Do you need to take the cosmetology state board exam in Minnesota? On this page, you’ll find everything you need to know about scheduling and preparing for your exam, answers to all the most common questions, and a free practice test to check you’re prepared!
Congratulations: you’ve made it through cosmetology school and you’re SO close to your dream career in cosmetology!
The final step is to pass your cosmetology State Board exams in order to get your Minnesota cosmetology license. If you’re like a lot of people we talk to, the process of scheduling and taking your exams is daunting, confusing, and worrying. Don’t worry: we’ll walk you through the process step by step. Starting with…
To be eligible to take the Minnesota Board of Cosmetology exams, you must have:
Additionally, you must have worked a minimum number of practical hours (from a Board-approved school) before you can apply to take the exams:
Note: apprenticeships are not permitted in Minnesota. All practical hours must be performed in a Board-approved school. To be eligible to take the Minnesota Board of Barber Examiners exams, you must have:
Note: apprenticeships are not permitted in Minnesota. All practical hours must be performed in a Board-approved school.
In Minnesota, there are 2 different State Boards, depending on what you’re studying:
How to apply for the Minnesota Board of Cosmetology exams:
All candidates must pass 3 written exams in order to become licensed as a cosmetologist, nail technician, or esthetician. You can pay for and schedule all 3 examinations at once (called the “combination exam”), or you can pay for and schedule each one separately.
All exams are administered by a company called PSI, and you’ll visit a PSI site to take them.
For information about how to apply for the Minnesota State Board cosmetology exams, check the Minnesota Board Of Cosmetology to obtain your license
Applying for the exams costs the following for cosmetologists, nail technicians, and estheticians:
Or pay separately:
How to apply for the Minnesota Board of Barber Examiners exams:
Barbering in Minnesota is overseen by the Minnesota Board of Barber Examiners. All candidates must pass one written and one practical exam.
The exams are given 4 times a year, on the first Monday of February, May, August and November. Your completed application form is due in the office by the 20th of the month prior to the exam.
A list of barber application forms can be found here:
https://mn.gov/boards/barber-examiners/appsApplying for the exams costs $85.
Minnesota Board of Cosmetology examinations take place at PSI locations across the state. For a full list of all locations, visit https://candidate.psiexams.com/.
You should arrive at the test center at least 30 minutes before your scheduled exam time. If you arrive late, you won’t be admitted to the examination and you will forfeit your examination fee.
In order to be admitted into the examination(s), you must have 2 forms of valid (non-expired) signature-bearing identification.
For your primary identification (with photo), choose one from:
For your secondary identification, choose one from:
Note: student ID and employment ID are NOT acceptable forms of identification.
Minnesota Board of Barber Examiners examinations take place at a number of barbering schools throughout the state. Contact the State Board for more information: (651) 201-2820.
Minnesota Board of Cosmetology results will appear immediately on your computer screen (where you took the exam). If you pass, you’ll see a successful notification. If you do not pass, you’ll see an unsuccessful notification along with a diagnostic report indicating your strengths and weaknesses.
Additionally, a printed score report will be available at the test center. For the Minnesota Board of Barber Examiners, results will be mailed to you within five working days of the exam.
When you’ve passed all 3 written exams for the Minnesota Board of Cosmetology, you must download and complete the “Initial Operator License Application” form from this page. The form must be sent to the Board with $195 and a number of other items:
You will receive your license within 15 business days. Alternatively, you can pay $345 for expedited processing – which means you’ll receive your license within 5 business days.
When you have passed your barber examinations, your status will be updated in the Board’s license verification section of the website.
The most common reason for not getting your license is failing your written exam: the pass rate nationally is only 50%! However, students who use our Cosmetology Exam Preparation Package have a pass rate of 98.5%!
Getting ready for the Minnesota Cosmetology State Board Exam doesn’t have to be complicated. Start by checking your eligibility, apply for the exams, and know what to expect on test day.
Using a study package that mimics the exam experience can help you learn and remember the material better. Don’t forget to take free practice tests to see if you’re ready.
With a strong pass rate for those who prepare well, you’re on the right track to success. As you go into the exam, remember that this is an important step toward your career in cosmetology. Good luck, and reach out if you have any questions!
In Minnesota, there are 2 different State Boards, depending on what you’re studying:
For information about how to apply for the Minnesota State Board cosmetology exams, download the Candidate Information Bulletin here: https://mn.gov/boards/cosmetology/licensing/testing/. To apply for the Minnesota Board of Barber Examiners exams, visit this page: https://mn.gov/boards/barber-examiners/applications/becomingabarber.jsp.
You can reschedule your Minnesota State Board of Cosmetology exams if your cancellation is received at least 2 days before the scheduled examination date. To cancel, visit the PSI website: https://candidate.psiexams.com/. If you cancel with less than 2 days’ notice, you’ll forfeit your payment and will have to re-apply.
The Minnesota Board of Barber Examiners states that you’ll forfeit your payment and will need to re-apply (and re-pay) if you miss the exam “without appropriate notice”. You’ll also need to re-apply if you’re late for the exam (after 7.45 am) or don’t have a model on the day of the exam.
Applying for the exams costs the following for cosmetologists, nail technicians and estheticians:
Or pay separately:
Note: you will then need to pay another fee ($195) for the license itself, after you’ve passed all the exams.
Applying for the barber exams costs $85.
Cosmetologists in Minnesota need 1,550 hours; estheticians need 600 hours; and manicurists need 350 hours (all at an approved school).
Barbers in Minnesota need 1,500 hours of education at an approved barber school.
Minnesota Board of Cosmetology examinations take place at PSI locations across the state. For a full list of all locations, visit https://candidate.psiexams.com/.
Minnesota Board of Barber Examiners examinations usually take place at a number of barbering schools throughout the state. Contact the State Board for more information: (651) 201-2820.
No: apprenticeships are not permitted in Minnesota. All practical hours must be performed in a Board-approved school.
If you hold a valid cosmetology or barber license in another state, you must submit an application to the Board (using the Domestic License Transfer application form). Your license will be issued without examination if your education and examination requirements match those of the state. If not, you may need to have extra training and take exams before you can get your Minnesota license.
If you were a practitioner in another country but do not have a license in any US state, you’ll need to apply to an approved Minnesota cosmetology school as a transfer student before you can apply for a license. You will also need to have all appropriate non-U.S. documents credentialed and verified before you can begin the licensing process. For more information on barbering reciprocity, visit this page: https://mn.gov/boards/barber-examiners/reciprocity/reciprocity-application/
To obtain your cosmetology, esthetician, or nail technician license in Minnesota, you must have completed a specified number of practical hours at a Board-approved cosmetology school.
You must also pass 3 written exams. The 3 written exams are:
Once you’ve passed the exams, you’ll be granted your license.
To obtain your barber’s license, you must have completed 1,500 practical hours at a Board-approved school. You must also pass a practical exam and a written exam.
Once you’ve passed the exams, you’ll be granted your license.
No, you’ll need to complete the required hours first.
Here’s a breakdown of all the exams for Minnesota:
| Examination | Scored items | Non-scored items* | Time allowed |
| Cosmetology combo exam | 190 | 20 | 5 hours |
| General theory exam | 100 | 10 | 2 hours |
| State exam | 30 | 5 | 1 hour |
| Written practical exam | 60 | 5 | 2 hours |
| Esthetician combo exam | 155 | 20 | 4 hours |
| General theory exam | 75 | 10 | 1.5 hours |
| State exam | 30 | 5 | 1 hour |
| Written practical exam | 50 | 5 | 1.5 hours |
| Nail technician combo exam | 135 | 20 | 4 hours |
| General theory exam | 60 | 10 | 1.5 hours |
| State exam | 30 | 5 | 1 hour |
| Written practical exam | 45 | 5 | 1.5 hours |
| Barber exams | |||
| Written exam | 100 | N/A | 2 hours |
| Practical exam | N/A | N/A | 2 hours |
These questions are being assessed for inclusion on future versions of the exam, and they won’t count toward or against your score.
There’s no universal passing score: each state chooses its own pass rate. In Minnesota, cosmetologists, estheticians, manicurists and barbers all need to score at least 75% per exam to pass their cosmetology exams.
Minnesota doesn’t have an average pass rate for the state as a whole.
The national average pass rate for the cosmetology written exam is about 50%. (National pass rates for barbers, estheticians and manicurists are unavailable.)
Check if you’re on track to pass your exam by taking our free cosmetology practice test.
In Minnesota, you can retake the cosmetology, nail technician, and esthetician examinations as many times as you need. If you take the combination examination and only pass 1 or 2 and fail the other(s), you will only need to retake the failed examination(s). Each time you retake, you will need to pay the examination fee.
For the barber examinations, the rules depend on which exam you fail:
In Minnesota, it can take as little as 10 months to complete the required hours of training for your cosmetology, nail technician, esthetician or barbering license. If you attend school part-time, it can take up to 2 years.
To renew your license as a cosmetologist (including nail technicians and estheticians) in Minnesota, you must follow several steps:
The renewal fee is $115 (or $160 for a late renewal).
If you would like to renew your barber’s license (which expires on December 31st of every year, regardless of when it was awarded to you), you can submit your renewal application online, by post, or in person. Instructions can be found here: https://mn.gov/barber-examiners The renewal fee is $80 (or $95 for a late renewal).
Use our Cosmetology Exam Preparation Package to learn everything you need to pass the written exam. Our package includes a study guide that’s structured to help you learn the RIGHT information rather than ALL the information, which can help you cut your preparation/revision time in half. Then use our simulated exams to practice for the written exam under test conditions. This part is really important: it’s the key to helping you succeed!
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