How To Reactivate An Expired Cosmetologist's License

Congratulations on thinking about getting back into the business. As you know, your cosmetologist's license is a vital component of your professional beauty career. If you took off time from being in the beauty field to have a child or to pursue another career option, it is possible that you may forget to renew your license or you even chose not to renew it. No matter why you let your cosmetology licensure expire, there is usually a simple to renew it, even if you have been out of the field for years. The requirements for cosmetology license renewal are dependent upon the state you live in. Some states only require you to pay a higher fee to renew than if you hadn't let it expire, while others make require you to take continuing education courses to get current. In some instances, you may only need to retake the exams.

The Minnesota Board of Cosmetology, for example, has four criteria to follow when you have an expired or paid inactive license that has been this way for more than three years. You must the Course Completion Certificate for Minnesota Reactivation course, which consists of 155 hours for cosmetology. You will also need to receive your Certification of Skills from a licensed Minnesota cosmetology school. Additionally, you must have passing results on both the state and national exams within the last year. The fee you pay to renew is $30 greater than the fee you pay if you did not let your license expire for more than three years.

If you live in the state of Tennessee and allow your certification to lapse for longer than three years, the Tennessee Board of Cosmetology requires you to take and pass the state board reinstatement exam. The same is true if you have retired your license but would like to re-enter into the field.

In the state of Texas, you have up to 18 months to renew your license with the Texas Board of Cosmetology. Once the 18-month marker hits, you may renew it online or by using a special form. After three years of a license being expired, you are no longer eligible for renewal. Instead, the law requires you to apply for a new certification and follow all the guidelines associated with receiving a new license, despite the fact that you once had yours.

When you reside in Indiana, the laws regarding your license make it necessary that you pay an $80 fee for renewal and the application process. The Indiana Board of Cosmetology decides how much training will be required based on the length of the lapse. You must retake the examination and successfully pass it to renew your certification.

Although it is best not to let your certification expire, it is possible to renew it and get back to working in the cosmetology business. So if you're sitting on a lapsed or expired cosmetology license, don't let that be the obstacle that stands in the way of you having a fulfilling career in something you're passionate about. There are many great jobs to be had in the beauty business, and creative new things for you to do with hair, makeup, skin care and nails on a professional level. Don't wait another dayto get started in reactivating or renewing your expired cosmetology license. Be sure you look at your particular state's regulations, since the amount of time your certification has been expired and the renewal process varies greatly from state to state. When in doubt, it is always best to contact your state cosmetology licensing board directly.