How to Become a Cosmetologist in Mississippi

Who can apply

• You must be at least 16 years old (Miss. Code Ann. 73-7-13, effective April 1, 2026).
• You must have completed the tenth grade, or be enrolled in a community college, state university, or public or private college.
• You must complete at least 1,500 hours over at least 9 months in a licensed cosmetology school, or at least 3,000 hours in a Board-certified apprenticeship.
• You must give your Social Security number on the application.

Step by step

1. Complete 1,500 hours at a licensed cosmetology school (or a 3,000-hour Board-certified apprenticeship).
2. Mail the Application to Test for Practitioner License to the Board with two passport-style photos, two IDs, proof of education, a certified school transcript and the $25 non-refundable fee.
3. After the Board approves you, schedule the NIC cosmetology theory exam through Prometric/IQT computer-based testing.
4. Pass the exam, then send the License Request Form with the $50 practitioner license fee.
5. The Board issues a cosmetology license valid for 2 years.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: At least 1,500 hours over at least 9 months in a licensed school of cosmetology, or at least 3,000 hours in a Board-certified apprenticeship. An apprenticeship mentor must be a licensed cosmetology instructor or a cosmetologist with at least 15 years of experience. A mentor may train only 2 apprentices at a time, and a salon or barber shop may have only 2 mentors. Apprentices file an Application for Apprenticeship with a $25 fee. A licensed barber with 1,500 barber-school hours can qualify for the cosmetology exam after 600 hours in a cosmetology school.

Exam: The Board uses the National-Interstate Council (NIC) cosmetology theory exam, delivered by Prometric/Iso-Quality Testing (IQT) as a computer-based test. The application lists English, Spanish and Vietnamese exam languages. The Board's Examination page lists the written (theory) exam and an exam retake request; it does not state the exam fee or say whether a practical exam is also given. After finishing your hours you can get one temporary permit, good until the next exam but no longer than 6 months.

What it costs in Mississippi

Fixed amounts are set by the state. Items marked “your quote” are priced by private sellers, so enter what you’re quoted.

Keeping your license

Renewal: Renew every 2 years. The practitioner renewal fee is $50. There is a 60-day grace period; after that a $50 delinquent penalty applies. Licensees 70 or older pay no renewal fee. For each renewal (including your first), the law requires a continuing education course on human/labor trafficking and one on domestic violence (Miss. Code 73-7-19(4)); the 12-hour CE requirement applies to instructors only. You cannot renew until all Board fines are paid.

Good to know in Mississippi

Moving to Mississippi with a license: If you have held a license in another state or U.S. territory for at least one year and live in Mississippi, file the Universal Application ($55) and pass the Mississippi Law and Sanitation Exam. You get a temporary work permit before you test.

Reciprocity: The Board may license by reciprocity if your state has similar education rules and you passed a similar exam. Its reciprocity chart lists which states qualify for each license type; some states are marked as requiring you to test, and some, like Massachusetts and Michigan, are not listed for cosmetology.

Criminal record: If you have a felony conviction, submit a Fresh Start Act Consideration Request with your application.

Law sunset: The cosmetology licensing statutes are set to be repealed on June 30, 2028 under 2026 S.B. 2566 unless the Legislature extends them.

Exam application expires: Applications for the exam expire 90 days from their date (Miss. Code 73-7-19), so schedule and test promptly after approval.

Fee waiver: No initial license fee is charged to cosmetologist applicants who show they participate in Medicaid, TANF, SNAP or WIC, or who apply under the Military Family Freedom Act (Miss. Code 73-7-29).

Expired license (time-limited): If you held a Mississippi practitioner license for at least 10 years and it expired between April 2016 and April 2026, you can renew by paying all fees and fines without retesting. This option ends December 31, 2026. From January 1, 2027, licensees with at least 10 years' experience can renew without the exam only if the license has been expired no more than 5 years, paying a delinquent fee for each expired year.

Sources

• MSBCB - Fees
• MSBCB - Licensure & Renewals
• MSBCB - Examination
• MSBCB - Renewal Changes
• MSBCB - Updated Statutes (Miss. Code Ann. 73-7, as of 4/1/2026)
• MSBCB - Application to Test for Practitioner License
• MSBCB - Universal Application
• MSBCB - Application for Apprenticeship
• MSBCB - Reciprocity chart
• MSBCB - Prometric/IQT Candidate Manual
• Mississippi SB 2566 (2026), as signed by the Governor, amending Miss. Code 73-7-19