North Carolina Esthetician License Requirements

North Carolina licenses estheticians through the Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners.

1. Complete 600 hours of training. Finish an esthetician curriculum at a Board-approved cosmetic art school, covering infection control, required client services, and hands-on evaluations.
2. Get your temporary permit. Once your school submits your graduation paperwork, apply for exams through Prov (provexam.com) within 3 months of graduation, then submit the temporary permit form and $5 fee to the Board. The permit is valid for 6 months and cannot be renewed.
3. Pass the Board examination. Take the Prov written exam ($84) and practical exam ($84), scoring 75% or higher on each.
4. Pay your license fee. The in-state initial esthetician license fee is $20 ($35 for out-of-state applicants).
5. Receive your license and renew annually. Once licensed, you’ll renew each year and complete 8 hours of continuing education unless exempt.

North Carolina requires 600 hours of instruction at an approved cosmetic art school, under 21 NCAC 14T .0604. Training must begin with infection control and blood exposure procedures, and students must pass that evaluation with a score of 100%.

Before performing services on a live model, students must receive guided theory, demonstration, guided practice, and independent practice, then pass a school evaluation plan covering infection control, tool safety, client consultation, draping, and safe application for:

• Basic facial, including steam
• Waxing
• Lash lift and brow lamination
• Artificial lashes
• Lash and brow tint

The full curriculum also requires hands-on training and evaluation in draping; waxing (underarm, lip, eyebrow, leg, and bikini); hair removal with depilatory and tweezers; makeup application; facials with machines (Woods lamp, magnifier, galvanic current, LED light, high frequency, infrared light, vaporizer, microdermabrasion, suction, and exfoliating); manual exfoliation and extraction; single eyelash extensions; facial or body treatments including chemical peels; aromatherapy; microneedling; and dermaplaning.

North Carolina’s esthetician exam is administered by Prov, Inc. You must pass both a written and a practical exam with a score of 75% or higher.

Registration

Your school submits your graduation paperwork to the Board. You must then submit your exam application to Prov at provexam.com within 3 months of your graduation date (and only after graduating). For questions, email NCSupport@provexam.com.

Fees

The written exam costs $84 and the practical exam costs $84, whether it’s your first attempt or a retake.

Temporary Permit

While waiting for your exam date, you can practice under a temporary permit if you’ve submitted your graduation paperwork, applied to Prov, and paid the $5 permit fee to the Board. Permits are valid for 6 months after graduation and cannot be renewed.

North Carolina esthetician licenses renew annually. The Board typically opens the individual license renewal window from July 1 through October 1 each year. The statutory license fee for estheticians is $10 per year under G.S. 88B-20(c)(3), and a $10 late renewal fee applies if you miss the window.

Continuing Education

Licensees who are not exempt or inactive must complete 8 hours of continuing education per year. The Board offers free CE for licensees and does not require paid courses — be cautious of any provider advertising its classes as "mandatory." Acceptable CE includes learning a new skill from another professional, educational videos or tutorials, correspondence or online courses, and hands-on classes. At least half of your CE hours must be in the cosmetic art licensure field. Keep records of the time, date, location, and a brief description of each activity in case you’re selected for an audit.

How to Renew

Renew online by logging in with your license number at the Board’s licensee portal. G.S. 88B-21 governs license renewal, expired licenses, inactive status, and CE exemptions.

North Carolina defines esthetics in G.S. 88B-2(11a), and an esthetician in G.S. 88B-2(10) as an individual licensed to practice only that part of cosmetic art that constitutes skin care. A licensed North Carolina esthetician may:

• Facial services: Give facials, apply makeup, and perform skin care
• Hair removal: Remove superfluous hair from the body using creams, tweezers, or waxing
• Lash services: Apply eyelashes, including eyelash extensions, and brow or lash color
• Beautifying treatments: Beautify the face, neck, arms, or upper body using cosmetic preparations, antiseptics, tonics, lotions, or creams
• Surface manipulation and stimulation: Perform surface manipulation related to skin care, and clean or stimulate the face, neck, ears, arms, hands, bust, torso, legs, or feet by hand or with devices, apparatus, or appliances, using cosmetic preparations, antiseptics, tonics, lotions, or creams

Cosmetic art in North Carolina excludes the practice of massage or bodywork therapy regulated separately under Article 36 of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes. You can verify any license through the Board’s Online License Verification tool.