All four Illinois beauty licenses in one place. Illinois uses NIC national exams via Continental Testing Services (CTS/PSI) — and uniquely, no practical exam is required for any license type. Written only, for every modality. CE required at renewal. Apply through IDFPR's CORE portal.
Illinois · Cosmetology
1,500 hours, the NIC national exam via CTS/PSI — written only, no practical — 75% passing, and 14 hours of CE at every renewal. Apply through IDFPR's CORE portal after passing. Licenses expire September 30 of odd-numbered years.
Illinois uses the NIC National Cosmetology Theory Examination, administered through Continental Testing Services (CTS) at PSI test centers. NICPrep's cosmetology question bank is built directly from the NIC Candidate Information Bulletin and is a direct-fit study resource for the Illinois cosmetology exam. Illinois does not require a separate state law exam — the NIC exam is all you need to sit for.
Illinois cosmetology is regulated by IDFPR under the Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding, and Nail Technology (BCENT) Act of 1985 — renewed through 2031 in August 2025. One board governs all four beauty professions. The exam is NIC, written only, and applications are processed through IDFPR's CORE portal launched in October 2024.
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Verify school approval at idfpr.illinois.gov. Full-time programs run approximately 12–15 months. After 1,200 hours, you may apply to CTS for examination authorization before graduation.
Apply at continentaltesting.net. Pay the non-refundable exam fee (~$107). CTS processes your application and approves your eligibility to test. Results and next steps come via email from CTS.
Once CTS approves your application, you receive instructions to schedule through PSI. Book at least a few days in advance. Testing is available at PSI centers statewide and via remote proctoring at select sites.
Official results are released within approximately four weeks. CTS mails you an Official Results Letter with IDFPR licensure application instructions. Do not apply to IDFPR before receiving this letter.
Apply at idfpr.illinois.gov/core.html. Submit your CTS results letter, pay the IDFPR application fee (~$50–$75), and complete the CHRI criminal history check. Processing typically takes 10 business days.
Illinois offers reciprocity for cosmetologists with a completed training program and passed licensure examination in another state, territory, or country with substantially similar requirements to the BCENT Act. Apply directly to IDFPR — no re-examination required if requirements are substantially equivalent.
Illinois cosmetology licenses expire September 30 of odd-numbered years (2025, 2027, 2029…). Renewal requires 14 hours of IDFPR-approved CE, including at least 1 hour of domestic violence awareness (for first renewal). CE is fully waived for the first renewal cycle. At least 7 of the 14 hours must be taken in a classroom setting; the remaining hours may be completed online. Renewal fee is approximately $100. Renew through the CORE portal.
🇪🇸 NICPrep's cosmetology prep is also available in Spanish.
Full 10-test NIC Cosmetology exam simulation with instant rationales and per-domain breakdown.
Practice tests and flashcards together. One purchase, one email, instant access to both.
1,099 cards: Sci · Hair · Skin · Nail. Front: question. Back: answer plus full rationale.
Illinois · Esthetics
750 hours, NIC esthetics exam via CTS/PSI — written only, no practical — $161 exam fee, 75% passing. CE required at renewal. Illinois does not recognize a "medical esthetician" designation — a formal IDFPR warning applies to that terminology.
Illinois uses the NIC National Esthetics Theory Examination administered through CTS/PSI. NICPrep's esthetics question bank is built directly from the NIC CIB and is a direct-fit resource for the Illinois exam. No separate state law exam is required.
Illinois esthetics is regulated under the same BCENT Act and IDFPR oversight as cosmetology. No practical exam is required. The Act was renewed through 2031 in August 2025 — without that renewal, the entire licensing framework would have been repealed January 1, 2026.
Illinois esthetics covers the cosmetic care of the stratum corneum — the outermost layer of skin. Services include cleansing, massaging, and exfoliating the superficial layer; makeup and lash/brow services; hair removal (waxing, tweezing, threading); and using cosmetic preparations and certain electrical devices that affect only the epidermis. Procedures affecting living tissue (dermis and below) are outside scope and considered the practice of medicine.
Illinois does not recognize a separate "medical esthetician" license. IDFPR has issued a formal memo warning that using the term in advertising may be misleading and could result in disciplinary action. Estheticians working in medspa settings must stay within their licensed scope of practice regardless of the facility type.
Ready to start studying? See pricing below ↓
Programs typically run 6–9 months full-time. Verify school approval at idfpr.illinois.gov. No apprenticeship option for esthetics in Illinois.
Apply at continentaltesting.net. Pay before completing all hours if you want to test early — but you must finish all 750 before the license is issued.
Computer-based at PSI centers. 110 questions, 90 minutes. Official results released within ~4 weeks. CTS mails your results letter with IDFPR application instructions.
Apply at idfpr.illinois.gov/core.html. Pay the $45 IDFPR application fee. Complete the CHRI check. Processing is typically 10 business days.
Illinois esthetics licenses expire September 30 of odd-numbered years — the same cycle as cosmetology. Renewal requires 10 hours of CE, including 1 hour domestic violence awareness (first renewal) and 1 hour sexual harassment prevention. CE fully waived for first renewal cycle. As of May 2025, all CE hours may be completed online.
🇰🇷 NICPrep's esthetics prep is also available in Korean — coming soon.
Full 10-test NIC Esthetics exam simulation with instant rationales and per-domain breakdown.
Practice tests and flashcards together. One purchase, one email, instant access to both.
1,100 cards: Sci · Skin. Front: question. Back: answer plus full rationale.
Illinois · Barber
1,500 hours, NIC barber exam via CTS/PSI — written only, no practical — $98 exam fee, 75% passing. Illinois barbers have the lowest education entry requirement in this guide: 8th grade. Licenses expire July 31 of odd-numbered years.
Illinois uses the NIC National Barber Styling Theory Examination administered through CTS at PSI test centers. NICPrep's barber question bank is built from the NIC Barber Styling CIB and is a direct-fit study resource for the Illinois barber exam. No practical examination required.
Illinois is unusual in requiring no practical examination for barber licensing — the written NIC exam is the only state exam needed. Barbers in Illinois are regulated under the same BCENT board as cosmetologists, by IDFPR. The apprenticeship pathway is available for barbers, unlike some other Illinois license types.
Ready to start studying? See pricing below ↓
Verify school approval at idfpr.illinois.gov. Apprenticeship requires an IDFPR apprentice permit before starting. Pre-file with CTS available after 1,200 hours.
Apply at continentaltesting.net. CTS approves eligibility and provides PSI scheduling instructions. A 30-day wait is required between failed attempts.
Computer-based at PSI centers. Official results from CTS within ~4 weeks. Do not apply to IDFPR until you receive your CTS results letter.
Apply at idfpr.illinois.gov/core.html. Pay the IDFPR application fee. Complete the CHRI check.
Illinois barber licenses expire July 31 of odd-numbered years — a different cycle from cosmetology/esthetics (September 30). Renewal requires 14 hours of CE. No CE required for first renewal. Renewal fee is approximately $25/year ($50 biennial). Renew through CORE.
🇪🇸 NICPrep's barber styling prep is also available in Spanish — coming soon.
Full 10-test NIC Barber Styling exam simulation with instant rationales and per-domain breakdown.
Practice tests and flashcards together. One purchase, one email, instant access to both.
1,100 cards: Sci · Hair · Implements · Facial. Front: question. Back: answer plus full rationale.
Illinois · Nail Technology
350 hours — the shortest Illinois beauty license. NIC nail tech exam via CTS/PSI, written only, no practical. Licenses expire October 31 of even-numbered years — unlike every other Illinois beauty license, which expires in odd years.
Illinois uses the NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination administered through CTS/PSI. NICPrep's nail technology question bank is built from the NIC Nail Technology CIB and is a direct-fit study resource for the Illinois nail tech exam. No practical examination required.
Illinois nail technology is regulated under the same BCENT framework, but on a different renewal cycle from the other three license types. At 350 hours, it's the shortest path to a licensed Illinois beauty career.
Ready to start studying? See pricing below ↓
Programs typically run 2–4 months full-time. Verify school approval at idfpr.illinois.gov.
Apply at continentaltesting.net. CTS reviews and approves eligibility, then provides PSI scheduling instructions.
Computer-based at PSI centers. Official results within ~4 weeks. Wait for CTS results letter before applying to IDFPR.
Apply at idfpr.illinois.gov/core.html. Pay the IDFPR fee (~$45). Complete the CHRI check.
Illinois nail technology licenses expire October 31 of even-numbered years (2026, 2028, 2030…) — the only Illinois beauty license on an even-year cycle. All other beauty licenses expire in odd years. Renewal requires 10 hours of CE. CE waived for first renewal. Renew through CORE.
🇻🇳 NICPrep's nail technology prep is also available in Vietnamese.
Full 10-test NIC Nail Technology exam simulation with instant rationales and per-domain breakdown.
Practice tests and flashcards together. One purchase, one email, instant access to both.
1,100 cards across 9 NIC domains. Front: question. Back: answer plus full rationale.
Illinois uses the NIC national exam — written only, no practical. NICPrep's question banks are built directly from the NIC CIBs Illinois uses. See the full prep on the modality page.