Keeping your nail license active takes more than just doing good work. Every state has its own renewal schedule, and a growing number now require continuing education (CE) hours too. Miss a deadline or skip a required course, and you risk a lapsed license, late fees, or worse: being unable to legally work.
Here's the good news: most states don't require any continuing education for nail techs. You just renew and pay a fee. But 13 states plus Washington, D.C. do require CE hours, and the rules (how many hours, what topics, whether it can be online) are different in every one.
This guide breaks down license renewal and CE rules for all 50 states, sourced directly from state board websites, statutes, and administrative codes where available. Bookmark it, and check back before every renewal. Boards update their rules often, so always confirm the current requirement on your board's site before you pay for a course.
The 14 jurisdictions that require CE for nail techs
Everywhere else, renewal is just a fee and a form. These are the ones where you also need hours:
| State |
CE Hours |
Renewal Cycle |
| North Carolina |
8 hours per year |
Annual |
| Illinois |
10 hours |
Every 2 years |
| Florida |
10 hours |
Every 2 years |
| Minnesota |
8 hours |
Every 3 years |
| Nebraska |
8 hours |
Every 2 years |
| Maryland |
6 hours |
Every 2 years |
| Washington, D.C. |
6 hours |
Every 2 years |
| Iowa |
6 hours |
Every 2 years |
| Georgia |
5 hours |
Every 2 years |
| Nevada |
4 hours |
Every 2 or 4 years |
| Ohio |
4 hours |
Every 2 years |
| South Carolina |
4 hours |
Every 2 years |
| Texas |
4 hours |
Every 2 years |
| North Dakota* |
Varies |
Annual |
*See the North Dakota entry below; confirm current hours directly with the board.
Rules change fast in this corner of licensing. Maryland's 6-hour rule only took effect January 1, 2026. Wisconsin dropped its CE requirement back in 2017. Always double-check with your board before you assume anything below still applies.
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Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
- License title: Manicurist
- Board: Arkansas Department of Health – Cosmetology & Body Art
- Initial training: 600 hours
- Renewal: Every 2 years
- CEUs required: None currently required for standard renewal. Confirm directly with the board, since Arkansas has floated adding a CE requirement in past legislative sessions.
California
Colorado
Connecticut
- License title: N/A — Connecticut does not license nail technicians as a standalone category at the state level.
- Board: Connecticut Examining Board for Barbers, Hairdressers and Cosmeticians
- Notes: Nail services fall under Connecticut's broader hairdresser/cosmetician license, not a separate nail credential. Contact the board directly if you're relocating to Connecticut to find out how your out-of-state nail license translates.
Delaware
Florida
- License title: Nail Specialist
- Board: Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), Board of Cosmetology
- Initial training: 240 hours (no state exam required)
- Renewal: Every 2 years, by October 31 of your assigned year
- CEUs required: Yes — 10 hours every 2 years, reduced from 16 hours effective February 6, 2020. Must include: HIV/AIDS (1 hour), sanitation and sterilization (1 hour), and OSHA (1 hour). The remaining hours are electives.
- Can it be online: Yes, fully. No live/in-person requirement.
- Exemption: If you've held an active license for 10+ consecutive years with no disciplinary action, you're exempt as of July 1, 2024.
- Resources: DBPR Cosmetology hot topics page for current rule changes; search "Florida Board of Cosmetology approved CE provider" for a course.
Georgia
- License title: Nail Technician
- Board: Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers
- Initial training: 525 hours
- Renewal: Every 2 years, ending August 31 (odd years)
- CEUs required: Yes — 5 hours every 2 years: 3 hours must be a health and safety course developed or approved by the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG); the remaining 2 hours can come from a registered trade/product show or other approved course.
- First renewal: Exempt from the CE requirement.
- Waivers: Available if you've held your license 25+ years, or for documented hardship.
- Resources: Course providers must be registered with the board; check the Georgia Secretary of State cosmetology page for the current approved list.
Hawaii
- License title: Manicurist
- Board: Hawaii Board of Barbering and Cosmetology
- Initial training: 350 hours (school) or 700 apprenticeship hours
- Renewal: Every 2 years (odd years)
- CEUs required: None. Renewal is fee-only.
Idaho
Illinois
- License title: Nail Technician
- Board: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR)
- Initial training: 350 hours
- Renewal: Every 2 years, by October 31 of even-numbered years
- CEUs required: Yes — 10 hours every 2 years: 1 hour of sexual harassment prevention training (every cycle) plus 9 hours in approved subject areas (product chemistry, sanitary procedures, hazardous chemicals, anatomy of skin/nails, business practices, and similar topics).
- First renewal: Exempt from the 9-hour subject-area requirement, but must still include a one-time domestic violence and sexual assault awareness hour.
- Can it be online: Yes, up to 50% of hours (a statewide variance issued May 30, 2025 has allowed 100% online completion — confirm current status with IDFPR).
- New for 2026: Original applicants must now complete an approved "abnormal skin growth" course (melanoma awareness) before initial licensure.
- Resources: IDFPR Continuing Education Fact Sheet (PDF); approved CE sponsor list
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
- License title: Nail Technician
- Board: Kansas Board of Cosmetology
- Initial training: 350 hours
- Renewal: Every 2 years
- CEUs required: None currently required for standard renewal. Confirm with the board directly.
Kentucky
- License title: Nail Technician
- Board: Kentucky State Board of Cosmetology
- Initial training: 450 hours
- Renewal: Annual
- CEUs required: None. Kentucky repealed its CE regulations in 2025.
Louisiana
- License title: Manicurist
- Board: Louisiana State Board of Cosmetology (LSBC)
- Initial training: 500 hours
- Renewal: Annual (Louisiana renews yearly, unlike most states)
- CEUs required: None for manicurists, cosmetologists, or estheticians. Only licensed instructors must complete 16 hours annually.
- Resources: Renew online via the board's PayStar payment portal, or by mail with a check or money order.
Maine
Maryland
- License title: Limited Nail Technician
- Board: Maryland State Board of Cosmetologists
- Initial training: 250 hours (or 8 months as a registered apprentice)
- Renewal: Every 2 years
- CEUs required: Yes, as of January 1, 2026 (HB 1600) — 6 hours every 2 years: 2 hours must be "required topics" (health, safety, welfare, sanitation, or board laws/regulations); 4 hours are electives within your scope of practice.
- No grandfather clause: Everyone with an active license must comply, no exemptions for tenure or military service.
- Resources: Maryland Board of Cosmetologists – Continuing Education page; see COMAR 09.22.04.03 for the regulation text.
Massachusetts
Michigan
- License title: Nail Technician
- Board: Michigan Board of Cosmetology
- Initial training: 400 hours
- Renewal: Annual
- CEUs required: None. Renewal is fee-only.
Minnesota
- License title: Nail Technician
- Board: Minnesota Board of Cosmetologist Examiners
- Initial training: 350 hours
- Renewal: Every 3 years, by the last day of your birth month
- CEUs required: Yes — 8 hours every 3 years: 4 "core" hours (1 hour on Minnesota laws and rules, 3 hours on health, safety, and infection control per OSHA standards) plus 4 hours of "professional practice" electives (product chemistry, machines/instruments, and related scope-of-practice topics).
- Can it be online: Yes, through board-approved providers.
- Resources: Minnesota Statutes § 155A.271 for the full text.
Mississippi
- License title: Manicurist
- Board: Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering
- Initial training: 350 hours
- Renewal: Every 2 years
- CEUs required: None for standard manicurist renewal. (Note: an optional "Master Manicurist" upgrade credential requires 8 hours of CE, but this is voluntary, not required to keep your base license active.)
Missouri
Montana
- License title: Nail Technologist
- Board: Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists
- Initial training: 350 hours
- Renewal: Every 2 years
- CEUs required: None currently required for standard renewal. Confirm with the board directly.
Nebraska
- License title: Nail Technician
- Board: Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services – Cosmetology and Esthetics
- Initial training: 300 hours
- Renewal: Every 2 years, ending December 31 of odd-numbered years
- CEUs required: Yes — 8 hours every 2 years (in the 24 months before your license expires): at least 4 hours must be specific to your scope of practice as a nail technician; the board no longer pre-reviews CE programs, so it's on you to confirm a course qualifies.
- First renewal: Exempt if you were first credentialed within 24 months of the renewal deadline.
- Resources: 172 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 36, § 010 for the full topic list.
Nevada
- License title: Nail Technologist
- Board: Nevada State Board of Cosmetology (NVCOSMO)
- Initial training: 600 hours (school) or 1,200 apprenticeship hours
- Renewal: Your choice of every 2 or 4 years, expiring on your birthday
- CEUs required: Yes — 4 hours per renewal cycle, and they must all be in infection control and prevention (NRS 644A.520). General beauty-industry topics don't count toward this requirement.
- Can it be online: Yes, board-approved online and self-study courses are accepted.
- Resources: The board maintains an approved CE provider list on the NVCOSMO site.
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
- License title: Nail Specialist
- Board: New York Department of State – Division of Licensing Services, Cosmetology
- Initial training: 250 hours
- Renewal: Every 4 years (New York uses a longer cycle and its own state exam, not the NIC exam)
- CEUs required: None. Renewal is fee-only.
- Note: New York restricts cutting or damaging living skin, which matters if you're marketing Russian manicure or advanced cuticle work services.
North Carolina
- License title: Manicurist
- Board: North Carolina State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners
- Initial training: 300 hours
- Renewal: Annual, by October 1
- CEUs required: Yes — 8 hours per year (24 hours if you're comparing to states on a 3-year cycle, but North Carolina manicurists renew every single year). At least 50% of your hours must be in manicuring specifically.
- Can it be online: Yes. Acceptable formats include online courses, tutorials, hands-on classes, and even learning a new skill from another professional.
- Exemption: Practitioners 60+ with at least 10 consecutive years of active practice are exempt.
- Resources: The board offers a free 8-hour manicurist CE class directly on its website. No pre-approval of providers required; keep your own documentation in case of audit.
North Dakota
- License title: Nail Technician
- Board: North Dakota State Board of Cosmetology
- Initial training: 350 hours
- Renewal: Annual
- CEUs required: Reported by some sources; requirements and hours have shifted in recent years. Confirm the current rule directly with the board before your renewal date.
Ohio
- License title: Nail Technician
- Board: Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board
- Initial training: 200 hours (plus a separate 8-hour course to use an electric nail file/e-file)
- Renewal: Every 2 years, by January 31 of odd-numbered years
- CEUs required: Yes — 4 hours every 2 years: 3 hours on safety and infection control, plus 1 hour on Ohio cosmetology laws and rules (offered free by the board itself).
- Can it be online: Yes.
- Tracking: Hours are verified through CE Broker; you can't complete your renewal application until hours show as reported.
- Resources: Ohio Cosmetology and Barber Board – Renew a License
Oklahoma
- License title: Nail Technician
- Board: Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology and Barbering
- Initial training: 600 hours
- Renewal: Annual
- CEUs required: None currently required for standard renewal. Confirm with the board directly.
Oregon
- License title: Nail Technologist
- Board: Oregon Health Authority – Board of Cosmetology
- Initial training: 350 hours
- Renewal: Every 2 years
- CEUs required: Oregon dropped its traditional CE requirement for most license types effective July 1, 2025, replacing it with a bloodborne-pathogens training requirement. Confirm the current specifics with the board.
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
- License title: Nail Technician
- Board: South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology
- Initial training: 300 hours
- Renewal: Every 2 years, ending March 10 of odd years
- CEUs required: Yes — 4 hours every 2 years on board laws and regulations, client safety, and/or infection control (sanitation and disinfection). Not required on your first renewal.
- Can it be online: Yes, in-person or online, as long as the course is board-approved.
- Resources: South Carolina LLR Cosmetology – Continuing Education
South Dakota
- License title: Nail Technician
- Board: South Dakota Cosmetology Commission
- Initial training: 400 hours
- Renewal: Annual
- CEUs required: None currently required for standard renewal. Confirm with the board directly.
Tennessee
- License title: Manicurist
- Board: Tennessee Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners
- Initial training: 500–600 hours (confirm current requirement with the board)
- Renewal: Every 2 years
- CEUs required: None currently required for standard renewal. Confirm with the board directly.
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
- License title: Nail Technician
- Board: Virginia Board for Barbers and Cosmetology (DPOR)
- Initial training: 150 hours (among the lowest in the country)
- Renewal: Every 2 years
- CEUs required: None. Renewal is fee-only.
- Note: DPOR prohibits any act affecting the structure or function of living tissue, which matters for advanced cuticle work.
Washington
Washington, D.C.
- License title: Nail Technician (Manicurist)
- Board: D.C. Board of Barber and Cosmetology
- Initial training: 350 hours
- Renewal: Every 2 years, all cosmetology and specialty licenses expiring April 15 of even-numbered years
- CEUs required: Yes — 6 hours every 2 years: 2 hours in health, safety, or welfare; 4 hours in general elective topics.
- First renewal: Exempt.
- Can it be online: Many approved providers offer online courses; some are in-person only, so check the provider before enrolling.
- Resources: Approved providers include NIC, NABBA, and NCEA-affiliated programs, plus other D.C. board-approved schools.
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
- License title: Nail Technician
- Board: Wyoming Board of Cosmetology
- Initial training: 400 hours
- Renewal: Every 2 years
- CEUs required: None. Renewal is fee-only.
Frequently asked questions
Which states require continuing education for nail technicians?
Fourteen jurisdictions currently do: North Carolina, Illinois, Florida, Minnesota, Nebraska, Maryland, Washington D.C., Iowa, Georgia, Nevada, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and (per some sources) North Dakota. Every other state renews on a fee-only basis. Rules change often, so confirm with your board before assuming.
How many CE hours do most states require?
Among states that require it, hours range from 4 (Nevada, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas) up to 10 (Illinois, Florida) or 8 per year in North Carolina's case, since that state renews annually instead of every two years.
Can I complete nail tech CE online?
In most states that require CE, yes, though some cap how much can be done online (Illinois allows up to 50%, for example) and some states require specific topics to come from a particular provider (Georgia's health and safety hours must come from the Technical College System of Georgia).
What topics show up most often in required CE?
Sanitation and infection control, state laws and rules, and safety topics like bloodborne pathogens or human trafficking awareness. A few states (Illinois, Georgia, Maryland) also allow business, product knowledge, or technique-focused electives to fill out the remaining hours.
What happens if I miss my CE hours or renewal deadline?
This varies by state, but expect some combination of a late fee, a grace period, and possibly a requirement to complete extra hours or retake an exam if your license lapses for an extended period. A few states (Illinois, Ohio) also allow you to request a hardship waiver.
Is my nail technician license good in every state?
No. Every state (except Connecticut, which doesn't issue a standalone nail license) requires its own license, and training-hour requirements range from 100 hours in Massachusetts to 750 in Alabama. Most states offer reciprocity or endorsement for techs licensed elsewhere, but if your original state required fewer hours than your new state, you may need supplemental training.
This guide is for general reference only and isn't legal advice. Licensing rules, CE hour requirements, and renewal fees change without much notice. Always confirm current requirements directly with your state board before enrolling in a course or submitting a renewal application. Last researched August 2026.
