Minnesota makeup artist rules
Do you need a license to do makeup in Minnesota?
No license needed. Makeup alone needs no Minnesota license if you complete a four-hour health, safety, infection-control and state law course and carry proof of it; makeup with skin care or lash work needs an esthetician license. Below: weddings, events and house calls (allowed for makeup alone), makeup for theater, film, television or photo shoots (no license needed) and applying makeup to demonstrate or sell cosmetics (no license needed), each answered from Minnesota's own statutes, rules or board pages, read on October 30, 2026, with the state's own words.
- Makeup for pay
- No license needed
- Weddings and house calls
- Allowed for makeup alone
- Theater and film
- No license needed
- Cosmetics counter
- No license needed
Licensed by the Minnesota Board of Cosmetologist Examiners.The board's site Hours and fees for each licenseThe state's own words
Makeup for pay
Do you need a license to do makeup in Minnesota?
No license needed. Makeup alone needs no Minnesota license if you complete a four-hour health, safety, infection-control and state law course and carry proof of it; makeup with skin care or lash work needs an esthetician license.
- License needed
- No license needed
- Licenses that allow it
- Esthetician, Advanced practice esthetician
- Exemption
- A person who performs only hairstyling and makeup services is exempt from licensing if they have completed a four-hour health, safety, infection-control and state law course and carry proof of completion.
Minnesota is one of 12 states whose official pages exempt applying makeup for pay from licensing.
Weddings, events and house calls
Can a makeup artist work at weddings or in clients' homes in Minnesota?
Yes, for makeup alone. Makeup alone needs no license in Minnesota, so the state's licensing rules do not limit where you do it. For licensed services you add: licensed makeup work outside a salon needs a special event permit for events or a homebound service permit for homebound clients.
- Work outside a salon
- Allowed
- Conditions
- Only under a special events permit (held by a licensee with an active manager's license, with each event registered online 48 hours ahead) or a homebound service permit (for nursing home residents or homebound individuals at their residence).
- Separate permit
- Special event permit, $75
Theater, film, TV and photo shoots
Do you need a license to do makeup for theater, film, TV or photo shoots in Minnesota?
No license needed. Makeup for theater, television, film, fashion or photography work is an unregulated service and needs no license.
- License needed
- No license needed
- Exemption
- Services for theatrical, television, film, fashion, photography or media productions are unregulated services and need no license.
Minnesota is one of 25 states whose official pages exempt makeup for theater, film, television or photo shoots from licensing.
Cosmetics counters
Do you need a license to apply makeup at a cosmetics counter in Minnesota?
No license needed. Applying makeup at a store counter needs no Minnesota license if makeup is your only service and you have completed the four-hour course; other services need an esthetician license.
- License needed
- No license needed
- Exemption
- Makeup-only work is exempt after the four-hour course, and out-of-state licensees doing demonstrations are exempt when a licensed cosmetologist is physically present with consumers.
Minnesota is one of 34 states whose official pages exempt applying makeup to demonstrate or sell cosmetics from licensing.
Good to know
What else Minnesota asks of makeup artists
- Under Minnesota law, a salon does not include a customer's home.
- Each special event must be registered with the board online at least 48 hours before it starts.
- A homebound service permit costs $50 for a three-year cycle.
- A facility where all persons provide only hairstyling and makeup under the exemption is exempt from the salon license requirement.
Sources
What Minnesota's official pages say
Each answer above, in the words of Minnesota's own statutes, rules or board pages, read on October 30, 2026. Rules change: confirm with the Minnesota Board of Cosmetologist Examiners before you start charging for makeup or booking work on location.
- Makeup for pay
“A person must hold an individual license to practice in the state as a cosmetologist, esthetician, hair technician, nail technician, eyelash technician, advanced practice esthetician, manager, or instructor.”
revisor.mn.gov “application of makeup or airbrush makeup, eyelash and eyebrow tinting, eyebrow shaping and trimming”
revisor.mn.gov “A person who performs only hairstyling and makeup services shall be exempt from the licensing provisions of sections 155A.21 to 155A.36 if the person has completed a four-hour course in health, safety, and infection-control matters and state law”
revisor.mn.gov “AP esthetics includes esthetic services in subpart 2 and:”
revisor.mn.gov “and carries proof of completion of the course when providing these services.”
revisor.mn.gov - Weddings, events and house calls
“Licensees with an active manager's license may apply online for a special events permit.”
revisor.mn.gov “A homebound service permit authorizes a licensee to provide services in a licensed nursing home to residents or in the residence of an individual who is homebound.”
revisor.mn.gov “cosmetologists, estheticians, and advanced practice estheticians may remove and apply makeup, except eyelash extensions may not be applied or removed.”
revisor.mn.gov “Permits expire on December 31 of the year in which the permit is issued, but are valid only with an active manager's license held by the permit holder.”
revisor.mn.gov “Each event must be registered online with the board at least 48 hours prior to the start of the event.”
revisor.mn.gov “attest that services will be provided only to individuals residing in a licensed nursing home, or in the residence of a homebound individual, and that the licensee will carry the homebound service permit at all times when providing services for homebound individuals”
revisor.mn.gov “(5) special event permit, $75 per year;”
revisor.mn.gov - Theater, film, TV and photo shoots
“services for theatrical, television, film, fashion, photography, or media productions or media appearances”
revisor.mn.gov - Cosmetics counters
“A person must hold an individual license to practice in the state as a cosmetologist, esthetician, hair technician, nail technician, eyelash technician, advanced practice esthetician, manager, or instructor.”
revisor.mn.gov “application of makeup or airbrush makeup, eyelash and eyebrow tinting, eyebrow shaping and trimming”
revisor.mn.gov “A person who performs only hairstyling and makeup services shall be exempt from the licensing provisions of sections 155A.21 to 155A.36 if the person has completed a four-hour course in health, safety, and infection-control matters and state law”
revisor.mn.gov “Persons licensed to provide cosmetology services in other states visiting this state for cosmetology demonstrations shall be exempted from the licensing provisions of sections 155A.21 to 155A.36 if services to consumers are in the physical presence of a licensed cosmetologist.”
revisor.mn.gov - Also good to know
“"Salon" does not include the home of a customer”
revisor.mn.gov - Also good to know
“Each event must be registered online with the board at least 48 hours prior to the start of the event.”
revisor.mn.gov - Also good to know
“(1) homebound service permit, $50 three-year fee;”
revisor.mn.gov - Also good to know
“and no other services requiring licensure by this chapter, is exempt from the requirement for a salon license under this section.”
revisor.mn.gov
Questions
Minnesota makeup artist licenses, answered
Do you need a license to do makeup in Minnesota?
Can a makeup artist work at weddings or in clients' homes in Minnesota?
Is theater, film or photo-shoot makeup exempt in Minnesota?
Can you apply makeup at a cosmetics counter in Minnesota without a license?
What do you need to open a makeup studio in Minnesota?
Plan the rest
Ready to fill your calendar
- Hours, exams and fees for each Minnesota cosmetology and esthetician license
- What a Minnesota esthetician may and may not do
- Lash extensions, brow tinting and waxing rules in Minnesota
- Permanent makeup and microblading rules in Minnesota
- What Minnesota requires to open a salon or studio of your own
- A deposit and cancellation policy for bridal bookings
Makeup artist rules in other states
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