New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology

The New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling sits inside the Division of Consumer Affairs, itself a unit of the state Department of Law and Public Safety. The board licenses and disciplines cosmetologist-hairstylists, manicurists, skin care specialists, and teachers, along with the shops, mini-suites, and schools where they practice and train. It also continues to renew Barber and Beautician licenses that predate a 1984 reorganization that folded New Jersey's separate barbering and beauty-culture boards into a single agency, and it administers Hair Braider registrations for that specialty. The board's stated mission is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public by confirming that licensees meet the state's education requirements and by investigating and prosecuting violations of New Jersey's cosmetology law.

The board's office is at 124 Halsey Street, 6th Floor, Newark, NJ 07102 (mail is addressed to P.O. Box 45003, Newark, NJ 07101). In-person visits are by appointment only through an online scheduler — there is no walk-in service. General questions can be directed to Executive Director Martina Mikic-Bokan's office by phone at (973) 504-6400 or by email at cosmoboard@dca.njoag.gov; renewal-specific questions can go to RenewalApplications@dca.njoag.gov, and initial-application questions to InitialApplications@dca.njoag.gov. The Division's general Consumer Service Center hotline, (973) 504-6200 (toll-free in-state at (800) 242-5846), can route callers to the right unit.

New Jersey issues four current personal license disciplines to new applicants: Cosmetologist-Hairstylist (1,200 training hours), Manicurist (300 hours), Skin Care Specialist (600 hours), and Teacher (500 hours plus a separate 30-hour teaching-methods course, on top of holding an active Cosmetologist-Hairstylist license and six months of shop employment). Barber and Beautician are legacy titles no longer issued to first-time applicants — anyone newly entering the trade is licensed as a Cosmetologist-Hairstylist — but existing Barber and Beautician licensees keep renewing under those names. The board separately licenses cosmetology shops, barber shops, manicuring shops, skin care specialty shops, hair braiding shops, and schools.

Every personal license in New Jersey runs on a two-year cycle that ends on a fixed statewide date for that license category, rather than on the licensee's birthday — for example, Cosmetologist-Hairstylist, Manicurist, Skin Care Specialist, and Teacher licenses in the most recent cycle expired September 30, 2026, while shop licenses on a separate cycle expired July 31, 2026. The board does not publish a continuing education requirement for renewing a personal license.

New Jersey personal licenses — Cosmetologist-Hairstylist, Manicurist, Skin Care Specialist, Teacher, and the legacy Barber and Beautician titles — renew every two years on a fixed expiration date set for that license type, not on the licensee's birthday. Shop and school licenses run on their own separate two-year cycles with different expiration dates from personal licenses.

Renewal is handled through the state's MyLicense online portal rather than by mail or in person. Licensees who have used the portal before select "Already Registered" and log in; first-time online renewers use the "I Have NOT Registered" or "Forgot My Registration Information" links to locate their record. The standard renewal fee for a personal license is $90, paid online through the Division's payment processor, which requires a valid email address on file.

The board advises that a renewed license typically arrives in the mail within 10 to 15 business days of payment. Renewing after the printed expiration date adds a $30 late fee. New Jersey builds in roughly a one-month grace window after expiration during which online renewal is still possible; after that window closes, the license can no longer be renewed online and the holder must contact the board directly about reinstatement procedures.

For licenses that have lapsed past the online renewal window, the board's published fee schedule lists a $50 reinstatement fee in addition to any outstanding renewal and late fees, though licensees should confirm current requirements with the board directly since reinstatement is handled case by case.

The New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling investigates complaints against its licensees — Cosmetologist-Hairstylists, Manicurists, Skin Care Specialists, Teachers, Barbers, and Beauticians — as well as licensed shops and schools. Typical issues include unsanitary conditions, unlicensed practice, and other violations of the state's cosmetology law. Unlicensed practice can carry a civil penalty of up to $10,000 for a first violation and up to $20,000 for each subsequent violation.

Complaints against a cosmetology licensee or an unlicensed operator are filed through the Division of Consumer Affairs' online board-complaint portal, where the complainant selects "New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling" from the list of boards; a Spanish-language paper form is also available. Questions before filing can be directed to the Division's Consumer Service Center at (973) 504-6200. The portal requires the complainant to register and provide contact information, and any information submitted may become part of the public record under New Jersey's Open Public Records Act once an investigation concludes.

After a complaint is filed, board staff review it for jurisdiction, may request documentation or inspect the premises, and determine next steps, which can range from no action to fines, probation, or suspension or revocation of a license.