Cosmetology license in Colorado: cost, hours and steps
Colorado's cosmetology license costs $163 in first-attempt fees, and the PSI practical has to come before the theory test.
Cosmetology license fees in Colorado
$163
paid to the state and its exam and fingerprint vendors
| Application and license | $32 |
| Exams | $131 |
| Training: 1,500 school hours | about 50 weeks |
| Renewal fee | not on the pages read |
Cosmetologist license. Fees read on official pages, October 20, 2026.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Licensure-by-examination application (via PSI) | $32 |
| Cosmetology practical test (PSI) | $69 |
| Cosmetology theory test (PSI) | $62 |
Compiled by Radif Partners · How the totals are built · Colorado Office of Barber and Cosmetology Licensure (DORA, Division of Professions and Occupations) · read October 20, 2026
Colorado licenses cosmetologists through the Colorado Office of Barber and Cosmetology Licensure (DORA, Division of Professions and Occupations), and a first license costs $163 in fees: a $32 licensure-by-examination application filed through PSI, $69 for the PSI practical test and $62 for the theory test. Retakes are priced a little lower, $67 for the practical and $60 for the theory. That ranks Colorado 8th cheapest of the 15 states priced here, against a median of $163. Before testing you need 1,500 contact hours, or 50 credit hours, from an approved beauty school or an approved apprenticeship program, which is about 50 weeks at 30 hours a week. The application takes about ten business days to process and stays valid for one year. The renewal period and fee were not found on an official page readable without a login, so this page does not count them.
Order of the steps
Colorado's sequence is stricter than most. You apply for licensure by examination through PSI, which collects the state's $32 application fee and takes about ten business days to process the file. Once approved, the application is good for one year. Within that year you must pass the practical test first; only after a passing practical can the theory test be scheduled. A candidate who plans to sit the written part early, as some states allow, cannot do that here.
What the two PSI tests cost
The PSI test guide for Colorado lists the practical at $69 and the theory test at $62. Second and later attempts are billed at retake prices: $67 for the practical and $60 for the theory, a couple of dollars below the first sitting. The calculator on this page counts the first-attempt prices only; add the retake amounts by hand if you expect to repeat a part.
| PSI test | First attempt | Each retake |
|---|---|---|
| Practical | $69 | $67 |
| Theory | $62 | $60 |
Hours: contact or credit
Rule 1.2(A)(2) states the training requirement two ways, 1,500 contact hours or 50 credit hours, so a program counted in credits qualifies on the same footing as one counted in clock hours. An approved apprenticeship program is the other accepted route. The minimum age recorded is 16.
Colorado training time at your weekly pace
Cosmetology training in Colorado
50 weeks
| Required hours | 1,500 |
| Months at that pace | 11.5 |
| First-license fees | $163 |
Endorsement and pending rule changes
A cosmetologist already licensed in another state can seek endorsement. The applicant attests to substantially equivalent training, a passed written exam, and either a passed practical or 1,000 hours of work experience; holding a license for at least one year is the other way in. Without one of these, the Colorado exams may be required. The office is revising its rules after HB 26-1181 continued the program in 2026, so check the current rules before you apply. The national cosmetology page lists the states where the practical can be skipped altogether.
Every cosmetology fee in Colorado, with its source
| Fee | Amount | In the total | Read on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensure-by-examination application (via PSI) | $32 | counted | source |
| Cosmetology practical test (PSI) | $69 | counted | source |
| Cosmetology theory test (PSI) | $62 | counted | source |
| Renewal | Value |
|---|---|
| Cycle | not read on an official page |
| Fee | not read on an official page |
| Continuing education | not read on an official page |
| Required training | 1,500 school hours. 50 credit hours or 1,500 contact hours (Rule 1.2(A)(2)), from an approved beauty school or an approved apprenticeship program. |