Ohio Esthetician License Requirements

Ohio licenses estheticians through the State Cosmetology and Barber Board. You must complete Board-approved training, pass the Board's own exam, and apply through the state's eLicense system.

1. Complete 600 hours of esthetics training. Attend a Board-licensed school and finish the 600-hour curriculum, which must be at least 50% hands-on clinic work.
2. Meet the basic eligibility rules. You must be at least 16 years old and have the equivalent of an Ohio 10th grade education.
3. Apply for your exam. Submit your examination application through elicense.ohio.gov. Once the Board approves it, you'll receive an email confirming you're eligible to schedule.
4. Pass the theory and practical exams. Ohio administers both exams itself at its Exam Center rather than through a national testing vendor.
5. Submit your license application and fee. Pay the $45 new-license fee for Esthetics through eLicense, along with a photo taken by the Board and proof of identity, to receive your practicing license.

Ohio requires 600 hours of Board-approved esthetics training under the Board's published curriculum, with a minimum of 300 hours (50%) on clinic floor work and at least 150 hours (25%) of theory instruction. The remaining 150 hours are flexible learning hours the school may allocate at its discretion, for an individualized learning plan, or toward internship hours.

If a school uses distance learning, those hours cannot exceed 20% of the total program hours, and the distance-learning platform must be specified in the curriculum the school submits to the Board for approval.

Unlike most states, Ohio does not contract with a national testing vendor such as PSI or Pearson VUE — the Cosmetology and Barber Board administers its own esthetics theory and practical exams at its Exam Center.

How to Apply

Submit your examination application through elicense.ohio.gov. After the Board reviews and approves your application, you'll receive an email stating you're eligible to schedule your exam date, followed by an exam notice.

Fees

• Initial examination: $40
• Retake examination: $35
• No-show examination: $50
• Work permit (optional, to work while awaiting results): $15

Only one work permit is issued per applicant, and it expires on your originally scheduled exam date even if you reschedule.

Ohio esthetician licenses are personal licenses that renew every two years, with cosmetology and its branches (including esthetics) due by January 31 of odd-numbered years. The renewal fee is $65, paid through the eLicense system.

Continuing Education

Renewal requires 4 hours of CE: 3 hours of Infection Control & Safety and 1 hour of Board Laws & Rules. Completion of CE hours is reported directly to CE Broker by your course provider, and the Board verifies your hours through CE Broker before allowing you to complete your online renewal application.

You are exempt from the CE requirement if you are renewing your first Ohio license, if you are 65 or older, or if you have held an Ohio Board license for 30 or more years (issued before a Board-specified cutoff date) — though the renewal fee is still required in all cases to keep your license active.

How to Renew

Log in to your account at elicense.ohio.gov, complete the renewal application, and pay the required fee. Renewal notices are emailed starting 120 days before your expiration date, with reminders at 90, 60, 30, and 15 days, so keep your email and mailing address current in eLicense.

Ohio defines the "practice of esthetics" in Ohio Revised Code § 4713.01(GG). A licensed Ohio esthetician may, for compensation:

• Skin beautification: Apply cosmetics, tonics, antiseptics, creams, lotions, or other preparations for the purpose of skin beautification
• Skin preparation: Prepare the skin using manual massage techniques or electrical, mechanical, or other apparatus
• Skin care and treatments: Enhance the skin through skin care, facials, body treatments, and other treatments
• Hair removal: Perform hair removal by tweezing, waxing, sugaring, and threading (electrolysis is excluded)
• Eyelash extensions: Apply temporary and semi-permanent eyelash extension enhancements

An esthetician licensed under Ohio Revised Code § 4713.01(K) is authorized to practice esthetics — and no other branch of cosmetology — in a licensed facility. Estheticians must work in a Board-licensed salon or esthetics salon, and services must be performed under the Board's infection control and safety standards. You can verify any license through the eLicense License Look-Up tool.