Kentucky lash and brow rules
Do you need a license to do lashes in Kentucky?
Yes. Eyelash extensions need a board-issued Eyelash Artistry Permit ($50 initial fee), and the statute lists eyelash extensions as an esthetic practice. Below: lash lifts, tinting and brow lamination (license needed), waxing (license needed) and eyebrow threading (license needed), each answered from Kentucky's own statutes, rules or board pages, read on October 23, 2026, with the state's own words.
- Lash extensions
- License needed
- Lifts and tints
- License needed
- Waxing
- License needed
- Threading
- License needed
Licensed by the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology.The board's site Hours and fees for each licenseThe state's own words
Lash extensions
Do you need a license to do lash extensions in Kentucky?
Yes. Eyelash extensions need a board-issued Eyelash Artistry Permit ($50 initial fee), and the statute lists eyelash extensions as an esthetic practice.
- License needed
- License needed
- Licenses that allow it
- Esthetician
- License for this work alone
- Eyelash Artistry Permit, $50
Kentucky is one of 9 states with a license for lash extensions alone.
Lash lifts, tinting and brow lamination
Do you need a license to do lash lifts, tinting or brow lamination in Kentucky?
Yes. Lash lifts, lash and brow tinting and brow services must be done by a licensed Cosmetologist or Esthetician; the eyelash permit does not cover them.
- License needed
- License needed
- Licenses that allow it
- Cosmetologist, Esthetician
- License for this work alone
- None
Waxing
Do you need a license to do waxing in Kentucky?
Yes. Waxing is an esthetic practice under the statute, so it needs an esthetician license; the sources name no waxing-only license.
- License needed
- License needed
- Licenses that allow it
- Esthetician
- License for this work alone
- None
Eyebrow threading
Do you need a license to do eyebrow threading in Kentucky?
Yes. Threading needs a board Threading Permit ($50 initial fee); no personal license is stated to cover it.
- License needed
- License needed
- Licenses that allow it
- Not stated
- License for this work alone
- Threading Permit, $50
Kentucky is one of 5 states with a license for eyebrow threading alone.
Good to know
What else Kentucky asks of lash and brow artists
- Eyelash permit holders may only apply lashes to natural lashes with adhesive; lash lifts, tinting and brow services need a licensed Cosmetologist or Esthetician.
- Permit holders must work in a licensed facility approved through the KBC office.
- All permits require a minimum 3-hour infection control course.
Sources
What Kentucky's official pages say
Each answer above, in the words of Kentucky's own statutes, rules or board pages, read on October 23, 2026. Rules change: confirm with the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology before you start offering a service.
- Lash extensions
“Any person who engages in the practice of eyelash artistry shall first obtain a permit from the board”
apps.legislature.ky.gov “Eyelash tinting, artificial eyelashes, or eyelash extensions”
apps.legislature.ky.gov “"Esthetician" means a person who is licensed by the board to engage in esthetic”
apps.legislature.ky.gov “Specialty Permits - Eyelash Artistry, Makeup Artistry, Threading and Shampoo Stylist | $50.00 | $100.00 | $50.00 |”
kbc.ky.gov - Lash lifts, tinting and brow lamination
“A licensed Cosmetologist or Esthetician must provide all other services such as lash lifts, tinting or brow services.”
kbc.ky.gov - Waxing
“removal of superfluous hair, stimulation, tinting, tweezing, or waxing”
apps.legislature.ky.gov “"Esthetician" means a person who is licensed by the board to engage in esthetic”
apps.legislature.ky.gov - Eyebrow threading
“Any person who engages in the practice of threading or makeup artistry shall first obtain a permit from the board”
apps.legislature.ky.gov “Specialty Permits - Eyelash Artistry, Makeup Artistry, Threading and Shampoo Stylist | $50.00 | $100.00 | $50.00 |”
kbc.ky.gov - Also good to know
“the Eyelash Permit is strictly a service provided by applying lashes directly to your natural eyelash”
kbc.ky.gov - Also good to know
“required by law to work in a licensed facility approved through the KBC office at all times.”
kbc.ky.gov - Also good to know
“all permits require a minimum of a 3 hour infection control course.”
kbc.ky.gov
Questions
Kentucky lash and brow licenses, answered
Do you need a license to do lash extensions in Kentucky?
Do you need a license to do lash lifts, tinting or brow lamination in Kentucky?
Do you need a license to do waxing in Kentucky?
Do you need a license to do eyebrow threading in Kentucky?
What do you need to open a lash or brow studio in Kentucky?
Plan the rest
Licensed and ready to book clients
- Hours, exams and fees for each Kentucky license
- What Kentucky requires to open a studio of your own
- What Kentucky inspectors check in a salon or studio
- Microblading or permanent makeup in Kentucky: the license it needs
- Can estheticians do microneedling, peels or laser in Kentucky?
- Renting a room or a chair? Start from a booth rental agreement
Lash and brow rules in other states
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