How to Get a Cosmetology License in Nebraska

The field of cosmetology is growing, and it can be a rewarding job financially and personally. If you enjoy helping people feel great, this field may be for you. In Nebraska, opportunities in the areas of skin, hair, nails and electrology fall under this category. The Department of Health and Human Services licenses and regulates the field of cosmetology in Nebraska. Learn more about a career in beauty.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Choose the area you would like to focus on and enlist in a state approved school. To be a cosmetologist in Nebraska, you need to complete 2,100 hours. An esthetician or electrologist both need 600 hours, and a nail technician needs 300 hours.

2. Complete the application with the department and wait for the authorization letter to take the exam. The letter states that you are eligible to take the test and provides contact information.

3. Schedule the test with the administrator of the test, LaserGrade, as soon as you receive authorization from the department. This test must be scheduled 15 days before your chosen test date. The authorization does have an expiration date, so make sure you take the test before the date.

4. Take and pass the cosmetology exam. If you do not pass the exam, you must reapply.

5. Apply for a temporary license if you want. You may do this when you apply for the cosmetology exam. It expires if you do not take the next available scheduled test. Once the exam results are complete, the temporary license expires on the listed date of the expiration or when you change salons.

Tips & Warnings

• There are fees for the applications and exams.
• The exams are available either computer based or pencil and paper.
• Applicants who are not successful in passing the exam will be sent a new authorization letter when they reapply, and they will be required to pay another fee.