North Dakota Esthetician License Requirements

North Dakota licenses estheticians through the State Board of Cosmetology. Requirements were updated by House Bill 1126, effective January 1, 2026.

1. Enroll in a Board-licensed school. Your school submits your student registration to the Board through the licensing portal.
2. Complete 600 hours of training. Finish your esthetician curriculum, covering cleaning and disinfecting, body treatments and facials, theory and law, and hands-on clinical practice.
3. Graduate and apply for licensure. Submit your application, required documentation, and the $50 original license fee through the online licensing portal. North Dakota does not issue temporary permits — you may not practice until your license is issued.
4. Pass your exams. Take the NIC Practical Examination at the Board office (mannequins only), and the NIC Written (Theory) and North Dakota Law & Rules exams through Prov, available in-person or remotely.
5. Receive your license. Once approved and after passing all required exams, your esthetician license is issued and you may begin working.

North Dakota requires 600 hours of training at a Board-licensed school, under N.D. Admin Code 32-04-01-27. No school or instructor may allow a student to perform clinical services until the student completes 20% of the required hours. The curriculum breaks down as:

• Cleaning, disinfecting, and safety: 75 hours
• Body treatment, facials, hair removal, and makeup: 340 hours
• Study of theory, law, and cleaning and disinfecting: 75 hours
• Related subjects: 60 hours
• Unassigned: 50 hours

North Dakota also offers an apprenticeship pathway as of 2026, requiring 2,000 hours for esthetics through a program registered with the U.S. Department of Labor and approved by the Board. Out-of-state transfer hours are credited for 2 years, and in-state transfer hours for 5 years.

North Dakota requires three exams: the NIC Practical Examination, the NIC Written (Theory) Examination, and a North Dakota Law & Rules Examination. You become eligible after graduating your program or completing an apprenticeship certificate.

Practical Exam

Administered by the Board at the Board office on scheduled dates. All work is performed on mannequins — no live models — and you must bring your own mannequin stand or clamp, plus simulated wax such as honey or toothpaste. Submit your application and fee through the licensing portal to receive your admissions letter with exam date and time. Bring a printed admissions letter and valid government-issued photo ID; late arrivals are not admitted. Results are typically emailed the next business day. A failed practical exam must be fully retaken for a $25 re-exam fee.

Written (Theory & Law) Exams

Computer-based and administered through Prov, available at testing centers or remotely. Register by phone at 1-801-733-4455 or online at provexam.com/scheduler. ADA accommodations are available with advance documentation from a licensed provider.

North Dakota esthetician licenses renew annually, on or before December 31 each year. The renewal fee is $50, matching the original license fee under North Dakota’s 2026 fee schedule.

Late Renewal

If you miss the December 31 deadline, a $50 late fee applies within one year of expiration. If your license has been expired for more than one year but less than five, you must pay all fees and pass the North Dakota Law exam again. If it has been expired for more than five years, you must retake all required exams.

Continuing Education

Standard esthetician licenses do not require continuing education. Under N.D.C.C. § 43-11-27(3) and N.D. Admin. Code § 32-05-01-03(3), CE is required only for instructors (12 hours annually) and Advanced Estheticians (8 hours annually), tracked through CE Broker.

How to Renew

Renew through the online licensing portal. Practicing on an expired license is prohibited under N.D.C.C. § 43-11-13.

North Dakota clarified the esthetician scope of practice under House Bill 1126, effective January 1, 2026. A licensed North Dakota esthetician may:

• Skin and facial care: Perform facials and skin treatments, and apply products to the skin and body to improve its appearance
• Devices: Use devices for skin care, including microdermabrasion, dermaplaning, and high-frequency devices
• Chemical peels within limits: Perform cosmetic peels using less than 30% alpha hydroxy acid, 20% beta hydroxy acid, 15% resorcinol, or 15% trichloroacetic acid
• Hair removal: Wax, tweeze, or sugar superfluous hair
• Lash and brow services: Apply eyelash extensions, tint lashes and brows, and perm or laminate eyelashes and eyebrows

The esthetics scope does not include any procedure that invades living tissue below the stratum corneum, threading, or advanced esthetics procedures (such as advanced chemical peels, microneedling, laser or light-based treatments, and lancet extractions) — those require a separate Advanced Esthetician license. You can verify any license through the Board’s License Verification tool.