Florida Esthetician License Requirements

Florida does not issue a license called 'esthetician.' The state credential for skin care work is the Facial Specialist registration, issued by the Florida Board of Cosmetology under the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). If you are searching for a Florida esthetician license, this registration is what you need.

1. Meet the age requirement. You must be at least 16 years old or hold a high school diploma.
2. Complete 220 hours of training. Enroll in a facial specialty program at a Florida school of cosmetology and finish a minimum of 220 hours of education.
3. Take a 4-hour HIV/AIDS course. The course must be board-approved, at least four hours long, and completed within two years before you apply.
4. Submit the DBPR COSMO 1 application. Apply online through myfloridalicense.com with your certificate of completion and pay the $70 in fees ($30 application fee plus $40 initial registration fee).
5. Receive your registration. There is no state exam. Once DBPR approves your application, your facial specialist registration is issued and you can work in a licensed salon.

Florida requires a minimum of 220 hours of education for the facial specialist registration, set by Section 477.0201, Florida Statutes. Training must be completed through a facial specialty program offered by a Florida school of cosmetology. Your school issues a certificate of completion, which you submit with your application.

The facial specialty program prepares you for the services a Florida facial specialist is registered to perform — facials, skin care services, hair removal such as body waxing and eyebrow threading, and related treatments — along with the sanitation and safety standards the Board of Cosmetology enforces.

In addition to the 220 school hours, every applicant must complete a board-approved HIV/AIDS course. The course must be at least four hours long and must have been completed within the two years before you submit your application. Keep the completion certificate — it goes in with your paperwork.

Already registered or licensed as an esthetician in another state? Florida offers registration by endorsement, with its own DBPR application and a $64 total fee ($24 endorsement fee plus $40 initial registration fee), so you may not need to repeat training in a Florida school. Details are on the DBPR cosmetology page.

Here is the part that surprises most applicants: Florida has no exam for the facial specialist registration. Unlike the cosmetology license, which requires a written examination, the facial specialist credential is a registration — DBPR issues it once you document your completed training, not after a test.

The DBPR application checklist states it directly: you do not have to take the Florida cosmetology examination for this registration. There is no written exam, no practical (hands-on) exam, and no national board exam requirement for Florida applicants trained in a Florida school.

What DBPR reviews instead:

• Proof of education: A certificate of completion showing at least 220 hours in a Florida facial specialty program
• HIV/AIDS course certificate: A board-approved course of at least four hours, completed within two years of your application
• Eligibility certification: The certification section of the COSMO 1 application, confirming you are at least 16 or hold a high school diploma

Once the application is approved and your $70 in fees are paid, the registration is issued. This makes Florida one of the faster paths to legal skin care practice — your timeline depends on how quickly you finish the 220 hours and how quickly DBPR processes your application, not on exam scheduling.

The Florida facial specialist registration renews every two years. The biennial renewal fee is $40, set by Rule 61G5-24.008 of the Florida Administrative Code. Registrations expire on October 31 in either odd or even years, depending on whether DBPR assigns your registration to renewal Group 1 or Group 2.

Continuing Education

You must complete 10 hours of board-approved continuing education before each renewal. Search approved providers and check the hours already reported for you at myfloridalicense.com.

How to Renew

1. Complete your 10 CE hours with a board-approved provider.
2. Log in to your DBPR online account at myfloridalicense.com.
3. Submit the renewal request and pay the $40 fee before the October 31 deadline.

DBPR no longer prints and mails licenses — after renewing, a copy is emailed to the address on your online account, and you can print it from your account at any time.

Late Renewal

Renewing late adds a $25 delinquent fee on top of the renewal fee under Rule 61G5-24.010. Keep your mailing address and email current with DBPR so renewal notices reach you.

Under Section 477.013, Florida Statutes, the facial specialty covers facials — massaging or treating the face or scalp with oils, creams, lotions, or other preparations — and skin care services, meaning treatment of the skin by using a sponge, brush, cloth, or similar device to apply or remove a chemical preparation or other substance.

According to the DBPR Board of Cosmetology, a registered facial specialist in Florida may:

• Perform facials and skin care services
• Massage the head, face, scalp, and neck
• Perform body waxing and eyebrow threading
• Tint eyelashes or eyebrows
• Apply false eyelashes

A facial specialist registration does not authorize hair services such as cutting or coloring, and it does not cover nail services — those require a cosmetology license or a nail specialist registration. Florida also offers a Full Specialist registration that combines the facial and nail specialties for practitioners who want both.

Skin care services must be performed in a licensed salon or other authorized location, and massage beyond the head, face, scalp, and neck falls under Florida's separate massage therapy licensing law. If you plan to offer services near the edge of this scope, check the board's statutes and rules first.