# Texas Esthetician Exam (2026): Written and Practical, Topics and Pass Rates

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> Compiled from the public TDLR license file. Published under CC BY 4.0; attribution to PermitPulled required.
> For an individual license record, use the official TDLR search: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/LicenseSearch/

[Texas license lookup](</>) / [Exam guides](</exams>) / 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](<https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/barbering-and-cosmetology/individuals/examinations/exam-stats-2025.htm>).

## 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](<https://test-takers.psiexams.com/api/content/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.

[Read PSI's candidate bulletin](<https://test-takers.psiexams.com/api/content/bulletin/715>)

## Before and after the exam

  * [How to get an esthetician license in Texas](</get-licensed/esthetician-license-texas>): hours, application and fees
  * [License statistics and renewal for this trade](</trade/cosmetology-esthetician>)
  * [Renewal calculator](</renewal-calculator?type=cosmetology-esthetician>) for once you are licensed
  * [All exam guides and pass rates](</exams>)

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](<https://test-takers.psiexams.com/api/content/bulletin/715>) dated 1 January 2026. Pass rates: [TDLR examination statistics](<https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/barbering-and-cosmetology/individuals/examinations/exam-stats-2025.htm>). 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](<https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/>). Attribution required.