Written exam planning
Cosmetology State Board Exam by State (2026): Questions, Time Limit & Passing Score
Compare 31 source-reviewed exam records across 15 states. The tables show cosmetology, nail technician and esthetician formats, with links to the official instructions.
Question counts have different scopes: some are scored items, some include pretest items, and some cover multiple written parts. Read each row’s scope before comparing. A passing scaled score is not a percentage of correct answers. This is a selected, source-reviewed comparison, not coverage of every state.
Cosmetology written exams
12 source-reviewed state records
| State | Questions and scope | Time | Passing standard | Provider | Exam fee | Languages | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas (AR) | 100 | 90 minutes | 70% | Arkansas Department of Health, Cosmetology Section | Check current bulletin | Not verified here; check board | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-08-06Other cited sources
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| California (CA) | 100Scored questions only; the Board lists additional pretest questions within the allowed time. | 120 minutes | Not verified here; check bulletin | PSI | Check current bulletin | English, Spanish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-10-30Other cited sources
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| Florida (FL) | Written Theory: 65; Written Clinical: 65 (130 combined across separate examinations)Two separate written examinations. Counts and time are per part; the combined question count is calculated from both parts. | Written Theory: 90 minutes; Written Clinical: 90 minutes (separately timed) | 75% scaled score | Pearson VUE | Check current bulletin | Not verified here; check board | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-10-30Other cited sources
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| Georgia (GA) | 100 | 120 minutes | 70% | PSI Services LLC | Check current bulletin | English | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-08-06Other cited sources
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| Indiana (IN) | 110General and state scored items combined; additional unscored experimental items are not included. | 120 minutes | 75% | PSI Services LLC | $49 | Not verified here; check board | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-08-06Other cited sources |
| Kansas (KS) | 120Written theory count only. A separate written practical exam is also required; the fee shown is per written exam. | Not verified here; check bulletin | 75 | Ergometrics & Applied Personnel Research, Inc. | $75 | English | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-07-30Other cited sources |
| Maryland (MD) | 100 | 120 minutes | 75% | PSI Services LLC | Check current bulletin | Not verified here; check board | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-07-30 |
| Minnesota (MN) | 190Published combination-exam scored total covering general theory, state law and written practical components; unscored items are excluded. Parts can also be booked separately. | 300 minutes | 75% | PSI Services LLC | $85 | English, Spanish, Vietnamese | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-10-30Other cited sources
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| Nevada (NV) | 100Scored items only; additional pretest items and the separate Nevada State Law test are not included. Translated exams may omit pretest items. | 120 minutes | 75% | Pearson VUE | Check current bulletin | Not verified here; check board | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-10-30Other cited sources
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| Ohio (OH) | 100 | 90 minutes | Not verified here; check bulletin | Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board | Check current bulletin | Not verified here; check board | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-08-06Other cited sources
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| Pennsylvania (PA) | 135Total items include unscored pretest questions. The passing standard is a scaled score, not a percentage of correct answers. | 135 minutes | 75 scaled score | Pearson VUE | $93 | English, Spanish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-07-30 |
| Texas (TX) | 100Scored questions only; PSI adds 10 unscored pretest questions and 10 extra minutes to the 120-minute scored limit (130 minutes total). | 120 minutes | 70% correct | PSI | $55 | English, Spanish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-10-30Other cited sources
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Nail Technician written exams
11 source-reviewed state records
| State | Questions and scope | Time | Passing standard | Provider | Exam fee | Languages | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California (CA) | 60Scored questions only; the Board lists additional pretest questions within the allowed time. | 90 minutes | Not verified here; check bulletin | PSI | Check current bulletin | English, Spanish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-10-30Other cited sources
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| Illinois (IL) | 65 | 90 minutes | 75% | Continental Testing Services / PSI | Check current bulletin | Not verified here; check board | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-08-06Other cited sources
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| Indiana (IN) | 60General and state scored items combined; additional unscored experimental items are not included. | 90 minutes | 75% | PSI Services LLC | $49 | Not verified here; check board | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-08-06Other cited sources |
| Kansas (KS) | 100Written theory count only. A separate written practical exam is also required; the fee shown is per written exam. | Not verified here; check bulletin | 75 | Ergometrics & Applied Personnel Research, Inc. | $75 | English | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-07-30Other cited sources |
| Michigan (MI) | 60 | 90 minutes | Not verified here; check bulletin | PSI Services LLC | $93 | Not verified here; check board | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-08-06Other cited sources
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| Minnesota (MN) | 135Published combination-exam scored total covering general theory, state law and written practical components; unscored items are excluded. Parts can also be booked separately. | 240 minutes | 75% | PSI Services LLC | $85 | English, Spanish, Vietnamese | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-10-30Other cited sources
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| Nevada (NV) | 50Scored items only; additional pretest items and the separate Nevada State Law test are not included. Translated exams may omit pretest items. | 90 minutes | 75% | Pearson VUE | Check current bulletin | Not verified here; check board | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-10-30Other cited sources
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| Ohio (OH) | 100 | 90 minutes | Not verified here; check bulletin | Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board | Check current bulletin | Not verified here; check board | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-08-06Other cited sources
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| Oregon (OR) | 100Nail field-of-practice exam only; the Oregon Laws and Rules exam is a separate written requirement. | 90 minutes | 75% | Oregon Health Licensing Office | $45 per field exam + $45 Oregon Laws and Rules exam | English, Spanish, Vietnamese | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-10-30Other cited sources
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| Pennsylvania (PA) | 75Total items include unscored pretest questions. The passing standard is a scaled score, not a percentage of correct answers. | 105 minutes | 75 scaled score | Pearson VUE | $93 | English, Spanish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-07-30 |
| Texas (TX) | 60Scored questions only; PSI adds 6 unscored pretest questions and 10 extra minutes to the 90-minute scored limit (100 minutes total). | 90 minutes | 70% correct | PSI | $55 | English, Spanish, Vietnamese | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-10-30Other cited sources
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Esthetician written exams
8 source-reviewed state records
| State | Questions and scope | Time | Passing standard | Provider | Exam fee | Languages | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California (CA) | 75Scored questions only; the Board lists additional pretest questions within the allowed time. | 90 minutes | Not verified here; check bulletin | PSI | Check current bulletin | English, Spanish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-10-30Other cited sources
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| Indiana (IN) | 85General and state scored items combined; additional unscored experimental items are not included. | 90 minutes | 75% | PSI Services LLC | $49 | Not verified here; check board | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-08-06Other cited sources |
| Kansas (KS) | 100Written theory count only. A separate written practical exam is also required; the fee shown is per written exam. | Not verified here; check bulletin | 75 | Ergometrics & Applied Personnel Research, Inc. | $75 | English | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-07-30Other cited sources |
| Minnesota (MN) | 155Published combination-exam scored total covering general theory, state law and written practical components; unscored items are excluded. Parts can also be booked separately. | 240 minutes | 75% | PSI Services LLC | $85 | English, Spanish, Vietnamese | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-10-30Other cited sources
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| Nevada (NV) | 75Scored items only; additional pretest items and the separate Nevada State Law test are not included. Translated exams may omit pretest items. | 90 minutes | 75% | Pearson VUE | Check current bulletin | Not verified here; check board | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-10-30Other cited sources
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| Ohio (OH) | 100 | 90 minutes | Not verified here; check bulletin | Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board | Check current bulletin | Not verified here; check board | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-08-06Other cited sources
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| Pennsylvania (PA) | 100Total items include unscored pretest questions. The passing standard is a scaled score, not a percentage of correct answers. | 105 minutes | 75 scaled score | Pearson VUE | $93 | English, Spanish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-07-30 |
| Texas (TX) | 75Scored questions only; PSI adds 7 unscored pretest questions and 10 extra minutes to the 105-minute scored limit (115 minutes total). | 105 minutes | 70% correct | PSI | $55 | English, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese | Official bulletin or board page ↗Checked 2026-10-30Other cited sources
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Confirm your own examination route
Florida has two separately timed written parts. Minnesota offers a combination of written components. Some other states require a separate law test. The table preserves these differences instead of presenting every count as one exam.
If your state is missing, open the state board directory or license requirements by state. Exam details and fees change; confirm the linked bulletin before you book.
Practice after checking your state
Start free questions and review what you miss
Use the complete free practice sets or the separate ten-question app sample to review theory and explanations. Confirm your state’s format and the practice settings available in the app; these samples do not reproduce every state’s exam or predict a pass.
State board written exam questions
- How many questions are on the cosmetology state board exam?
- It depends on the state and the examination part. Compare the sourced rows above, including whether each count includes pretest items, scored questions only, or multiple written components.
- How long is the written exam?
- Use the time in your state and trade row. Florida gives each of its two written parts its own time limit; do not treat a combined question count as one continuous sitting.
- What score do I need to pass?
- Use the exact standard in your official instructions. A scaled passing score, such as the one reported for Pennsylvania and Florida, is not the percentage of questions you must answer correctly.
- Can I take the examination in Spanish or another language?
- The language cell lists the options already verified for that record. An empty record is shown as not verified here, not as proof that only English is offered. A translated study app does not establish an official testing-language option.
- Who administers my exam?
- The provider column identifies the agency or vendor recorded for that state and trade. Open the official source and your eligibility notice before scheduling.
- Is a practical exam also required?
- That depends on the credential. Some states use hands-on examinations, while a written clinical or written practical component is still a written test. Open the linked state guide for the complete route.
Verify before applying. Licensing rules, fees, providers, and exam formats can change. Use the linked board source as the final authority.