Texas license lookup / Exam guides / Esthetician
The Texas esthetician exam
The esthetician practical has one of the highest pass rates TDLR publishes, 98%. Two in three candidates pass the written. Facial treatments are the single biggest topic on it.
Based on PSI's candidate bulletin dated 1 January 2026 · Reviewed 9 October 2026
The exam at a glance
| Exam | Questions | Time | To pass | Fee | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written | 75 scored + 7 unscored | 105 min | 70% | $55 | Closed book |
| Practical | 8 sections, 76 points | 1 h 41 min | 54 points (70%) | $76 | Mannequin, own kit |
"+ N" is extra time or questions for unscored items, which PSI includes to trial new questions. Exam fees are paid to PSI, separately from TDLR's license application fee.
How many people pass
| Pass rate | Taken | Passed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written | 65.8% | 8,544 | 5,618 |
| Practical | 98.2% | 5,472 | 5,372 |
| Manicurist/esthetician written | 55.3% | 628 | 347 |
| Manicurist/esthetician practical | 78.3% | 253 | 198 |
Fiscal year 2025 (September 2024 to August 2025). Counts are exams taken, not people, and exclude no-shows. Source: TDLR examination statistics.
What is on it: written exam (75 scored items)
| Topic | Items | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Facial treatments | 21 | 28% |
| Infection control | 19 | 25% |
| Licensing and regulation | 15 | 20% |
| Skin care | 12 | 16% |
| Hair removal | 8 | 11% |
The practical, section by section
Sections are done in this order, each with its own time limit. Points are only awarded for steps done in the listed order.
| # | Section | Time | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pre-exam set-up and disinfection | 10 min | 4 |
| 2 | Cleansing | 14 min | 12 |
| 3 | Steaming | 7 min | 8 |
| 4 | Massage | 17 min | 13 |
| 5 | Mask and moisturizing | 17 min | 12 |
| 6 | Waxing with soft wax, one eyebrow | 14 min | 13 |
| 7 | Blood exposure incident | 12 min | 11 |
| 8 | End of exam disinfection | 10 min | 3 |
| Total | 76 |
Study list from the bulletin
PSI lists the references the written questions are drawn from: Texas Administrative Code chapter 83, Texas Occupations Code chapter 1603, Milady Standard Esthetics Fundamentals (12th edition), Milady Standard Foundations (1st edition) and Pivot Point Fundamentals: Esthetics (2022). The two Texas law sources cover the 15 licensing questions, which are the easiest marks to secure.
Facial treatments includes facial machines: brush, galvanic, high-frequency, steam, vacuum and Wood's lamp.
There is also a Spanish-language version of the bulletin (bulletin 716), and the written is offered in Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean and Simplified Chinese.
Scheduling and exam day
- Eligibility first. TDLR reviews your application, then PSI emails you that you are eligible and how to book. You cannot book before that.
- Booking. Online through your PSI account, or by phone; your name must match your government ID exactly.
- On the day. PSI's TDLR bulletins ask you to arrive 30 minutes early with one valid government photo ID; late arrivals are turned away and lose the fee.
- Cancelling. Cancel or reschedule at least two days ahead through PSI, or the fee is forfeited.
- Results. Scores are given at the test center. PSI gives failing candidates a diagnostic report by topic, which is the best study guide for a retake.
Before and after the exam
- How to get an esthetician license in Texas: hours, application and fees
- License statistics and renewal for this trade
- Renewal calculator for once you are licensed
- All exam guides and pass rates
For context: Texas has 42,397 active licenses of this type in the public TDLR file dated 20 September 2026.
Questions
How many questions are on the Texas esthetician written exam?
75 scored questions plus 7 unscored, in 105 minutes. 70% passes.
What is the pass rate for the Texas esthetician exam?
In fiscal year 2025, 66% of written exams and 98% of practical exams were passed, according to TDLR.
Sources
PSI Services, candidate information bulletin dated 1 January 2026. Pass rates: TDLR examination statistics. Exam fees, formats and outlines change when PSI reissues a bulletin: the bulletin sent with your eligibility notice is the one that applies to you.
Independent site, not affiliated with TDLR or PSI. We do not sell courses or practice tests.
Cite this page
PermitPulled (2026). The Texas esthetician exam. Retrieved from https://permitpulled.com/exams/esthetician-exam-texas
Figures compiled from the public TDLR license file and published under CC BY 4.0. Attribution required.