Michigan State Board of Cosmetology

Michigan licenses the cosmetology field through LARA's Bureau of Professional Licensing (BPL), which supports the Michigan Board of Cosmetology. The board regulates Cosmetologists, Estheticians, Manicurists, Electrologists, Natural Hair Culturists, Cosmetology Instructors, cosmetology Establishments (including salons, suites, and mobile salons), and Schools of Cosmetology under Article 12 of the Occupational Code, Public Act 299 of 1980. Barbering is licensed through a separate board within the same bureau, so barbers are not covered by the cosmetology license types below.

BPL does not offer a public walk-in counter for cosmetology licensing. Phone support runs Monday through Friday, roughly 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, at the bureau's main line, 517-241-0199 — callers select option 3 for barbers or cosmetology. General correspondence is mailed to the Bureau of Professional Licensing, PO Box 30670, Lansing, MI 48909, while overnight packages (UPS, FedEx, DHL) go to a separate physical address: 2407 N. Grand River Avenue, Lansing, MI 48906. Licensing documents can also be emailed to bpldata@michigan.gov, and general licensing questions go to bplhelp@michigan.gov.

All personal license disciplines require a minimum training-hour count in a licensed school of cosmetology or an equivalent apprenticeship, plus passing scores on PSI's practical and theory exams. Several hour minimums increased for anyone who began training on or after July 1, 2024: Estheticians moved from 400 to 750 hours, Manicurists from 400 to 600 hours, and Cosmetology Instructors from 500 to 600 hours of instructor training. Cosmetologists need 1,500 hours, Electrologists and Natural Hair Culturists need 400 hours, and instructors must already hold an active Michigan cosmetologist license.

Every personal and business license issued by the board runs on a two-year renewal cycle tied to the license's own issue and expiration dates rather than a birthday or a shared statewide date. Renewals are submitted through the MiPLUS online licensing system, and Michigan does not require continuing education hours to renew a cosmetology-related license.

Personal cosmetology licenses — Cosmetologist, Esthetician, Manicurist, Electrologist, Natural Hair Culturist, and Cosmetology Instructor — all renew every two years for a $48 application fee. Establishment licenses renew for $50 and Schools of Cosmetology renew for $200. LARA mails and emails a renewal notice to the address on file about 90 days before the license expires, and the renewal window does not open any earlier than that.

Renewal is completed online through the MiPLUS portal at michigan.gov/miplus, where the licensee logs in, confirms their information, accepts a renewal attestation certifying the information is true and complete, and pays by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover. Because an Instructor license is tied to the licensee's underlying Cosmetologist license, the board recommends renewing the cosmetologist license first and waiting about 30 minutes before submitting the instructor renewal to avoid a duplicate-payment error. It is the licensee's responsibility to keep their mailing and email address current in MiPLUS — not receiving the renewal notice does not excuse a late renewal.

A license that is not renewed by its expiration date lapses the next day, but Michigan gives a 60-day grace period during which the license can still be renewed online without going through relicensure — an additional $20 late fee applies during that window.

Once the 60-day grace period passes, the license must be brought back through relicensure rather than a standard renewal: the relicensure fee is $83 for personal licenses, $95 for an establishment, and $320 for a school. If the license lapsed for more than three years past its expiration date, the applicant must either pass the required licensing exams again within the year before applying, or show they held an active, equivalent license in good standing in another state within the preceding three years.

The Bureau of Professional Licensing investigates complaints against Michigan cosmetology licensees and businesses for possible violations of the Occupational Code — things like unsanitary conditions, unlicensed practice, and other conduct that threatens public health and safety. Complaints against Cosmetology-licensed professionals are filed online through the MiPLUS/Accela system, the same portal used to apply for and renew a license. Michigan discourages anonymous complaints: filing without contact information can lead to the complaint being closed, since an investigator has no way to follow up for additional details, records, or evidence.

After a complaint is submitted, BPL reviews it to determine whether it describes a possible Occupational Code violation. From there the bureau either opens an investigation, closes the complaint with no action because no violation is indicated, or refers the matter to another agency if it falls outside BPL's jurisdiction. During an investigation, BPL staff interview the relevant parties and gather supporting evidence independent of any parallel investigation by an employer or law enforcement.

If an investigation substantiates a violation, the department or the Attorney General's office can pursue a formal complaint, a cease-and-desist order, a notice of summary suspension, or a citation, and the matter may be resolved through an informal conference, a negotiated settlement, or a contested case hearing before a final penalty is assessed. Questions about an open complaint can be directed to the Complaint Intake Section at 517-241-0205 or bpl-complaints@michigan.gov.