All four New Jersey beauty licenses in one place. NJ uses its own state-specific Prometric exams (not NIC), a single Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling covers all license types including barbers, and no continuing education is required at renewal for any license type.
New Jersey · Cosmetology
1,200 hours, a written exam via Prometric (120 questions, 75% passing), a practical, and a temporary permit while you wait. NJ calls this a "cosmetology-hairstylist" license — it covers hair, skin, and limited nail services.
New Jersey's State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling issues the cosmetology-hairstylist license — the broadest beauty license in the state, covering hair, basic skin care, limited nail services, waxing, and makeup. All exams are administered by Prometric. No apprenticeship pathway exists for cosmetology in New Jersey.
New Jersey's cosmetology exams are developed for the NJ State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling and administered by Prometric — they are not the NIC National Cosmetology Theory Examination. The written exam contains 110 scored questions + 10 unscored, passing score 75%. NICPrep's question banks are built to the NIC format. For New Jersey specifically, our content is strong supplementary study material — domain coverage overlaps substantially — but is not a 1:1 match to NJ's exam blueprint.
A temporary permit (120 days) is available upon application — allows you to work while waiting to be scheduled for exams. Once issued, the permit cannot be renewed; pass your exams before it expires.
Verify school approval at njconsumeraffairs.gov. Programs typically run 9–12 months full-time. Your school will submit proof of training hours to the Board.
Apply to the NJ State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. The filing fee is $50, plus a licensing fee of $60 if applying in the first year of a licensing cycle or $30 in the second year. Request a temporary permit at the same time if needed.
Once authorized, register at prometric.com/njsbch. Pay the $39 written exam fee. Schedule at a Prometric center in New Jersey.
120 questions in 120 minutes. Score is available immediately at the Prometric center. If you fail, you may retake — but you may not take the exam more than two times under NJ rules.
After passing the written exam, register with Prometric for the practical. Pay $53. 75% required to pass. Results are provided at the testing site.
Once both exams are passed, submit any remaining documents to the Board. Your cosmetology-hairstylist license is issued and valid for two years.
NICPrep's cosmetology question bank covers infection control, hair services, chemical treatments, skin care, and nail care — the domains NJ's written exam draws from. Try 10 free questions, no signup.
New Jersey grants reciprocity to out-of-state cosmetologists who hold a current, active license from a state with substantially equivalent requirements (1,200+ hours and equivalent exam). Submit an out-of-state application with verification of licensure from your original state. Note: NJ does not reciprocate with California, Florida, Hawaii, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, or Utah for cosmetology.
Biennial (every 2 years) in even-numbered years · $60 renewal fee · No CE required. Renew through the NJ MyLicense portal (myidentity.ps.nj.gov) or by mail.
New Jersey · Esthetics
600 hours, same Prometric exam structure as cosmetology, 75% passing score on both written and practical. NJ calls this a "skin care specialist" license — makeup artistry without a salon setting may not require it, but professional facial services always do.
New Jersey licenses skin care specialists (estheticians) through the same State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling that governs cosmetology. The 600-hour requirement and Prometric exam structure are the same framework as cosmetology — just scoped to skin care services.
New Jersey's esthetics exams are developed for the NJ Board and administered by Prometric — they are not the NIC National Esthetics Theory Examination. Passing score: 75% on both written and practical. NICPrep's esthetics question banks are built to the NIC format and are strong supplementary prep — not a 1:1 match to NJ's exam blueprint.
Programs typically run 4–6 months full-time. No apprenticeship option in NJ for esthetics.
Apply to the NJ Board. Request a temporary permit at the same time if you want to work while waiting for exams.
Schedule at prometric.com/njsbch. The written exam covers skin anatomy, infection control, facial procedures, hair removal, makeup, and NJ laws.
After passing written, book the practical at Prometric. Bring supplies as specified in the NJ Candidate Manual.
NJ esthetics license is valid for two years.
NICPrep's esthetics question bank covers skin anatomy, infection control, facial services, hair removal, and product chemistry. Try 10 free questions, no signup required.
NJ accepts out-of-state esthetics licenses from states with substantially equivalent requirements. If your home state's requirements differ, you may need to provide proof of 3+ years of professional experience. Current active license required.
Biennial · $50 renewal fee · No CE required. Renew through MyLicense.
New Jersey · Barber
New Jersey merged its barber and cosmetology boards in 1984 — there is no separate barber board. 900 hours at a barber school, the same Prometric exams as cosmetology, and the same Board oversight. Barbers in NJ can also perform chemical services, distinguishing the license from a restricted barber license in other states.
Barbering and cosmetology in New Jersey are regulated by the same Board — the State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. There is no separate NJ Barbers' Board. Barbers complete 900 hours (300 fewer than cosmetologists) at a Board-approved barber school, and the same Prometric written and practical exam structure applies.
New Jersey's barber exams are developed for the NJ Board and administered by Prometric — they are not the NIC National Barber Theory Examination. Content overlap with NIC-calibrated prep material is significant (haircutting, shaving, scalp anatomy, infection control, NJ laws), but the item bank is NJ-specific. NICPrep's barber question banks are built to the NIC format — strong supplementary prep, not a 1:1 match to NJ's blueprint.
Programs typically run 7–9 months full-time. No apprenticeship available in NJ for barbers.
Apply to the NJ State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling (same Board as cosmetology). Apply for a temporary permit if needed.
Schedule at prometric.com/njsbch. Covers barber theory, sanitation, shaving techniques, chemical services, and NJ laws.
After passing written. Bring required tools as specified in the NJ Barber Candidate Manual.
Valid for two years. Renewable through MyLicense.
NICPrep's barber question bank covers haircutting theory, shaving, scalp anatomy, infection control, and chemical services. Try 10 free questions with rationales, no signup.
NJ accepts out-of-state barber licenses from states with substantially equivalent requirements. NJ is notable for granting reciprocity primarily to individuals holding both an active barber and cosmetology-hairstylist license in their home state. Applicants with only a barber license may still apply — contact the Board for current reciprocity criteria for single-license holders.
Biennial · $60 renewal fee · No CE required. Renew through MyLicense in even-numbered years.
New Jersey · Manicurist
New Jersey calls this the "manicurist" license — 300 hours at a Board-approved school, the same Prometric written and practical structure, 75% passing score. NJ nail tech written exams are administered by PSI (not Prometric), which is the one exam-provider split in the NJ licensing system.
New Jersey's manicurist license is issued by the same State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling that governs all other license types. The written exam is administered by PSI (not Prometric — the same provider used for cosmetology, esthetics, and barber in NJ). The practical is handled through the Board directly. Both require 75% to pass.
New Jersey's manicurist written exam is administered by PSI (not Prometric, which handles cosmetology/esthetics/barber in NJ). The exam is state-specific — it is not the NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination. Passing score: 75% on both written and practical. NICPrep's nail tech question banks are built to the NIC format — strong supplementary prep, not a 1:1 match to NJ's exam blueprint.
Programs typically run 2–3 months full-time. Your school submits proof of training to the Board.
Apply to the NJ State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. Once authorized, PSI contacts you with written exam scheduling instructions.
Written exam covers nail anatomy, sanitation, manicure/pedicure procedures, nail enhancements, and NJ laws. Book through PSI's scheduling portal.
Download the practical exam application from the Board. Have it notarized. Pay exam fees (check current amount on the Board's application form, payable to "State of New Jersey"). Mail to the Board.
Practical is held at Board-authorized exam sites. Bring required supplies. Results issued after the exam. License is valid for two years.
NICPrep's nail tech question bank covers nail anatomy, infection control, nail disorders, product chemistry, and nail service procedures. Try 10 free questions, no signup required.
NJ accepts out-of-state manicurist/nail tech licenses from states with substantially equivalent requirements. Submit verification of your current active license from your home state's licensing board. Contact the NJ Board to confirm current endorsement eligibility for your specific state.
Biennial · $50 renewal fee · No CE required. Renew through MyLicense in even-numbered years.
New Jersey uses state-specific Prometric and PSI exams, not NIC. But the core domains — infection control, anatomy, hair services, skin care, nail care, NJ laws — overlap substantially with NIC prep material. Try 10 real questions free.