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Texas license lookup / Get licensed / Cosmetology operator

How to get a cosmetology license in Texas

A Texas cosmetology operator license takes 1,000 hours at a licensed school, two exams and a background check. The order you do things in decides whether you walk out of the practical exam with a temporary license in hand or wait for the post.

Reviewed 8 October 2026 against TDLR's application page

At a glance

Training1,000 hours in a Cosmetology Operator course at a school licensed in Texas
Minimum age17
ExamsWritten (from 900 hours) and practical (after all 1,000 hours), both through PSI
Application fee$50, non-refundable
License term2 years

Official TDLR application page Exam guide and pass rates

Step by step

  1. Enroll at a licensed school. Train in a Cosmetology Operator course at a barbering or cosmetology school licensed in Texas. You hold a student permit while you train.
  2. Apply when you become eligible for the written exam. Once you reach 900 hours your school notifies TDLR and you become eligible for the written exam. Apply and pay the $50 fee at this point, before you sit the written exam. Online applications are strongly encouraged.
  3. Pass the written exam. PSI, TDLR's exam vendor, emails scheduling instructions once TDLR verifies your eligibility.
  4. Finish your hours and clear the background check. TDLR only sends your practical exam eligibility to PSI after all 1,000 hours are complete and the background check has cleared.
  5. Pass the practical exam. If you applied before the written exam, a temporary license prints with your passing score report. It is valid for 60 days while the two-year license is mailed.

The order matters

The detail most students miss is the timing of the application. Apply after you receive written exam eligibility but before you take the written exam, and TDLR can have everything ready by the time you pass the practical, so the temporary license prints on the spot. Apply later and you wait for the license to be processed and mailed before you can work.

Already a barber?

TDLR offers dual-credit routes between barbering and cosmetology, so a licensed barber does not start from zero. See TDLR's barber to cosmetology operator page.

How many people hold this license

The public TDLR license file dated 20 September 2026 shows 177,997 active cosmetology operator licenses, of which 86,561 come up for renewal in the next twelve months.

Where they are: Harris County (28,224), Dallas County (13,910), Tarrant County (12,581), Bexar County (10,327), Travis County (5,756).

See the full county breakdown and renewal calendar

After you are licensed

  • Renewal: every two years, judging by the expiration dates in the license file.
  • Continuing education: 4 hours every 2 years: 1 sanitation, 2 related content, 1 human trafficking. Licensed 15+ years: 2 hours. TDLR CE rules
  • Full renewal guide for this trade

Before you apply

  • Criminal history. TDLR runs a background check on every applicant. With any conviction other than a minor traffic offence, or a guilty or no-contest plea with deferred adjudication, include the Criminal History Questionnaire. Reviews take one to six weeks. You can ask TDLR in advance whether a conviction would bar you, through a criminal history evaluation letter.
  • Lawful presence. TDLR may ask for proof of lawful presence in the United States. Send documents only if it asks. What TDLR accepts.
  • Trained outside Texas? Use TDLR's out-of-state equivalence process instead of the standard application.
  • Military. Service members, veterans and spouses may qualify for fee waivers and other provisions.

Questions

How many hours do you need for a cosmetology license in Texas?

1,000 hours of instruction in a Cosmetology Operator course at a school licensed in Texas.

When can I take the Texas cosmetology written exam?

After completing 900 of the 1,000 hours. The practical exam comes after all 1,000 hours are done and the written exam is passed.

How much does a Texas cosmetology license cost?

The TDLR application fee is $50, non-refundable. Exam fees are paid separately to PSI.

How many people hold this license in Texas?

The public TDLR license file dated 20 September 2026 shows 177,997 active cosmetology operator licenses.

Related licenses

Sources

TDLR: Apply for a Cosmetology Operator license. License counts compiled from the public TDLR license file dated 20 September 2026.

Reviewed 8 October 2026. Written by an independent site; not an official TDLR publication and not legal advice. Fees and requirements change: confirm them on the TDLR page before you apply.

Cite this page

PermitPulled (2026). How to get a cosmetology license in Texas. Retrieved from https://permitpulled.com/get-licensed/cosmetology-license-texas

Figures compiled from the public TDLR license file and published under CC BY 4.0. Attribution required.

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