What Is the Esthetician exam?
The Esthetician exam is the final step towards receiving your Esthetician license.
It was developed by the National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology, and it is designed to test your theoretical and practical knowledge in esthetics.
How many versions of the Esthetician exam are there?
There are two types of esthetician exams.
The most popular one is the one designed by NIC. Many states offer this exam as their official licensing examination.
The states that do not offer the NIC exam have designed their own examination.
While the structure might differ slightly, the guidelines and content areas required by both versions are the same.
Even the states that do not offer the NIC exam must follow NIC guidelines.
How much does the Esthetician exam cost?
The cost of the Esthetician exam will vary depending on your state.
You can expect to pay upwards of $200 in fees for your initial examination. Retakes and re-enrollments also require an additional fee in some states.
To clearly understand the cost of the Esthetician exam, visit your state's licensing board website.
Where can I take the Esthetician exam?
You can take the Esthetician exam at different testing locations in your state.
If your state requires the NIC examination, you will be able to take it at PSI testing centers in your area, as well as other institutions.
If your state has its own examination, you should be able to take it at different schools/institutions.
To check for availability, visit your state's licensing board website.
Remember that some states require a fee if you choose to test at PSI.
How many times can I take the Esthetician exam?
For most states, you should be able to take the Esthetician exam as many times as you need to.
Some states do have stricter policies, however, and they allow only a set number of attempts during one calendar year.
To see your state's policies, visit their licensing board website.
How soon can I retake the Esthetician exam?
The time you have to wait between your initial attempt and the retake depends on your state.
Some states allow you to register for your retake right after receiving your scores, with no imposed time limit.
Some states require waiting at least 7 days before you can register for your retake.
Some states will allow a number of retakes and then impose a wait period. For example, you might be allowed three retakes back to back. However, if you fail all three attempts, you will have to wait upwards of three months until you can register for your fourth attempt.
To see how your state handles retakes, visit their licensing board website.
What do I do if I miss my Esthetician exam because of an emergency?
If you miss your esthetician exam because of an emergency, you will most likely be allowed to reschedule without additional fees.
Some states might require you to provide documentation as proof of the emergency.
Can I transfer my Esthetician exam scores?
In most cases, you will not be able to transfer your scores from one state to another.
This means that if you have passed the Esthetician exam in one state and received your license, you will most likely have to retake the written and/or practical exam.
There are some policies in place that might allow you to transfer your license. These have requirements dependent on the state's policies.
To check your state's policies, visit their licensing board website.
Can I reschedule my Esthetician exam?
Usually, you will be allowed to reschedule your exam if you need to.
Remember that each state might have different policies in place for rescheduling, such as additional fees, specific time windows, and/or documentation proving your need to reschedule.
To see how your state handles rescheduling, visit their licensing board website.
Do I need to take both practical and written Esthetician exams?
Most states require you to take both the written and practical portions of the Esthetician exam.
There are some states, like California, that only require you to pass the written portion in order to get your license.
For updated information regarding your state's policies, visit their licensing board website.
Can I take the Esthetician exam remotely?
Many states give you the opportunity to take the Esthetician exam remotely for both the written and the practical portions.
Usually, your remote exam will be taken through PSI.
However, this is not the case for all states, especially those that do not offer the NIC exam.
To check your state's remote examination availability, visit their licensing board website.
How many times is the Esthetician exam offered per year?
There is no set number of times the Esthetician exam is offered per year.
Examination sessions should be available to you at any point during the year.
To check the exam schedule of your particular state, visit their licensing board website.
