Wisconsin Esthetician License Requirements

Wisconsin licenses estheticians as “aestheticians” through the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) and its Cosmetology Examining Board.

1. Meet the education prerequisite. Have a high school diploma or equivalency, be enrolled in a Board-approved program, or be at least 18 and meet the federal ability-to-benefit rule.
2. Complete 450 training hours in not less than 11 weeks and not more than 30 weeks, either at a licensed school of cosmetology or aesthetics, or under the direct supervision of a certified cosmetology or aesthetics instructor (or a licensed cosmetology manager) at a licensed specialty school of aesthetics.
3. Apply for your exam with DL Roope Administrations Inc. at dlroope.com. If you trained at a Wisconsin school, your school approves your application through DL Roope’s School Portal.
4. Pass the NIC written and practical exams.
5. Apply for your license at license.wi.gov and pay the $11 initial credentialing fee.

Wisconsin requires 450 training hours, completed in not less than 11 weeks and not more than 30 weeks, under Wis. Stat. § 454.06(4). You can satisfy this requirement in one of two ways:

• School-based training: A course of instruction in aesthetics at a school of cosmetology or a school of aesthetics licensed under Wis. Stat. § 440.62(3)(ar) or (b), exempted under Wis. Stat. § 440.61, or accredited by an agency the Examining Board approves.
• Supervised training: The same 450 hours completed under the direct supervision of a certified cosmetology or aesthetics instructor, or a licensed cosmetology manager, at a licensed establishment that also holds a specialty school of aesthetics license under Wis. Stat. § 440.62(4)(a).

All training hours must be earned at an establishment licensed under Wis. Stat. § 440.62(3)(ar). Before you can enroll, you must also have a high school diploma or equivalency, be enrolled in an Examining Board-approved program, or be at least 18 years old and meet the federal ability-to-benefit rule under 20 U.S.C. § 1091(d).

Wisconsin uses the national NIC written and practical exams for aestheticians, administered by DL Roope Administrations Inc. under contract with DSPS.

Registration

Apply online at dlroope.com and pay by credit or debit card, or submit a paper application with a money order. If you graduated from a licensed Wisconsin school, your application routes through that school for approval in DL Roope’s School Portal.

Written Exam

The computerized written exam is administered by Iso-Quality Testing (IQT). After your application is approved, you’ll receive pre-registration instructions by email or mail to schedule your test at a convenient location, or remotely.

Practical Exam

You must schedule and print your admission letter through DL Roope’s scheduling portal and bring it, along with valid government-issued photo ID, to your exam.

Fees and Validity

Exam fees are set by DL Roope and are not published by statute; check current pricing when you apply online. Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, and are valid for one year from the date you pay — you must test before that window expires or you'll need to pay again.

Wisconsin aesthetician licenses renew every two years, on March 31st of odd-numbered years, regardless of when you were initially licensed. The renewal fee is $11; a late renewal costs $36.

Continuing Education

Wisconsin does not require continuing education for aestheticians. 2017 Wisconsin Act 81 eliminated the Cosmetology Examining Board’s authority to impose CE requirements on barbers, cosmetologists, aestheticians, electrologists, and manicurists. Instead of CE, you must sign an attestation confirming you’ve reviewed DSPS’s summary of the law changes when you renew.

How to Renew

Renew online through the LicensE portal. If you don’t plan to practice, you can instead place your license on Inactive 454 Status, which carries a prorated renewal fee. If your license has been expired for more than five years, you must retake and pass the current written and practical exams before you can renew.

Wisconsin defines the scope of practice for aestheticians in Wis. Stat. § 454.01. “Aesthetics” means, for compensation, caring for or beautifying the skin of the human body, including but not limited to:

• Cleansing and product application: Applying cosmetics, oils, lotions, clay, creams, antiseptics, powders, or tonics to the skin
• Massage and stimulation: Massaging, stimulating, wrapping, or exercising the skin of the human body

An “aesthetician” is simply defined as a person who practices aesthetics. Aesthetics is one of the four services that together make up “cosmetology” under Wisconsin law, alongside barbering, manicuring, and hair removal at the root (other than by electric needle, which is electrology and requires a separate license). You can confirm any practitioner’s license status through the DSPS License Lookup tool.