Connecticut Cosmetology License Requirements

Connecticut issues a single combined Hairdresser/Cosmetician license through the Department of Public Health (DPH). The path requires 1,500 hours of approved training (or a Connecticut Department of Labor apprenticeship), a 9th-grade education minimum, and passage of the Prometric Licensing Examination.

1. Meet the education minimum. You must have successfully completed at least the 9th grade or its equivalent. Connecticut does not require a high school diploma — making it one of the more accessible states for entry into the profession.
2. Choose your training pathway. Either complete 1,500 hours at a Connecticut-approved hairdressing/cosmetology school (or an out-of-state school approved by that state's regulator) or complete a Connecticut Department of Labor hairdressing apprenticeship.
3. Have your school submit an Affidavit of Hours. The school sends the affidavit form directly to the DPH licensing office — applicants cannot self-submit hours.
4. Pass the Prometric Licensing Examination. Register through prometric.com/test-takers/search/connecticut. Scores are reported directly to DPH by Prometric.
5. Submit the online application. Apply through eLicense Connecticut with photograph and the $100 application fee. Applications are only accepted online.
6. Provide license verification if previously licensed. If you have ever held a hairdresser/cosmetician license in another U.S. state or territory, that jurisdiction must send a license verification form directly to Connecticut DPH (most charge a fee).

All supporting documentation should be sent from the source to: Connecticut Department of Public Health, Hairdresser Licensing, 410 Capitol Ave., MS # 12 APP, P.O. Box 340308, Hartford, CT 06134.

Connecticut hairdressing schools must follow a state-mandated 1,500-hour curriculum administered under the supervision of the Connecticut State Board of Education or DPH-approved oversight. The first 200 hours are devoted to theoretical instruction across all content areas; the remaining 1,300 hours are supervised practice on a clinic floor integrated with ongoing theory and practical instruction.

Minimum Required Instructional Hours

Textured Hair Instruction Mandate

Within those 1,500 hours, schools must dedicate at least 17 classroom hours and 300 clinical hours to working with textured hair — covering anatomy and physiology of textured hair, chemical procedures, hair care and treatment, and hair cutting/styling/shaving for various curl and wave patterns. This mandate makes Connecticut one of the more explicit states on textured-hair competency in cosmetology training.

Apprenticeship Pathway

Applicants may alternatively complete the Connecticut Department of Labor's registered hairdressing apprenticeship program in lieu of school training. Apprenticeship hours are tracked through DOL rather than DPH and the apprentice still must pass the Prometric Licensing Examination.

Instructor Qualifications

Instructors must be at least 18, hold a Connecticut hairdresser license in good standing, hold a high school diploma or equivalent, and have at least two years of licensed work experience. Clinical training requires at least one instructor for every 15 students.

Connecticut contracts with Prometric for the Hairdresser/Cosmetician Licensing Examination — distinct from most states, which use NIC, PSI, or Pearson VUE. The exam is required for initial licensure by examination, for reinstatement after extended inactivity, and in some out-of-state endorsement scenarios.

Registering for the Exam

Candidates download the Connecticut Candidate Information Bulletin (CIB) from prometric.com/test-takers/search/connecticut. The CIB contains the content outline, scheduling instructions, ID requirements, and current fee schedule. Scores are submitted directly to DPH from Prometric — applicants do not self-report.

Application and Documentation

The DPH application is filed online through eLicense Connecticut with a $100 application fee. Required supporting documents include the school's Affidavit of Hours (sent directly from the school), a photograph, and verification of any prior out-of-state licensure (sent directly from each issuing jurisdiction).

Out-of-State Endorsement Without an Examination

Applicants holding a current out-of-state hairdresser license issued on the basis of training and an examination may qualify for Connecticut licensure by endorsement. If the original out-of-state license was issued without an examination, the applicant must instead show at least five years of legal cosmetology practice outside Connecticut, plus license verifications, employer correspondence, and tax returns documenting cosmetology as their occupation.

Reinstatement Examination Triggers

Practitioners returning to practice after 2–8 years of inactivity must either retake the Prometric exam or complete 135 hours of refresher coursework. After more than 8 years of inactivity, both the Prometric exam and a 245-hour refresher curriculum are required.

Connecticut Hairdresser/Cosmetician licenses renew on a biennial cycle, expiring on the last day of the licensee's birth month. The renewal fee is $100.00, and Connecticut does not require any continuing education hours.

Renewal Notices

DPH mails a renewal notice approximately 60 days before expiration; a final notice goes out 30 days after expiration if the license is unrenewed. Notices are sent to the address of record, so keep your address current with the Practitioner Licensing and Investigations Section.

How to Renew

Online renewal is available through eLicense Connecticut and is the fastest path. Hairdresser/Cosmetician is not on the mandatory online-renewal list, so paper renewal by mail remains an option for those who prefer it. To request a paper form, email oplc.dph@ct.gov.

Grace Period

Pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes §19a-88(e), Hairdresser/Cosmetician licenses have a 90-day grace period after expiration during which the licensee may continue to practice and renew without reinstatement. On the 91st day the license becomes void and the licensee must apply for reinstatement before resuming practice.

Reinstating a Lapsed License

Reinstatement applications are filed online through eLicense Connecticut with the $100 fee and a written description of professional activities since the license lapsed. License verification from any other states the applicant has been licensed in is also required (sent directly from those jurisdictions).

If the applicant has not actively practiced as a hairdresser anywhere within the prior 2 to 8 years, reinstatement additionally requires either retaking the Prometric Licensing Examination or completing a 135-hour refresher curriculum at an approved school. If the gap exceeds 8 years, the applicant must complete both the Prometric exam and a 245-hour refresher curriculum.

Active-Duty Military Fee Waiver

Connecticut residents on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces may request a renewal-fee waiver each cycle by submitting a letter from their commanding officer plus proof of Connecticut residency to oplc.dph@ct.gov.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health licenses the following appearance-services credentials. Hairdresser/Cosmetician is the flagship combined license; esthetics, eyelash, and nail services are licensed separately under more recent practice acts.

Why "Hairdresser/Cosmetician" Instead of "Cosmetologist"?

The legal terminology comes from Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 387 — "Hairdressers and Cosmeticians." It is a single combined license covering hair, skin care, makeup, and basic nail services. Connecticut never split the credential into separate "cosmetologist" and "barber" lines the way most states did, and the statutory name has stuck even as scope-of-practice expansions have been added.

Recent Additions to the Regulatory Framework

Esthetics licensure became mandatory on July 1, 2020 (Practice Act §192). Eyelash technician licensure also took effect July 1, 2020. Nail technician licensure became mandatory on January 1, 2021 — meaning nail-only practice was unregulated in Connecticut for decades before that. The Combination License under the "Appearance Enhancement" grouping in eLicense lets qualified applicants apply for two or all three of these credentials at once.

Salon and Shop Requirements

Each hairdressing shop, store, or place must operate under the management of a registered hairdresser and cosmetician. Salon inspections are coordinated between DPH and local health directors rather than handled through a separate DPH salon-permit process.