North Dakota Cosmetology Board 2026: Renew & Lookup

North Dakota Board Phone, Email and Bismarck Office

Use the Board for licensing, renewal, establishment, endorsement and state-rule questions. Use Prov only after the Board has established exam eligibility.

What to prepare before contacting the Board

• Legal first and last name used on the Board record.
• Individual, establishment or independent-licensee number.
• Exact expiration year and public lookup result.
• Form name and submission date.
• Payment or transaction reference.
• Screenshot or exact wording of an online error.
• Current phone, email and mailing address.

Ready-to-use contact script

North Dakota Cosmetology License Lookup

The free lookup and a formal license verification are different services. Use public lookup for current checking; use the $20 verification form when another licensing board needs an official certification.

Annual License Renewal and 2026 Late-Renewal Help

North Dakota licenses expire on December 31 each year. A complete application and correct payment are required; the Board does not accept payment by itself as a renewal application.

What the Official Renewal Form Requires

The current form is SFN 61745, revised August 2025 for the 2026 cycle. An incomplete application can prevent processing even when payment is correct.

When One Person Must Renew Two Licenses

North Dakota separates authority to perform services from authority to operate a business or independent rented space.

Fix Common Online Renewal Errors

North Dakota Cosmetology Fees for 2026

Fees apply separately to each credential, are not prorated and are generally not returnable. Exam vendors collect examination charges separately.

School and Registered Apprenticeship Requirements

Apprenticeship is not merely a larger number of practical hours. It includes supervised on-the-job learning and separate related technical instruction.

Apprenticeship rules that matter before enrollment

• The program must be Board recognized and registered through the required apprenticeship system.
• OJL means supervised on-the-job learning.
• RTI means related technical instruction covering theory and professional knowledge.
• Cosmetology requires 40 RTI hours before client services begin.
• Esthetics and manicuring require 30 RTI hours before client services begin.
• A one-to-one trainer-to-apprentice ratio applies during OJL services.
• School hours and apprenticeship hours are not automatically interchangeable.
• Apprentices generally must maintain an average of at least 80 combined hours per month.
• Maximum program periods are generally 36 months for cosmetology and 30 months for esthetics or manicuring.

Apply for Your First North Dakota License

NIC Practical, Theory and North Dakota Law Examinations

Practical-exam packing checklist

• Printed Board admission letter.
• Original government-issued photo identification.
• Legal name-change documents when ID and admission-letter names differ.
• Correct mannequin for the profession.
• Your own mannequin stand or clamp.
• Required tools, implements, labels and protective supplies.
• Cold curling iron for applicable cosmetology tasks.
• Correctly labeled simulated products.
• Low-odor monomer for manicure testing; MMA is prohibited.
• Current NIC Candidate Information Bulletin and Blood Exposure Procedure.

Arrival, results and retake rules

• Arrive no more than approximately 15 minutes early unless the admission letter directs otherwise.
• Late candidates are not admitted after the examination process begins.
• Live models are not permitted.
• A previously cut mannequin may be used, but cosmetology candidates still must cut at least one inch throughout the haircut demonstration.
• Practical results are normally emailed the next business day.
• A failed practical candidate retakes the entire practical examination.
• The current practical reexamination fee is $25.

Late Renewal, Reinstatement or New Application?

Official reinstatement-form checklist

• Use SFN 62020 rather than the ordinary renewal form.
• Provide current contact and physical-address information.
• Identify the license type and expiration date.
• Disclose applicable charges or convictions during the previous five years.
• Attach the written explanation and criminal judgment where required.
• Submit the current $200 total.
• Pass the current North Dakota Laws, Rules and Regulations examination.
• Wait for the renewed record before working.

Transfer an Out-of-State License to North Dakota

North Dakota’s current statute calls the process licensure by endorsement. Do not assume the older 2024 reciprocity PDF describes every 2026 pathway.

Current no-examination endorsement route

• The other jurisdiction licenses a similar scope of work.
• Its examination standards are substantially similar or equivalent.
• The issuing jurisdiction verifies its minimum education requirements were met.
• The applicant maintained good standing in all licensing jurisdictions for at least one year.
• No license was revoked or surrendered while under investigation.
• No unresolved disciplinary matter prevents issuance.
• All applicable fees are paid.

Individual, Independent-Licensee and Establishment Credentials

Independent-licensee operating rules

• Maintain a current North Dakota individual license.
• Maintain a separate independent-licensee license for each establishment.
• Maintain an active lease arrangement with the licensed establishment.
• Display both credentials in clear view in the immediate work area.
• Follow sanitation rules in the private and shared spaces.
• Allow inspection access even when the independent licensee is absent.
• Notify the Board and provide a revised floor plan after applicable relocation within an establishment.

Open, Buy or Relocate a North Dakota Establishment

The current establishment application is SFN 11795, revised November 2025. Submit the original notarized application and $150 fee approximately two weeks before the planned opening.

Application facility checklist

Floor plan must identify

• Entrances and exits, with the main entrance labeled.
• Reception area.
• Every restroom.
• All workstations, chairs and private suites.
• Supply and dispensing areas.
• Exhaust-fan location.
• Dryer locations.
• Sink locations.

Advertising rules

• Advertisements must be truthful and not misleading.
• Use the licensed individual, business or school name.
• Separate services governed by different regulatory authorities.
• Identify the supervising licensed health-care provider when advertising services that legally require supervision.

Premises, Home Establishment and Sanitation Rules

The 2026 rules poster and administrative code contain practical premises requirements that should be checked before signing a lease or converting part of a home.

Daily sanitation controls

• Maintain enough workspace for safe service and cleaning.
• Keep reception, supply, restroom and service areas clean.
• Provide hot and cold running water and plumbing within the premises.
• Keep service water separate from restroom-only plumbing.
• Clean and disinfect shampoo bowls after each use.
• Provide chemical-service ventilation that meets applicable local code.
• Mount the fire extinguisher in public view and train employees to use it.
• Separate clean, disinfected, used and soiled items.
• Keep hazardous cleaning products inaccessible to clients.
• Display current individual and establishment credentials.

Prepare for a Board Inspection or Reinspection

Inspections can be routine, complaint based, disciplinary or connected to a new establishment, ownership change, late renewal or earlier violation.

Advanced-Esthetician Licensing Changes for 2026

Advanced esthetics became a separate North Dakota license category in 2026. A standard esthetician or cosmetologist license alone does not automatically authorize advanced procedures.

Grandfather-path requirements

• North Dakota cosmetologist or esthetician license.
• At least one year of qualifying practical experience immediately before January 1, 2026.
• Board-approved four-hour safety and infection-control course.
• Active OSHA bloodborne-pathogens certification.
• Active Board-approved first-aid and CPR certification.
• Either 300 hours of qualifying supervised service during the prior five years or 150 hours of Board-approved advanced training.
• Application submitted by December 31, 2027.

Continuing-Education Requirements and the 2026 Source Conflict

CE depends on license type and effective date. Do not apply one number to every North Dakota license holder.

CE course and reporting rules

• Use Board-approved courses or programs.
• Check whether mandatory subjects were published for the year.
• Use CE Broker where required and keep the signed certificate.
• One credit hour generally equals 50 minutes of training.
• Product sales pitches and marketing-only programs do not qualify.
• Online courses require attendance verification and a score of at least 70% on the quiz.
• General trade-show attendance is limited to one CE hour per year.
• Course providers should seek approval before the course; retroactive approval is not guaranteed.

Complaints, Inspection Evidence, Photos and Reviews

A third-party review is an opinion. A Board complaint should identify a possible violation and provide a clear factual record.

North Dakota Statutes and Rules Decoder

The 2026 documents contain old and amended language together. Read the provision labeled effective after December 31, 2025 when evaluating a 2026 requirement.

Official North Dakota Action Links

Use the explanations above to select the correct route. Use these official pages for searches, forms, submissions, payments and legal confirmation.

Related guides on this website

For broader school-hour, exam, renewal and state-transfer planning, read the U.S. cosmetology license guide. For an explanation of individual, establishment and state-board responsibilities, use the Board of Cosmetology guide.