Arkansas Esthetician License Requirements

Arkansas licenses estheticians as “Aestheticians” through the Arkansas Department of Health – Cosmetology Section. Licensure requires completing an approved training program and passing both a written and a practical exam through Prov, Inc.

1. Complete 600 hours of training. Finish a 600-hour Aesthetician course at a Department-approved school of cosmetology, covering skin care theory and clinic-floor practice.
2. Meet the basic eligibility requirements. Be at least 16 years old and have completed the 10th grade or its equivalent.
3. Submit your application. Send a completed Application for Practitioner Examination form, your school’s Certificate of Training, and the required exam fee to the Cosmetology Section.
4. Register and test with Prov. Once the Department approves your application, schedule your written and practical exams at provexam.com. The written exam costs $78 per sitting.
5. Receive your license. After passing both exams, the Department issues your Aesthetician license, valid for two years.

Arkansas requires a total of 600 hours in the Aesthetician course at a Department-licensed school of cosmetology, under Rule 3(o) of the Rules for Cosmetology and Body Art in Arkansas. (Ark. Code Ann. § 17-26-304 sets a statutory floor of 480 hours for exam eligibility, but the Board’s curriculum rule requires schools to deliver the full 600-hour course.) The curriculum breaks down as:

• Chemistry — 40 hours
• Physiology — 35 hours
• Bacteriology & Sanitation — 35 hours
• Introduction of Skin Care — 45 hours
• Skin Care — 150 hours
• Makeup and Corrective Makeup — 50 hours
• Eyebrow and Lashes — 40 hours
• Hair Removal — 40 hours
• Safety Precautions — 20 hours
• Management — 20 hours
• Salesmanship — 15 hours
• State Laws and Rules — 10 hours
• Testing Evaluation — 15 hours
• Instructor’s Discretion — 64 hours
• Domestic violence and sexual assault training — 1 hour, per A.C.A. § 17-26-205(a)

Schools must provide a minimum of five hours per week of theoretical instruction. After 60 hours of instruction, a student may work on paying clients under supervision as part of clinic training. Arkansas also recognizes an applicant’s license or documented practice in another state through its reciprocity provisions, which likewise require 600 hours of aesthetics training (skin care, facials, and cosmetic applications) completed within the last three years.

Arkansas contracts with Prov, Inc. to administer the NIC-based written and practical Aesthetician examinations required for licensure.

Written Exam

The written exam covers the national NIC Esthetics theory content outline — scientific concepts, infection control, human anatomy and physiology, and skin care practices — plus a section on Arkansas cosmetology law. It costs $78 per sitting, whether it’s your first attempt or a retake, and is offered at Prov testing centers or remotely via a proctored online system.

Practical Exam

The practical exam is scheduled through the same Prov system, often alongside the written exam. Official results are emailed within three business days.

Retesting

Failed exams can be retaken as often as necessary with no waiting period; you may schedule the next available test date. You cannot retake an exam you have already passed unless the state specifically requires it.

Arkansas Aesthetician licenses renew every two years for a fee of $50. Arkansas does not require continuing education hours for practitioner license renewal — the state’s CE mandate applies only to licensed instructors, who must complete 8 hours of additional training.

How to Renew

Renew online through the Arkansas Cosmetology Licensing, Inspection, and Permit System, or mail your renewal and payment to the Department’s Little Rock office. If your license has expired, you may still renew it for up to five years after expiration, but you may not legally practice on an expired license.

Arkansas defines the licensed scope of practice for an “Aesthetician” in Ark. Code Ann. § 17-26-102(a)(1). A licensed Arkansas aesthetician may engage in the practice of beautifying the body by:

• Cleansing and waxing the skin
• Externally manipulating or stimulating the body by means of the hands, devices, apparatus, or appliances
• Using cosmetic preparations, antiseptics, tonics, lotions, and creams, with or without such products, as part of these services

Services must be performed in a licensed cosmetological establishment (with limited exceptions for special events). You can verify any Arkansas aesthetician’s license status through the Department’s online License Lookup.