How to Renew Your Florida Cosmetology License (Hair, Nail, & Facial)

When do I renew my license?

Not everyone licensed or registered by the Board of Cosmetology renews at the same time. You belong to one of two renewal groups. All licenses and registrations issued by the Cosmetology Board need to be renewed biennially, or every two years.

Group 1

These licenses and registrations expire on October 31st of odd years (2021, 2023, 2025).

Group 2

These licenses and registrations expire on October 31st of even years (2022, 2024).

If you do not know which group you belong to, check your displayed license, or look online here.

What courses are required to renew my license or registration issued by the Board of Cosmetology?

All Florida licensed cosmetologists or registered specialists (Nail, Facial, and Full Specialists) are now required to complete a minimum of 10 hours of continuing education each biennial period before renewing their license. This requirement change from the 16-hour requirement occurred in February 2020. You can read more about that change here.

Here is the new minimum number of hours required in each of these topics:

• 3 hours of Sanitation and Sterilization
• 1 hour of HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases
• 2 hours of Florida and Federal Laws and Rules
• 1 hours of Chemical Makeup related to the Hair, Skin, and Nails
• .5 hour of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations
• .5 hour of issues of Workers’ Compensation related to Florida law
• 1 hour of Environmental Issues
• 1 hours of Continuing Education Electives

The electives include additional instruction in any of the courses approved by the State of Florida for the purpose of continuing education.

Electives may include (not exhaustive): sugaring, threading, airbrush techniques, waxing refresher, retail, self-care, or human trafficking. The course must be approved by the Florida Board of Cosmetology.

All of the above courses add up to 10 hours of continuing education.

Can I take the course package online?

Yes! Florida allows all professions under the cosmetology board to complete all of the required renewal courses online. There is not a hands-on/live requirement to renew a license or registration.

How much does it cost to renew my license or registration?

Here are the current biennial license and registration renewal fees for 2021, 2022 and 2023:

• Cosmetology License: $45
• Specialty Registrations
  • Nail Specialist: $45
  • Facial Specialist: $45
  • Full Specialist: $45
• Salon Licenses
  • Cosmetology Salons: $45
  • Mobile Cosmetology Salon: $45

Each of the above fees includes a $5 unlicensed activity (ULA) fee.

For a 2020 renewal, the Board of Cosmetology issued a “renewal holiday” and waived all renewal fees! Once your course completion posts to the DBPR website, you can log in to your account on myfloridalicense.com and print off your renewed license without paying any renewal fees.

There are no continuing education requirements for salon or mobile salon licenses. All Salon licenses expire on November 30th (11/30) of even years (2022, 2024).

I let my license or registration expire and would like to get it active again? How do I do that?

If you missed the 2020 or 2021 renewal deadline, your license is delinquent. To get it back to active status, simply complete this 10-hour continuing education requirement and pay the renewal fee. If you have missed two or more renewals, your license is now null and void.

Null and Void Status

If you have missed more than one renewal deadline for your cosmetology board license, it is now considered “null and void”.

A null and void license or registration cannot be reinstated unless the applicant demonstrates that he or she failed to renew the license due to an illness or economic hardship. If that does not apply to you, you will need to apply for a new license number.

In both these situations, you must complete a board-approved initial 4-hour HIV/AIDS course instead of the 10-hour renewal course. Submit the 4-hour HIV course completion certificate with your application.

Need an online 4-hour HIV/AIDS course for a null and void application? Click here to complete the 4-hour HIV/AIDS course.

Now that we have cleared that up, let’s get back to the 10-hour continuing education course for renewing your cosmetology (hairstylist), nail specialist (nail tech), facial specialist (esthetician), or full specialist license.

Ready to Renew Your Florida Cosmetology License or Specialist Registration? Get Started With Step 1

If you are ready to complete the 10-Hour continuing education course and start to renew your Florida cosmetology license for 2020, 2021, or 2022, the first thing you need to do is purchase the below course. Again, this course is for cosmetologists, nail, facial, and full specialists.

You can easily complete the course at any time. After you finish your exam we will quickly report your hours to the DBPR/Cosmetology Board. You will be able to quickly renew your license and then get back to enjoying the Florida sun and making your clients feel and look their best.

Hopefully, you have all the answers to all of the questions about how to renew your Florida cosmetology license or specialist registration. If you still have other questions, let us know.