Texas State Board of Cosmetology

TDLR is a large umbrella agency that regulates roughly 39 different industries across Texas, and Barbering and Cosmetology is one of its programs. Within that program, TDLR licenses individual practitioners — Class A Barbers, Cosmetology Operators, Estheticians, Manicurists, Hair Weaving Specialists, and Eyelash Extension Specialists — along with the salons, mobile establishments, and schools where they work. The agency is governed by the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation, a seven-member board appointed by the Governor, with a dedicated Barbering and Cosmetology Advisory Board providing industry input on rules and enforcement.

TDLR's main office is at 920 Colorado St. in Austin, though mail for the Barbering and Cosmetology program should go to P.O. Box 12157, Austin, TX 78711. Phone support runs Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, excluding state holidays, at (512) 463-6599 or the in-state toll-free line (800) 803-9202. TDLR does not process licensing or complaints in person at a counter for walk-ins the way some smaller boards do — nearly all licensing, renewal, and complaint activity is handled online through TDLR's web portal.

Texas issues six core personal license types, each with its own required training hours at a TDLR-licensed school: Class A Barber (1,000 hours), Cosmetology Operator (1,000 hours), Esthetician (750 hours), Manicurist (600 hours), Hair Weaving Specialist (300 hours), and Eyelash Extension Specialist (320 hours). Estheticians can combine their license with a Manicurist or Hair Weaving Specialist credential through a combination course or separate hour tracks. TDLR also issues Establishment licenses for full-service and specialty salons, Mini-Establishment licenses for single-practitioner booths inside a licensed salon, and School licenses for training programs.

Every personal and establishment license is valid for two years from its date of issue rather than renewing on a shared statewide date or the licensee's birthday. Texas requires 4 hours of continuing education every two years to renew a personal license — including sanitation and human trafficking awareness training — though that requirement drops to 2 hours for anyone who has held a Texas license for at least 15 years.

Texas personal licenses — Class A Barber, Cosmetology Operator, Esthetician, Manicurist, Hair Weaving Specialist, and Eyelash Extension Specialist — run on a fixed two-year term starting from the date the license was issued, not a birthday or a shared statewide expiration date. TDLR's online renewal tool sorts renewals by current status: current and active, expired less than 90 days, expired less than 180 days, expired less than 3 years, or expired more than 3 years, since the process and fees differ at each stage.

Renewals are submitted through TDLR's online application system. Before renewing, a licensee must have completed the required continuing education hours for the period — 4 hours (1 in sanitation, 1 in human trafficking awareness, 2 elective) for most licensees, or 2 hours (sanitation and human trafficking awareness only) for anyone who has held a Texas license for at least 15 years. CE course providers report completed hours directly to TDLR, and the renewal process also allows a licensee to update contact information, change their name, add a Social Security number, or disclose a new criminal conviction since their last renewal.

The on-time renewal fee for a personal license is $50. Renewing late costs more: $75 if the license has been expired less than 18 months, and $100 if it has been expired between 18 months and 3 years. A license that has been expired for more than 3 years can no longer be renewed at all — the license holder must meet the requirements for a brand-new license, including retaking the required hours of training and passing the written and practical exams again.

Establishment licenses (full-service, specialty, and mini-establishment) and School licenses follow the same two-year, fixed-issue-date cycle, with their own fee schedules: $78 on-time for most establishment types and $70 for mini-establishments, versus $280 on-time for schools.

TDLR's Enforcement Division investigates complaints against Texas barbers, cosmetologists, estheticians, manicurists, hair weaving specialists, eyelash extension specialists, salons, and schools. Common issues include unlicensed practice, sanitation and health-code violations, unsafe conditions, and other breaches of Texas barbering and cosmetology law and rules. Complaints can be filed online through TDLR's centralized complaint portal at tdlr.texas.gov/complaints, or by mail using a printable complaint form; TDLR's process allows a complaint to be filed anonymously, though anonymous complaints that lack enough detail to establish a possible violation may not be opened for investigation.

Once a complaint is received, an intake legal assistant reviews it to confirm TDLR has jurisdiction and that a violation may have occurred. If the case is opened, it is assigned a complaint number and an investigator, who may interview the complainant, the licensee (respondent), and witnesses, and may conduct an on-site inspection. Many salon-related cases instead originate directly from a TDLR field inspection rather than a public complaint.

After the investigation, a prosecuting attorney decides how to resolve the case — closing it informally, issuing a warning letter, or pursuing formal action through a Notice of Alleged Violation that can lead to an administrative penalty, license probation, suspension, or revocation. Respondents who contest the findings can request a hearing before the State Office of Administrative Hearings, with a final decision made by the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation.