Cosmetology license in North Carolina: cost, hours and steps
North Carolina's two NIC exams through Prov cost $168 together, and the board adds $49 for the license.
Cosmetology license fees in North Carolina
$217
paid to the state and its exam and fingerprint vendors
| Application and license | $49 |
| Exams | $168 |
| 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 |
|---|---|
| Initial in-state cosmetologist license | $49 |
| Cosmetologist - Theory (Prov, NIC) | $84 |
| Cosmetologist - Practical (Prov, NIC) | $84 |
Compiled by Radif Partners · How the totals are built · North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners · read October 20, 2026
A first cosmetologist license in North Carolina costs $217 in fees: $84 for the theory exam and $84 for the practical exam, both national NIC tests registered and paid through Prov, plus $49 for the initial in-state license issued by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. The exams make up most of that total, and each is paid again on a retake. North Carolina sits 5th from the top of the 15 states priced here, above the median of $163. The school curriculum is 1,500 hours, about 50 weeks at 30 hours a week; a 1200-hour apprentice curriculum exists, but it leads to an apprentice cosmetologist license rather than the full one. Once the board has a complete application and payment, it issues and mails the license within 5 to 10 business days. The renewal fee on the current form is $49.
Prov runs both exams
North Carolina uses the national NIC exams, and candidates register with Prov, which collects the fees at registration. Prov's information page for the board lists the cosmetologist theory test at $84 and the practical at the same $84. The two are booked and paid separately, so a failed practical means one more $84 payment, not a second pair.
North Carolina Prov exam fees with a retake
Cosmetology exam fees in North Carolina
$336
| First attempt | $168 |
| Each retake adds | $168 |
| All first-license fees | $385 |
The board's own fees
The initial in-state cosmetologist license is $49 on the board's fee schedule. The same record notes a temporary permit at $5; it is not part of the first-license total counted here. Licenses are issued and mailed 5 to 10 business days after the board receives a complete application with payment.
School curriculum or apprentice license
The standard path is 1,500 hours in the cosmetologist curriculum of an approved cosmetic art school. The 1200-hour apprentice curriculum is shorter but ends with an apprentice cosmetologist license, a different credential from the cosmetologist license priced on this page. If your goal is the full license, plan around the 1,500 hours, about 50 weeks at 30 hours a week, and choose a school whose curriculum the board approves.
North Carolina cosmetic art school in weeks
Cosmetology training in North Carolina
50 weeks
| Required hours | 1,500 |
| Months at that pace | 11.5 |
| First-license fees | $217 |
Renewal and continuing education
The current renewal form, updated on July 1, 2026, lists $49 for a cosmetology license. It does not state the length of the license cycle, so this page does not project renewals over time. The board's continuing education page asks each licensee to earn eight hours of CE per year of the license cycle.
Transferring from another state
Licensees from the states on the board's list transfer without an exam for a $64 cosmetologist fee; some states must send a certification directly to the board. If your state is not listed, expect to test. The cosmetology license comparison shows where the Prov exams put North Carolina among other states, and Washington is another Prov state.
Every cosmetology fee in North Carolina, with its source
| Fee | Amount | In the total | Read on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial in-state cosmetologist license | $49 | counted | source |
| Cosmetologist - Theory (Prov, NIC) | $84 per attempt | counted | source |
| Cosmetologist - Practical (Prov, NIC) | $84 per attempt | counted | source |
| Renewal | Value |
|---|---|
| Cycle | not read on an official page |
| Fee | $49 |
| Continuing education | not read on an official page |
| Required training | 1,500 school hours. 1500 hours in an approved cosmetic art school cosmetologist curriculum; alternative: 1200-hour apprentice curriculum leads to an apprentice cosmetologist license. |