Virginia Esthetician License Requirements

Virginia licenses estheticians through the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), Board for Barbers and Cosmetology. You must complete an approved training program and pass the NIC written and practical exams.

1. Complete your training. Finish 600 hours at a licensed Virginia esthetics school, or complete a Registered Apprenticeship through Virginia Works. Out-of-state or out-of-country training may also qualify if it’s substantially equivalent.
2. Register for the NIC exams. Prov administers both the theory and practical exams on the Board’s behalf. Register at provexam.com.
3. Pass both exams. A passing score on the written and practical exam is required for licensure.
4. Submit your license application. Apply through DPOR and pay the $120 application fee.

Virginia requires 600 hours of instruction at a licensed Virginia esthetics school before you can apply for your license. You may alternatively qualify through:

• Registered Apprenticeship: A Virginia Works-registered esthetics apprenticeship
• Equivalent out-of-state training: If your training hours were equal to or greater than Virginia’s requirement, you must document your training. If your hours were fewer, you must also show 6 months of work experience.
• Equivalent out-of-country training: Requires a translated transcript from an accredited translation service detailing your training.

“Substantially equivalent training” is defined as at least 80% of Virginia’s required hours, with curriculum content covering Virginia’s scope of practice for the profession.

Virginia requires both a written (theory) and practical NIC examination.

Exam Vendor

Effective January 1, 2025, Prov assumed examination responsibilities for the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology’s regulated occupations, continuing to administer NIC exams. Register, find Candidate Information Bulletins, and schedule your exam at provexam.com, or call (877) 228-3926.

Fees

The theory exam costs $99 and the practical exam costs $95, both payable to Prov. Written exams are offered in several languages; practical exams are administered only in English.

Virginia esthetician licenses are valid for two years. The renewal fee is $120, due with your renewal card prior to the expiration date. A 30-day grace period applies for renewals submitted without penalty after expiration. If your license lapses beyond that, reinstatement costs $240 (which includes both the $120 renewal fee and a $120 reinstatement fee); licenses expired more than two years cannot be reinstated at all, and you must apply as a new applicant.

Continuing Education

Virginia does not require continuing education to renew an esthetician license.

How to Renew

Renew online through DPOR’s Renew a License portal.

Virginia defines esthetics in Code of Virginia § 54.1-700. A licensed Virginia esthetician may, for compensation, administer:

• Skin treatments: Cleansing, toning, performing effleurage or other related movements, stimulating, exfoliating, or similar procedures on the skin of the body or scalp using cosmetic preparations, treatments, or any nonlaser device (electrical, mechanical, or manual)
• Makeup and lash/brow services: Applying make-up or eyelashes, and tinting or perming eyelashes and eyebrows
• Body hair lightening: Lightening hair on the body, except the scalp
• Hair removal: Removing unwanted hair using a nonlaser device, tweezing, or chemical or mechanical means

Virginia law is explicit that esthetics is not a healing art and does not include any practice, activity, or treatment that constitutes the practice of medicine, osteopathic medicine, or chiropractic. Estheticians who wish to offer laser-based cosmetic medical procedures must instead hold a Master Esthetician license. You can verify any Virginia practitioner through DPOR’s License Lookup.