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Board of Cosmetology


 Individual Licensure Requirements

Cosmetologist | Instructors | Natural Hair Sylist | Shampoo Tech
Aesthetician | Manicurist | Reciprocity | Special Notes

Cosmetologist

Description

A cosmetologist performs, for compensation, arranging, dressing, curling, waving, cleansing, cutting, singeing, bleaching, coloring, or similar work on the hair. A cosmetologist may care for or service wigs or hair pieces; manicure; massage, clean, stimulate, manipulate, exercise, beautify or perform similar work upon the hands, arms, face, neck, or feet with hands or by use of cosmetic preparations, tonics, lotions or creams; place or apply artificial eyelashes, give facials, apply mak up, give skin care, or remove superfluous hair by tweezing, depilatories, or waxing.

Licensing Requirements

Be at least 16 years of age and meet educational and examination requirements.

Educational Requirements

Completion of 1,500 hours in practice and theory at a school of cosmetology.

Examination Requirements

Written and practical examination.

Renewal Requirements

Renewal notices mailed approximately one month prior to renewal date. Licensee required to submit renewal notice with required fee, if applicable, due by expiration date on license.

Application and Fees

Contact Licensing Board for information on application, registration, examination, renewal, or fees.

 

Instructors

Description

A person who is licensed as a cosmetologist, aesthetician, manicurist or natural hair stylist and is certified with the board as a cosmetology, aesthetician, manicuring or natural hair stylist instructor. The person may not practice cosmetology, esthetics, manicuring, or natural hair styling as a profession within a school setting, but may practice as a cosmetologist, esthetician, manicurist, or natural hair stylist elsewhere.

Prospective

A school of cosmetology must have at least one certified instructor, and must have at least one certified instructor for each junior instructor. A certified instructor must be on the premises whenever a cosmetology school (including public high school or state vocational technical school offering cosmetology, aesthetics, manicuring, or natural hair styling courses) is in operation.

Certification Requirements

Hold a valid license as a cosmetologist, aesthetician, manicurist, natural hair stylist and meet educational and experience requirements.

Education and Experience Requirements

Be a high school graduate or possess a graduate equivalency diploma (G. E. D) and either complete a board-approved course in instructor training of at least 300 hours within a period of six months as an instructor trainee OR complete service as a junior instructor for a minimum of one year. (A junior instructor holds a valid cosmetologist's, aesthetician's, manicurist's or natural hair stylist's license and engages in a course of training in practice teaching in a school under the personal supervision of a licensed instructor for at least three years.)

Examination Requirements

Written and practical (consists of lesson plan) examination.

Continuing Education Requirements

Sixteen (16) hours of continuing education is required every two years. Seminar announcements will be sent to all instructors yearly by persons conducting the seminars. Click here for Continuing Education Information

Renewal Requirements

Renewal required every two years.

Application and Fees

Contact Licensing Board for information on application, registration, examination, renewal, or fees.

 

Natural Hair Stylist

Description

A person who uses techniques which result in tension on hair strands such as twisting, wrapping, weaving, extending, locking or braiding of the hair by hand or mechanical appliances, which work does not include the application of dyes, reactive chemicals or other preparations to alter the color or straighten, curl or alter the structure of the hair. The techniques include providing or offering to the general public for compensation any of the following services solely for development or improvement of physical qualities of the natural hair structure: intertwining in a systematic motion to create patterns in a three-dimensional form; inversion or outversion flat against the scalp along the part of a straight or curved row; or extension with natural or synthetic fibers.

Licensing Requirements

Be at least sixteen years of age and satisfy education and examination requirements.

Education Requirements

Satisfactory completion of a course of instruction of not less than 300 hours in the practice and theory of natural hair styling at a school of cosmetology.

Examination Requirements

A written and practical examination is required.

Renewal Requirements

Renewal notices mailed approximately one month prior to renewal date. Licensee required to submit renewal notice with required fee, if applicable, due by expiration date on license.

Application and Fees

Contact Licensing Board for information on application, registration, examination, renewal, or fees.

 

Shampoo Technician

Description

A person who brushes, combs, shampoos, rinses and conditions upon the hair and scalp.

Licensing Requirements

Be at least sixteen years of age and satisfy education and examination requirements.

Education Requirements

Satisfactory completion of a course of instruction of not less than 300 hours in the practice and theory of shampooing at a school of cosmetology.

Examination Requirements

A written and practical examination is required.

Renewal Requirements

Renewal notices mailed approximately one month prior to renewal date. Licensee required to submit renewal notice with required fee, if applicable, due by expiration date on license.

Application and Fees

Contact Licensing Board for information on application, registration, examination, renewal, or fees.

 

Aesthetician

Description

An aesthetician does one or more of the following; massage, clean, stimulate, manipulate, exercise, beautify or perform similar work with hands or mechanical or electrical apparatus or by use of cosmetic preparations, tonics, lotions or creams; places or applies artificial eyelashes, gives facials, applies makeup, gives skin care or removes superfluous hair by tweezing, depilatories or waxing.

Licensing Requirements

Be at least sixteen years of age having completed and passed a course of instruction of not less than 750 hours in the practice and theory of aesthetics at a school of cosmetology.

Examination Requirements

A written and practical examination is required.

Renewal Requirements

Renewals are required every two years.

Application and Fees

Contact Licensing Board for information on application, registration, examination, renewal, or fees

 

Manicurist

Description

A person who manicures or pedicures the nails of any person, or performs nail artistry.

Licensing Requirements

Be at least sixteen years of age, complete a course of instruction of not less than 600 hours in the practice and theory of manicuring at a school of cosmetology.

Examination Requirements

Written and practical examination.

Renewal Requirements

Renewal notices mailed approximately one month prior to renewal date. Licensee required to submit renewal notice with required fee, if applicable, due by expiration date on license.

Application and Fees

Contact Licensing Board for information on application, registration, examination, renewal, or fees.

 

Reciprocity

Reciprocating Hours with Current License

The Tennessee State Board of Cosmetology requires 1,500 (cosmetologist); 750 (aesthetician); 300 (shampoo tech, natural hairstylist) classroom hours of training and 600 hours are required for manicurist.

If you are licensed but do not meet the required classroom hours and cannot provide a five year work history, you will need to submit your application for reciprocity to the board office.

Applying for Examination (Not a US Citizen)

Submit a copy of each of the following:

  1. Your completed and notarized application
  2. A copy of your green card
  3. A copy of your social security card
  4. A copy of your drivers license or birth record
  5. A recent photograph
  6. Your original high school transcript or diploma (Document will be returned to you)
  7. Proof of completion of the tenth grade or equivalent must be submitted.
  8. The original document should be accompanied by an official translation into English, per board policy set July 12, 1993
  9. Your State Board Certification.

Tennessee requires transfer hours to be certified by the State Board, if you are licensed and are transferring hours to qualify for an examination in Tennessee, call the Board you are licensed with and check to see what the procedure is to obtain a license certification. Said certification will need to be an original document, with the State Board seal affixed. Some Boards require a written request for certification, and others require a fee be submitted. Call your Board for this Information.

Transferring hours as a Student

  • You must obtain a State Board certification, as described above, unless the state you trained in does not certify student hours.
  • If your State Board does not certify student hours, submit your original certification from your school.
  • School certifications must be original, and notarized or have the official school seal.
  • California students will need to have their proof of training document notarized or affixed with the school seal.
  • All school certifications must reflect total hours completed and passed.
  • The Board has a new policy concerning documentation of proof of educational background. This policy requires a Tennessee State Board representative view the original documents submitted as proof of completion of the tenth (10th) grade or equivalent.
  • Your original document will be returned as soon as the Board authenticates and copies the original document.

 

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