Cosmetology license in Washington: cost, hours and steps
Washington's cosmetologist exams cost $288 through Prov, which makes the state the most expensive in our table.
Cosmetology license fees in Washington
$323
paid to the state and its exam and fingerprint vendors
| Application and license | $35 |
| Exams | $288 |
| Training: 1,600 school hours | about 54 weeks |
| Renewals in 5 years, every 2 years | 2 × $66 = $132 |
Cosmetologist license. Fees read on official pages, October 20, 2026.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cosmetologist license application (DOL) | $35 |
| Written exam (Prov; listed under Cosmetologist as 'Hair Design Written') | $169 |
| Cosmetology practical exam (Prov) | $119 |
Compiled by Radif Partners · How the totals are built · Washington State Department of Licensing (Cosmetology Program) · read October 20, 2026
A Washington cosmetologist license costs $323 in fees at the first attempt, the highest of the 15 states priced here against a median of $163. The Washington State Department of Licensing (Cosmetology Program) charges a $35 license application under WAC 308-20-210; the rest goes to Prov, which took over the state's exams on May 1, 2026: $169 for the written exam and $119 for the cosmetology practical. Every retake is paid again in full. The training requirement is 1,600 hours at an approved licensed school under RCW 18.16.020, the highest hour count in our table, roughly 54 weeks at 30 hours a week, and candidates may test within 100 hours of completion. An apprenticeship route also exists. Applicants must be at least 17. The license runs two years and renews for $66.
Why the exams cost so much here
Washington's board fee is modest: $35 for the license application. The exams are where the money goes. Prov's bulletin for the Department of Licensing lists the written exam at $169; under the cosmetologist heading it appears as "Hair Design Written," and the bulletin charges the same price for every written exam. The cosmetology practical, listed at 295 minutes, costs $119. Together the two parts come to $288, more than the whole first-license bill in 13 of the other 14 states priced here.
Washington Prov exam fees with retakes
Cosmetology exam fees in Washington
$576
| First attempt | $288 |
| Each retake adds | $288 |
| All first-license fees | $611 |
Retakes and results
Each exam may be taken once per day, and a retake requires a new fee, so a failed written part costs another $169. Prov sends results to the Department of Licensing within one to three days. Candidates may test within 100 hours of finishing school, which lets you line up exam dates while the last hours are logged.
School hours and the apprenticeship route
The school route is 1,600 hours at an approved licensed school, set in RCW 18.16.020. Washington also offers an apprenticeship, but the Department of Licensing's page and the statute give different hour counts for it, so this page does not quote either; confirm the current figure with the department before signing up.
Washington beauty school hours in weeks
Cosmetology training in Washington
54 weeks
| Required hours | 1,600 |
| Months at that pace | 12.3 |
| First-license fees | $323 |
Renewal and reciprocity
The license is issued for two years, and the renewal fee in WAC 308-20-210 is $66. A continuing education requirement was not verified on the pages read for this site, so none is counted. The same rule also lists a small license print fee; it is unclear whether that applies at first issuance, so it is left out of the total.
A cosmetologist at least 17 years old, with an active license in good standing from another jurisdiction and proof of passing that jurisdiction's exams, can get a reciprocity license for $60. That skips both Prov exams, a real saving here. The cosmetology license page compares Washington with cheaper states, and North Carolina also tests through Prov.
Every cosmetology fee in Washington, with its source
| Fee | Amount | In the total | Read on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cosmetologist license application (DOL) | $35 | counted | source |
| Written exam (Prov; listed under Cosmetologist as 'Hair Design Written') | $169 per attempt | counted | source |
| Cosmetology practical exam (Prov) | $119 per attempt | counted | source |
| Renewal | Value |
|---|---|
| Cycle | every 2 years |
| Fee | $66 |
| Continuing education | not read on an official page |
| Required training | 1,600 school hours. 1,600 hours at an approved licensed school (RCW 18.16.020); an apprenticeship route also exists. Exams may be taken within 100 hours of completion. |