Massachusetts Board of Cosmetology 2026: License & Renewal

Massachusetts licensing guide • verified September 28, 2026

Massachusetts Board of Cosmetology and Barbering: License, Renewal, Lookup & eLIPSE Help

The official regulator is the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering within the Division of Occupational Licensure. In 2026, applications, renewals, reinstatements, license management and complaints for this Board use eLIPSE, while PSI administers licensing examinations after Board approval.

Official Board Page Check a License Board Contact

Quick Answer: Which Massachusetts System Should You Use?

Use Massachusetts eLIPSE for current cosmetology and barbering licensing transactions, including first applications, renewals, reinstatements, account-linked license management and occupational-board complaints. Use the state’s free public license search when you only need to check whether a person or business is licensed. Use PSI only after the Board approves you to test.

Current platformeLIPSE

Cosmetology school1,000 hours

Cosmetologist application$68

Board phone617-701-8792

Important 2026 portal change: Massachusetts moved the Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering to eLIPSE. Older search results, bookmarks or PDFs may still mention ePLACE. Start a new transaction from current Mass.gov/eLIPSE guidance rather than relying on an old portal instruction.

What the Massachusetts Board Regulates

The Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering regulates cosmetology, barbering and electrology in Massachusetts. It licenses qualified individuals, salons and shops, schools and other regulated entities. The Board also handles license standards, applications, renewals, enforcement and related policies.

Individual credentialsCosmetologists, operators, aestheticians, manicurists, barbers, instructors, demonstrators and electrology credentials have separate requirements.

Businesses and schoolsCosmetology salons, aesthetic shops, manicuring shops, barbershops and schools use separate facility licensing rules.

Public protectionThe Board and DOL provide license checks, complaint filing, disciplinary records, regulations and consumer information.

Massachusetts law requires the appropriate Board-issued license before performing regulated services. A personal license does not automatically license a salon, shop, school or mobile business.

Massachusetts Cosmetology License Lookup

For an ordinary public check, use Massachusetts’ free occupational-board license search. Search the individual and the business separately when both matter. You can search by license number, first and last name, license type, or the associated business name or address.

Open the Massachusetts occupational license check.Use the official state service rather than a private directory.

Choose the strongest identifier.A complete license number is usually best; otherwise start with the legal name and license type.

Check the exact credential.Distinguish Registered Cosmetologist, Registered Operator, Aesthetician, Manicurist, salon, shop or another Board credential.

Read the status and expiration.Do not rely only on an old wall license, receipt or screenshot.

Search the business separately.A licensed individual and a licensed establishment are different state records.

Public lookup vs formal verification: the free public search is appropriate for checking current public status. A former or current Board licensee who needs an official verification letter for another jurisdiction uses the Board’s separate online verification request. Massachusetts currently lists that verification letter at $15.

Open the official Massachusetts license-check instructions.

How to Get a Massachusetts Cosmetology License

Massachusetts publishes minimum school-program requirements by profession. For the standard cosmetology route, complete a 1,000-hour course at a licensed school. The Board then processes the licensing application, and PSI administers the required written theory exam after Board approval.

Profession	Published minimum education	Current application fee	Exam route
Cosmetologist	1,000-hour licensed-school course	$68	Written theory exam after Board approval
Aesthetician	600-hour approved program	$68	Written theory exam after Board approval
Manicurist	100-hour approved program	$68	Written theory exam after Board approval
Barber	1,000-hour licensed-school course	$20	Written theory exam after Board approval
Electrologist	1,100-hour approved program	$97	Board-directed examination process

Current application sequence

Finish the correct approved training.Confirm the exact profession before relying on an hour requirement.

Create or use your MyMassGov account.Access the eLIPSE licensing platform through the current state workflow.

Submit the licensing application in eLIPSE.Upload the documents requested for the transaction, including the DOL CORI form when applicable.

Pay the application fee.Electronic payment is handled through eLIPSE.

Resolve any deficiency notice.Massachusetts currently holds incomplete applications open for 180 days; after that, an incomplete application can be treated as abandoned and require a new application and payment.

Wait for examination approval.After the Board processes the application, PSI sends scheduling information when an exam is required.

Confirm the issued license.Passing the exam does not substitute for the state actually issuing the credential.

For a license-only walkthrough, see our Massachusetts cosmetology license guide.

Massachusetts Cosmetology Exam: Board Approval First, PSI Second

PSI is the current testing vendor for Massachusetts cosmetology and related licensing exams. Applicants should not treat PSI as the licensing authority: the Board must first approve exam eligibility, after which PSI provides scheduling instructions.

First licenseCurrent Massachusetts guidance requires a written theory exam after qualifying education and Board approval.

PSI controls the appointmentUse the current PSI instructions for scheduling, identification, rescheduling and test-center rules.

Lapsed license is differentA license lapsed three years or more follows the reinstatement process and currently requires a written practical exam unless an official exception applies.

Massachusetts Cosmetology License Renewal and Fees

Registered Cosmetologist and Registered Operator licenses currently renew every two years on the licensee’s birthday. Other credentials can use different expiration dates and renewal cycles, so always check the exact license type and state record.

Credential	Current renewal fee	Renewal timing	Frequency
Cosmetologist	$68	Birthday	Every 2 years
Aesthetician	$68	Birthday	Every 2 years
Aesthetics Instructor	$68	Birthday	Every 2 years
Barber	$40	December 31, odd year	Every 2 years
Barbershop	$78	June 30, even year	Every 2 years
Cosmetology Salon	$82	December 31, even year	Every 2 years
Cosmetology School	$338	December 31, even year	Every 2 years

Late renewal: Massachusetts currently lists a $57 late-renewal fee in addition to the normal renewal fee when a renewal is received after expiration.

Renew in eLIPSE

Check your exact expiration date.Use the state record for the credential you are renewing.

Sign in through MyMassGov and eLIPSE.If the license is not visible, fix license linking before creating duplicate accounts or applications.

Complete the renewal action.Update contact information and provide the documents requested by the current transaction.

Pay the displayed fee.Online transactions also carry the e-payment vendor convenience fee.

Save the receipt and verify renewed status.Check that the state record reflects the new expiration before relying on it for work.

For renewal-specific help, use our Massachusetts cosmetology license renewal guide.

License Expired for 3 Years or More: Lapsed-License Reinstatement

Massachusetts treats a cosmetology license as lapsed when it has not been renewed within three years after expiration. A lapsed license does not simply use the ordinary renewal path.

Apply for reinstatementUse the current eLIPSE reinstatement process and provide the documents requested for the lapsed credential.

Exam after Board approvalThe current Mass.gov reinstatement page says applicants must complete a written practical exam after approval, subject to the Board’s stated exceptions.

Do not resume regulated practice merely because you submitted a reinstatement application. Confirm that the Board has issued the active credential.

Review the official Massachusetts lapsed-license process.

Transfer an Out-of-State or Foreign License to Massachusetts

Massachusetts uses an application route for licensees coming from another state or country. The Board determines whether an examination is required based on the existing license, training, examination history and equivalency rules.

Transfer situation	Current published application fee
Out-of-state cosmetologist, aesthetician or manicurist — no examination required	$204
Out-of-state cosmetologist, aesthetician or manicurist — examination required	$136
Out-of-state barber	$225
Out-of-country cosmetologist, aesthetician or manicurist	$136
Electrologist transfer application	$97

Massachusetts states that supporting documents must be originals and documents not in English must be translated by an accredited agency. Do not assume that holding a license elsewhere automatically waives the Massachusetts exam.

Open the official transfer instructions.

Massachusetts Salon, Shop and Mobile-Service Licensing

Facility licensing is separate from personal licensing. Massachusetts currently provides separate application routes for cosmetology, aesthetics and manicuring salons, barbershops, schools, mobile services and other regulated facilities.

Cosmetology salon

The current cosmetology/aesthetics/manicuring salon application fee is $136. Massachusetts states that multiple cosmetology salons cannot operate within the same space. If a salon has a new address or new owner, a new salon-license application is required. Floor-plan changes or renovations use the applicable salon expansion process.

Mobile services

The Board’s mobile-services policy covers services performed at a client-selected location, such as a home or office, and vehicles equipped as shops. Current Mass.gov guidance says people providing mobile services may need the applicable mobile individual, mobile business and mobile unit registrations.

Before offering house calls or operating from a vehicle, verify the mobile registration combination that applies to your business model. A personal cosmetology license alone does not automatically satisfy mobile-business requirements.

Review Massachusetts shop and salon licensing.

File a Complaint Against a Massachusetts Cosmetology Licensee

Complaints against occupational-board licensees and reports of unlicensed practice are filed electronically through eLIPSE. Massachusetts recommends gathering useful supporting material such as contracts, receipts, photographs and witness information before filing, although supporting documents are not always required.

Create or sign in to MyMassGov.Complaint filing uses the eLIPSE platform.

Gather the basic facts.Record the date, location, licensee or business name, license number if known and what happened.

Prepare supporting files.Receipts, contracts, photographs and witness details can help explain the complaint.

Use the File A Complaint action in eLIPSE.Follow the electronic complaint workflow and submit accurate contact information.

Open the official Massachusetts complaint process.

Massachusetts Board of Cosmetology and Barbering Contact

Board of Cosmetology and Barbering Services AdministrationPhone: 617-701-8792
Email: cosmetologyandbarberingboard@mass.gov

Division of Occupational LicensureOne Federal Street, Suite 600
Boston, MA 02110-2012

Use the Board for license-specific application, renewal, verification, transfer, reinstatement and account-linked licensing questions. Before contacting support, have the legal name on the license record, license/application number, exact credential type and the wording of any eLIPSE error or deficiency notice.

eLIPSE and Massachusetts License Troubleshooting

Problem	Possible reason	What to do
Existing license does not appear in eLIPSE	Name or account-linking mismatch	Check how your first and last name appear in the state record, then use the official linking guide before creating another account
Old instructions send you to ePLACE	Legacy page or bookmark	Start again from current Mass.gov eLIPSE guidance for Cosmetology and Barbering
Application shows incomplete	Missing document, CORI item, fee or other checklist requirement	Open the exact eLIPSE deficiency and respond before the 180-day incomplete-application window expires
Renewal payment completed but status still looks old	Processing or license record not yet updated	Keep the receipt, check eLIPSE messages and verify the public record before assuming renewal is complete
Another state needs formal proof	Public lookup is not an official verification letter	Use the Board’s online license-verification request; the current fee is $15
Salon moved	Facility license is location-specific	Submit the required new salon application rather than merely renewing the old location

Official Massachusetts Cosmetology Resources

Board of Registration of Cosmetology and BarberingOfficial Board page

eLIPSE how-to guidesAccount, linking, renewal and license-management guides

First-time licensingTraining, application and exam requirements

Renewal fees and schedulesCheck current fees and expiration cycles

License verificationFormal verification request instructions

Statutes and regulationsReview Board laws, rules and policies

Massachusetts Board of Cosmetology FAQs

What is the Massachusetts Board of Cosmetology phone number?

The Board of Cosmetology and Barbering Services Administration phone number is 617-701-8792. The current Board email is cosmetologyandbarberingboard@mass.gov.

Does Massachusetts use eLIPSE or ePLACE for cosmetology licensing?

Use eLIPSE for current Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering applications, renewals, reinstatements and license management. Older ePLACE directions may still appear in old pages or search results.

How many hours are required for a Massachusetts cosmetology license?

The standard cosmetologist school route currently requires a 1,000-hour course at a licensed school. Aesthetician, manicurist, barber and electrology credentials have different training requirements.

How much is the first Massachusetts cosmetologist application?

The current first-time cosmetologist application fee is $68. Examination and electronic-payment charges may be separate where applicable.

How much does a Massachusetts cosmetology license cost to renew?

The current Registered Cosmetologist renewal fee is $68. Massachusetts lists a $57 late-renewal fee in addition to the normal fee when renewal is received after expiration.

When does a Massachusetts cosmetologist license renew?

Registered Cosmetologist and Registered Operator licenses are currently listed as renewing every two years on the licensee’s birthday. Use the exact state record for your own expiration date.

Who administers the Massachusetts cosmetology exam?

PSI administers the licensing exam after the Massachusetts Board approves exam eligibility. The current first-license guidance describes a written theory exam.

What happens if a Massachusetts cosmetology license has been expired for 3 years?

A cosmetology license that has not been renewed within three years after expiration follows the lapsed-license reinstatement process rather than ordinary renewal. The current state reinstatement page requires Board approval and a written practical exam unless an official exception applies.

How do I transfer an out-of-state cosmetology license to Massachusetts?

Apply through the current Massachusetts transfer process in eLIPSE. The Board determines whether an exam is required based on the applicant’s license, training and examination history. Current fees differ depending on whether an examination is required.

Is a Massachusetts salon license separate from a cosmetologist license?

Yes. A practitioner credential and an establishment license are separate. A new salon address or new owner can require a new salon application.

Use This Guide to Choose the Right Route, Then Finish on Mass.gov

Board-of-Cosmetology.org is an independent information website. The Massachusetts Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering controls licensing decisions, eLIPSE controls current online licensing transactions, and the official Massachusetts record controls license status. Verify the exact credential, fee, expiration date and checklist before paying or practicing.