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Manicurist Occupational Licensing

License required in 51 states

62nd most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations

Average Fee for License:$190

What They Do

Manicurists and pedicurists, also known as nail technicians, clean and shape customers’ fingernails and toenails and may polish or decorate nails.

Manicurist Licensing Overview

All 50 states and D.C. require a licence to work as a Manicurist. On average, these laws require $190 in fees, 85 days of education and about 2 exam. Manicurist Licenses have the 62nd most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied.

Where is a Manicurist the most regulated?

Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Manicurist has the highest burden in Alabama. Alabama requires $255 in fees, 2 exams, no experience, and 750 clock hours education.

Where is a Manicurist the least regulated?

Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Manicurist has the lowest burden in Alaska. Alaska requires $390 in fees, no exams, no experience, and 12 clock hours education.

Where is a Manicurist license the most expensive?

An occupational license for a Manicurist costs the most in Alaska. Alaska requires $390 in fees, no exams, no experience, and 12 clock hours education.

Where is a Manicurist license the least expensive?

An occupational license for a Manicurist costs the least in Oklahoma. Oklahoma requires $60 in fees, 2 exams, no experience, and 600 clock hours education.

Where does it take the longest to obtain a Manicurist license?

An occupational license for a Manicurist takes the longest to obtain in Alabama. It takes 175 days (0 years and 25 days). Alabama requires $255 in fees, 2 exams, no experience, and 750 clock hours education.

Where is it fastest to obtain a Manicurist license?

An occupational license for a Manicurist takes the least time to obtain in Alaska. It takes 2 days. Alaska requires $390 in fees, no exams, no experience, and 12 clock hours education.

What states require exams for a Manicurist license?

To obtain an occupational license for a Manicurist there is at least one exam required in: Alabama, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Washington, Oklahoma, Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana, Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, Montana, Idaho, Michigan, Missouri, Wyoming, New Mexico, California, South Dakota, Mississippi, Kansas, District of Columbia, Minnesota, Hawaii, North Dakota, Illinois, South Carolina, Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Iowa, New Hampshire, Utah, North Carolina, Maryland, Oregon, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Maine, Virginia, Massachusetts. Nevada, West Virginia, New Mexico, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oregon, Vermont require 3 exams.

Forty-nine states and D.C. require a license to work as a manicurist; Connecticut is the only state that does not. On average, these laws force aspiring manicurists to pay $172 in fees, complete 91 days of education and pass two exams—the 60th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. However, because manicurists are licensed so widely, the occupation ranks as the 13th most widely and onerously licensed.

License requirements vary widely across states. For example, the most burdensome state, Alabama, requires about 175 days (750 hours) of education, while the least burdensome state, Massachusetts, requires only about 23 days (100 hours). Exam requirements also vary, from zero exams in Florida to three in seven other states. Similarly, three states (Alaska, Vermont and Wisconsin) require over $350 in fees, but nine states require less than $100.

States Ranked by Average Licensing Burden for 102 Lower-Income Occupations

More Burdensome Less Burdensome
Based on data released in November 2022

State Licensing Requirements

Select a chart to view:
Burden Rank State Occupations Licensed Fees Estimated Calendar Days Lost Education Experience Exams Minimum Grade Minimum Age
1 Alabama 63 $255 175 750 clock hours None 2 10 16
2 Nevada 75 $195 140 600 clock hours None 3 10 18
3 Arizona 68 $247 140 600 clock hours None 2 10 16
4 Texas 38 $172 140 600 clock hours None 2 12 17
5 Tennessee 69 $200 140 601 clock hours None 2 10 16
6 Arkansas 72 $175 140 600 clock hours None 2 10 16
7 Washington 76 $319 140 600 clock hours None 2 0 17
8 Oklahoma 42 $60 140 600 clock hours None 2 8 16
9 Colorado 34 $169 140 600 clock hours None 2 0 16
10 Georgia 41 $139 123 525 clock hours None 2 12 17
11 Louisiana 77 $75 117 500 clock hours None 2 10 16
12 Kentucky 38 $125 105 450 clock hours None 2 12 18
13 Indiana 37 $80 105 450 clock hours None 1 8 18
14 West Virginia 67 $221 93 400 clock hours None 3 12 18
15 Montana 32 $284 93 400 clock hours None 2 12 18
16 Idaho 66 $214 93 400 clock hours None 2 10 17
17 Michigan 48 $230 93 400 clock hours None 2 9 17
18 Missouri 33 $168 93 400 clock hours None 2 10 17
19 Wyoming 26 $148 93 400 clock hours None 2 10 16
20 New Mexico 66 $225 93 400 clock hours None 3 0 17
21 California 75 $110 93 400 clock hours None 1 10 17
22 South Dakota 32 $100 93 400 clock hours None 2 0 18
23 Mississippi 65 $335 82 350 clock hours None 2 12 17
24 Kansas 35 $270 82 350 clock hours None 2 12 17
25 District of Columbia 61 $230 82 350 clock hours None 2 10 18
26 Minnesota 35 $280 82 350 clock hours None 3 0 17
27 Hawaii 64 $182 82 350 clock hours None 1 12 16
28 North Dakota 65 $205 82 350 clock hours None 3 0 0
29 Illinois 41 $215 82 350 clock hours None 1 0 16
30 South Carolina 60 $335 70 300 clock hours None 2 10 16
31 Delaware 42 $313 70 300 clock hours None 2 10 16
32 New Jersey 54 $140 70 300 clock hours None 2 12 17
33 Rhode Island 70 $100 70 300 clock hours None 2 12 18
34 Nebraska 61 $83 70 300 clock hours None 2 12 17
35 Wisconsin 42 $343 70 300 clock hours None 2 0 18
36 Iowa 71 $115 76 325 clock hours None 1 12 0
37 New Hampshire 37 $218 70 300 clock hours None 2 12 0
38 Utah 64 $232 70 300 clock hours None 2 0 0
39 North Carolina 66 $193 70 300 clock hours None 2 0 0
40 Maryland 58 $104 58 250 clock hours None 2 9 17
41 Oregon 69 $90 63 281 clock hours None 3 0 0
42 New York 41 $70 58 250 clock hours None 2 0 17
43 Ohio 40 $205 47 200 clock hours None 2 10 16
44 Pennsylvania 50 $121 47 200 clock hours None 1 10 16
45 Vermont 31 $245 47 200 clock hours None 3 0 0
46 Maine 46 $131 47 200 clock hours None 2 0 0
47 Florida 55 $75 42 180 clock hours None 0 0 16
48 Virginia 72 $192 35 150 clock hours None 2 0 0
49 Massachusetts 50 $286 23 100 clock hours None 2 0 0
50 Connecticut 65 $100 23 100 clock hours None 0 0 0
51 Alaska 64 $390 2 12 clock hours None 0 0 0

License to Work

The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.

View Report