls it a Barber license, issued by the Department of Safety and Professional Services. It takes 1,000 hours of training, written and practical examinations, $63 in state fees. It renews every 2 years, $63.

To work as a cosmetologist in Wisconsin you need a Cosmetologist license from the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS). It takes 1,550 hours of school and $11 in state fees. Exams: written tests and practical demonstrations. 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: 1,550
Barber hours: 1,000
Nail tech hours: 300
Esthetics hours: 450

Licensed by DSPS.How to apply License lookup The state's own words

Cosmetologist

Wisconsin cosmetology license

License: Cosmetologist
Issued by: The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS)
Training: 1,550 hours1,550 training hours in a school, or an apprenticeship of 3,712 practical hours plus 288 theory hours About 10 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
Apprenticeship route: 3,712 hours
Exams: Written tests and practical demonstrations
Who can apply: High school graduation or equivalent, or at least 18 years old with the ability to benefit
State fees, first license: $11
Renewal: Every 2 years, $11
Continuing education: Not stated

Wisconsin's 1,550 hours are more than the 1,500 hours of the middle state.

Barber

Wisconsin barber license

License: Barber
Issued by: The Department of Safety and Professional Services
Training: 1,000 hours1,000 school hours, or 1,712 practical hours as an apprentice About 7 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
Apprenticeship route: 1,712 hours
Exams: Written and practical examinations
Who can apply: High school graduation or equivalent, or at least 18 years old with the ability to benefit
State fees, first license: $63
Renewal: Every 2 years, $63
Continuing education: None required

Wisconsin's 1,000 hours are fewer than the 1,250 hours of the middle state.

Nail technician

Wisconsin nail technician license

Wisconsin calls it the Manicurist license.

License: Manicurist
Issued by: The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS)
Training: 300 hoursAbout 2 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
Exams: Written and practical examinations
Who can apply: High school graduation or equivalent, or at least 18 years old with the ability to benefit
State fees, first license: $11
Renewal: Every 2 years, $11
Continuing education: None required

Wisconsin's 300 hours are fewer than the 350 hours of the middle state.

Esthetician

Wisconsin esthetician license

Wisconsin calls it the Aesthetician license.

License: Aesthetician
Issued by: The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS)
Training: 450 hoursAbout 3 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate, not a state rule).
Exams: Written and practical examinations
Who can apply: High school graduation or equivalent, or at least 18 years old with the ability to benefit
State fees, first license: $11
Renewal: Every 2 years, $11
Continuing education: None required

Wisconsin's 450 hours are fewer than the 600 hours of the middle state.

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

Moving here

Licensed in another state?

By endorsement: a license from another state, plus a one-hour Wisconsin statutes and rules course, no discipline in another jurisdiction, and payment of the reciprocal fee (for cosmetology, aesthetics, electrology and manicuring)

Good to know in Wisconsin

A temporary permit may be issued while you wait for the exam, but it is valid for no more than 6 months and cannot be renewed.
Renewal requires certifying that you have reviewed the current Cosmetology digest.
Inactive 454 status costs half the regular renewal fee.

Sources

What Wisconsin'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 license. The examining board shall issue a cosmetologist license to any person who does all of the following”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Cosmetologist: training hours: “Graduates from a course of instruction of at least 1,550 training hours in not less than 10 months”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Cosmetologist: apprenticeship: “Apprentices shall receive at least 3,712 hours of practical training and at least 288 training hours of theoretical instruction”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Cosmetologist: exams: “shall consist of written tests and practical demonstrations requiring applicants to demonstrate minimum competency”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Cosmetologist: who can apply: “The applicant has graduated from high school or has attained high school graduation equivalency”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
“is at least 18 years old and meets the ability to benefit rule”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Cosmetologist: fees: “Cosmetologist Individual $11 $11”
dsps.wi.gov
Cosmetologist: renewal: “If during the biennium, the credential holder needs to change from Inactive 454 to Active status”
dsps.wi.gov
“Cosmetologist Individual $11 $11”
dsps.wi.gov
Barber: license: “The department shall grant a barber license to any person who submits an application under sub. (1)”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Barber: issued by: “The department shall grant a barber license to any person who submits an application under sub. (1)”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
“Barbering Advisory Committee”
dsps.wi.gov
Barber: training hours: “graduates from a course of instruction in barbering of at least 1,000 training hours in barbering in a school of barbering licensed under s.”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Barber: apprenticeship: “Each apprentice shall receive at least 1,712 hours of training and experience in the practical services of barbering to qualify for the examination as a barber.”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Barber: exams: “An applicant for licensure as a barber shall complete a written examination and a practical examination.”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Barber: who can apply: “The applicant graduates from high school or attains high school graduation equivalency”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
“is at least 18 years old and meets the ability to benefit rule”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Barber: fees: “Barber Individual $63 $63”
dsps.wi.gov
Barber: renewal: “If during the biennium, the credential holder needs to change from Inactive 454 to Active status”
dsps.wi.gov
“Barber Individual $63 $63”
dsps.wi.gov
“There is no continuing education requirement for this credential.”
dsps.wi.gov
Nail technician: license: “Manicurist license. The examining board shall issue a manicurist license to any person who does all of the following”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Nail technician: training hours: “A course of instruction in manicuring of at least 300 training hours in not less than 7 weeks and not more than 20 weeks”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Nail technician: exams: “shall consist of written tests and practical demonstrations requiring applicants to demonstrate minimum competency”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Nail technician: who can apply: “The applicant has graduated from high school or has attained high school graduation equivalency”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
“is at least 18 years old and meets the ability to benefit rule”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Nail technician: fees: “Manicurist Individual $11 $11”
dsps.wi.gov
Nail technician: renewal: “If during the biennium, the credential holder needs to change from Inactive 454 to Active status”
dsps.wi.gov
“Manicurist Individual $11 $11”
dsps.wi.gov
“There are no current continuing education requirements for this profession.”
dsps.wi.gov
Esthetician: license: “Aesthetician license. The examining board shall issue an aesthetician license to any person who does all of the following”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Esthetician: training hours: “A course of instruction in aesthetics of at least 450 training hours in not less than 11 weeks and not more than 30 weeks”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Esthetician: exams: “shall consist of written tests and practical demonstrations requiring applicants to demonstrate minimum competency”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Esthetician: who can apply: “The applicant has graduated from high school or has attained high school graduation equivalency”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
“is at least 18 years old and meets the ability to benefit rule”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Esthetician: fees: “Aesthetician Individual $11 $11”
dsps.wi.gov
Esthetician: renewal: “If during the biennium, the credential holder needs to change from Inactive 454 to Active status”
dsps.wi.gov
“Aesthetician Individual $11 $11”
dsps.wi.gov
“There is no continuing education requirement for this credential.”
dsps.wi.gov
Licensed in another state: “the examining board may issue a license to practice cosmetology, aesthetics, electrology, or manicuring to an applicant who is licensed in another state”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
“The applicant completes a one-hour course educating the applicant on statutes and rules that apply to the practice”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
“the applicable credential renewal fee determined by the department”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Also good to know: “A temporary permit issued under this subsection is valid for not more than 6 months and may not be renewed.”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Also good to know: “unless the person certifies to the examining board that the person has reviewed the current digest under s.”
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Also good to know: “The renewal fee for Inactive 454 status is half the regular renewal fee.”
dsps.wi.gov

Questions

Wisconsin beauty licenses, answered

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

1,550 hours of training for a Cosmetologist license, or 3,712 hours as an apprentice. About 10 months of full-time school at 35 hours a week (our estimate). Wisconsin's 1,550 hours are more than the 1,500 hours of the middle state.

How much does a cosmetology license cost in Wisconsin?

The state's fees for a first Cosmetologist license are $11, and it renews every 2 years, $11. School tuition is the much larger cost, and testing companies may charge their own exam fees.

How do you renew a cosmetology license in Wisconsin?

The Cosmetologist license renews every 2 years for $11. The pages we read do not state a continuing education requirement. Renew with DSPS before the license expires.

How do you get a nail technician license in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin calls it a Manicurist license, issued by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS). It takes 300 hours of training, written and practical examinations, $11 in state fees. It renews every 2 years, $11.

How do you get an esthetician license in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin calls it an Aesthetician license, issued by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS). It takes 450 hours of training, written and practical examinations, $11 in state fees. It renews every 2 years, $11.

How do you get a barber license in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin calls it a Barber license, issued by the Department of Safety and Professional Services. It takes 1,000 hours of training, written and practical examinations, $63 in state fees. It renews every 2 years, $63.

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

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

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

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