Nevada Licensing Overview for a Cosmetologist
Licensing for a cosmetologist in Nevada is controlled by the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology.
General Guidelines for a Cosmetologist in Nevada
Specific requirements to perform cosmetologist services can generally be used as a guideline, but make sure to check with your local governing rules and regulations.
Who’s allowed to perform these services?
Cosmetologist
General requirements for cosmetologist license required?
At least 18 years old; at least a 10th grade education.
What’s the state licensing site for cosmetologist?
Nevada State Board of Cosmetology
What are some training programs available for cosmetologist?
How long is a license good for and when do I need to renew?
Renews by June 30 in odd-numbered years.
What are fees associated with licensing?
$70
Cosmetologist / Esthetician Licensing
A cosmetologist is a beauty professional who specializes in the beautification and health of their client’s hair, skin and nails. An esthetician is a beauty professional that specializes in the beautification and health of their client’s skin, particularly through hair removal, skin and facial treatments and the application of makeup. With additional training, a cosmetologist can become an esthetician and vice versa. While there are fundamental differences between cosmetologists and estheticians as we have just explained, the process of becoming licensed within each career is almost the same. With this being said, the process of being a fully licensed cosmetologist and/or esthetician varies between each state.
The following pages look at the detailed information on individual state licensing to help give you the best advice as you move forward in your career path.
There are four main steps that need to be completed to become a qualified cosmetologist / esthetician in the state of Nevada. These include:
- The successful completion of a cosmetology / esthetician course
- Submission of an application of intent with the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology
- Successfully undergo state testing and pass the minimum requirements of each test
- Maintain your knowledge base through regular education to keep your cosmetologist / esthetician license current.
Education
There are basic educational requirements needed before one can become a licensed cosmetologist and/or esthetician in the state of Nevada. The minimum education requirement for this profession is a certificate or diploma in cosmetology / esthetician undertaken at a registered beauty school. To successfully complete this course, students are required to undertake a minimum of 1600 hours of training before they can be signed off. For further training, some beauticians may choose to gain an associate degree to boost their qualifications. For those looking to begin their own start up business, an associate degree is quite a desirable skill to possess.
To become an esthetician, students are required to complete a minimum of 900 registered hours at a registered school of estheticians.
Another popular method in which to become a standard cosmetologist in the state of Nevada is through an apprenticeship. For those wishing to undertake an apprenticeship instead of attending a registered beauty school, they will need to be accepted under the charge of a licensed cosmetologist and complete 3200 supervised hours within the field.
Application for licensure
Upon the successful completion of a cosmetology / esthetician course or an apprenticeship, students within the state of Nevada are required to submit an application for licensure. This license application must be submitted to the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology for both a cosmetology license and an esthetician license. The cost of this application is $15.
Licensing Exam
The state of Nevada requires students who wish to become fully licensed as either a cosmetologist or an esthetician to successfully pass a licensing exam. Nevada uses the National Cosmetology Examination through the National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) as their written examination. This is a three part exam that includes a theory test, a state law test and a practical exam.
The cosmetology exam consists of ten categories:
- Safety and Infection Control
- Client Consultation and Professional Conduct
- Hair, Skin and Nail Anatomy
- Shampooing, Conditioning and Scalp Care
- Hairstyling
- Haircutting
- Hair Coloring
- Chemical Texture Services
- Esthetics
- Nails
The esthetician theory exam lasts for approximately 90 minutes. This exam covers concepts such as:
- Product Application and Removal
- Cleansing Procedures
- Massage
- Safety and hygiene
- Basic anatomy
- Hair removal
- Facials
The Nevada Law Exam consists of 25 questions that relate to the Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 644 and the Nevada Administrative Code Chapter 644. This exam will be taken on the same day as the theory exam. This exam is undertaken by both cosmetology and esthetician professionals.
The cosmetology practical exam requires students to bring their own equipment. The practical exam will typically look at a range of areas of the profession including (but not limited to):
- Maintaining a safe work environment
- Hair set up
- Hair removal
- Hair cutting
- Hair coloring
The esthetician practical exam requires students to bring their own equipment. The practical exam will typically look at a range of areas of the profession including (but not limited to):
- Hygienic set up
- Facial cleansing
- Hair removal
- Makeup application
- Facial mask
Continuing Education
Following the successful completion of your state license to become either a cosmetology or an esthetician, it is important to remember that you must renew this license every two years. This process is simple and can be done online through the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology. There is a $70 licensing fee for this renewal for cosmetologists and estheticians.
In the state of Nevada, cosmetology and esthetician professionals are required to undertake a minimum of four hours of further education during each licensing period. Many professionals continue to grow their expertise even further. This allows them to stay up to date with the latest techniques and trends in the field of beauty.