Alaska Esthetician License Requirements

Alaska licenses estheticians through the Board of Barbers and Hairdressers, part of the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing. You can qualify by completing a Board-approved school program or an approved apprenticeship, then passing the state written exam.

1. Complete 350 hours of esthetics training. Finish a Board-approved esthetics school program or an approved apprenticeship of at least 350 hours, and pass the proficiency exam required by your school or instructor.
2. Submit your notarized application. Mail the completed Hairdresser or Esthetician License Application (#08-4193) with supporting training documentation and the $150 nonrefundable application fee, payable to the State of Alaska, at least 30 days before you want to test.
3. Register for the Prov exam. Once the Board approves your application, Prov emails you a Voucher Letter with a Candidate ID. Schedule your written exam at provexam.com and pay the $90 exam fee directly to Prov.
4. Pass the National Education Test. A passing grade is 75% or above. You can test at one of Prov's three Alaska testing centers (Anchorage, Fairbanks, or Juneau), any Prov center nationwide, or remotely through Examroom.ai.
5. Pay the initial license fee. Submit the $180 initial license fee (in addition to the $150 application fee, for $330 total) either with your application or after you pass the exam.

Alaska requires 350 hours of theoretical and practical training under 12 AAC 09.163, whether completed at a Board-licensed esthetics school or through an approved apprenticeship. Schools must teach at least 40 hours of theory, including 5 hours of state law, and must include these minimum practical operations within the 350 hours:

Students may complete up to 25% of the required theory hours (up to 10 hours) through an approved distance-education course, such as Milady or Pivot Point, with proof of completion sent directly to the division by the school. Before finishing the program, a student must pass a proficiency exam in each subject area, administered by the school or instructor.

Alaska's esthetician exam is a single written test, the National Education Test sponsored by the National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC), administered by the Board's contracted vendor, Prov, Inc. There is no separate state-administered practical exam — hands-on competency is verified through your school's or instructor's proficiency exam before you apply.

Registration and Scheduling

You must be pre-approved by the Board before Prov will let you schedule. Once approved, Prov emails a Voucher Letter with your Candidate ID; use it to schedule at provexam.com or by calling or texting Prov at (801) 733-4455. The exam is computer-based and costs $90, payable directly to Prov, whether it's your first attempt or a retake.

Passing Grade and Retakes

A passing grade is 75% or above. You may reschedule a failed exam with no waiting period, but after three failed attempts you must get Board approval before scheduling again, per 12 AAC 09.075(f). Cancellations or reschedules must be made with Prov at least three business days before your test date to avoid forfeiting the fee.

Alaska esthetician licenses run on a two-year cycle and expire on August 31 of odd-numbered years, regardless of your issue date (licenses issued within 90 days of expiration roll to the next biennial cycle). The Division sends one renewal notice by email or mail at least 30 days before expiration, but it's your responsibility to renew on time even if you don't receive it.

No Continuing Education Required

Alaska does not require continuing education hours to renew an esthetician license.

How to Renew

Renew online through the MY LICENSE self-service portal, which processes most renewals immediately (mailed renewals can take 4–6 weeks). The renewal fee is $180. Alaska has no "inactive" license status — if you don't renew, your license simply lapses, and you'll need to contact the Board about reinstatement.

Alaska defines "esthetics" in AS 08.13.220(5) as the use of the hands, appliances, cosmetic preparations, antiseptics, or lotions in massaging, cleansing, stimulating, or similar work on the scalp, face, or neck — including skin care, makeup, and the temporary removal of superfluous hair — performed for cosmetic purposes for a fee. Practicing esthetics without a license, or outside a licensed shop or school, is prohibited under AS 08.13.070.

Alaska also recognizes a narrower category, "limited esthetics" (AS 08.13.220(9)): temporary hair removal on the face or neck (including wax eyebrow arching) and applying makeup or false eyelashes. Under AS 08.13.160(f), a licensed hairdresser may perform limited esthetics under their hairdresser license without holding a separate esthetician license — but only a full esthetician license covers the broader scope above, such as electrical-modality facials and body-area waxing.

You can verify any Alaska practitioner through the Division's Professional License Search tool.