Cosmetology license in Texas: cost, hours and steps
In Texas the cosmetology license is called a Cosmetology Operator license; it takes 1,000 school hours and $181 in fees.
Cosmetology license fees in Texas
$181
paid to the state and its exam and fingerprint vendors
| Application and license | $50 |
| Exams | $131 |
| Training: 1,000 school hours | about 34 weeks |
| Renewals in 5 years, every 2 years | 2 × $50 = $100 |
Cosmetology Operator license. Fees read on official pages, October 20, 2026.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| License application | $50 |
| Written exam (PSI) | $55 |
| Practical exam (PSI) | $76 |
Compiled by Radif Partners · How the totals are built · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), Barbering and Cosmetology · read October 20, 2026
Texas issues the Cosmetology Operator license through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), Barbering and Cosmetology, and a first license costs $181 in fees when both exams are passed the first time: a non-refundable $50 application to TDLR, $55 for the PSI written exam and $76 for the PSI practical. That makes Texas the 10th cheapest of the 15 states priced here, above the median of $163. The operator course is 1,000 hours at a licensed school, tied for the shortest requirement in our table and about 34 weeks at 30 hours a week; students become eligible for the written exam after 900 hours. Passing the practical gets you a temporary license printed by PSI, valid 60 days, so you can start working while the permanent one is issued. The license is valid two years and renews for $50 with 4 hours of continuing education.
One TDLR fee and two PSI fees
TDLR's cosmetologist page charges a non-refundable application fee of $50. The exams belong to PSI, whose Texas bulletin prices the written examination alone at $55 and the practical alone at $76. Each part is billed per attempt. PSI keeps an exam fee only for a year: if you do not test within one year of paying, the fee is forfeited and you pay again. The agency runs a criminal history check on applicants but no separate fingerprint fee was found, so none is counted.
Texas PSI exam spend if you retake a part
Cosmetology exam fees in Texas
$262
| First attempt | $131 |
| Each retake adds | $131 |
| All first-license fees | $312 |
Testing before the last hour
The Cosmetology Operator course runs 1,000 hours, but you may take the written exam once 900 hours are complete. Passing it before graduation leaves only the practical for the end of school, and passing the practical produces a PSI temporary license valid for 60 days. That temporary license is what lets a new graduate in Texas start work in a salon while TDLR finishes the file. Keep in mind that the 60-day window is short: if the permanent license has not arrived when it ends, contact the agency rather than continuing to work on an expired temporary card.
Texas operator course length in weeks
Cosmetology training in Texas
34 weeks
| Required hours | 1,000 |
| Months at that pace | 7.7 |
| First-license fees | $181 |
4 hours of courses every two years
A Texas license is valid two years from issue. TDLR requires 4 hours of department-approved continuing education per two-year cycle, and the renewal fee is $50. Over eight years that is 4 renewals and $200. The renewal amount comes from TDLR's online renewal instructions rather than a printed schedule, which is why no fee schedule date is shown for Texas.
Licensed in another state
A licensee from another state can apply for the Texas license by equivalence, using the out-of-state license as proof of training and experience rather than repeating the 1,000 hours. The full list of state totals sits on the cosmetology license page. The Texas real estate license shows how a different Texas license compares in hours and fees.
Every cosmetology fee in Texas, with its source
| Fee | Amount | In the total | Read on |
|---|---|---|---|
| License application | $50 | counted | source |
| Written exam (PSI) | $55 per attempt | counted | source |
| Practical exam (PSI) | $76 per attempt | counted | source |
| Renewal | Value |
|---|---|
| Cycle | every 2 years |
| Fee | $50 |
| Continuing education | 4 hours per cycle |
| Required training | 1,000 school hours. Cosmetology Operator course of 1,000 hours at a licensed school; written exam eligibility after 900 hours. Out-of-state licensees may apply by equivalence. |