Renewing your cosmetology license in North Carolina, like in other states, is crucial to maintaining your professional credentials and ensuring that you are up-to-date with industry standards. You can’t do that, however, if you aren’t aware of the rules and guidelines that the North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners has laid out.
This guide will take you through everything you should know about navigating the renewal process so you can navigate without difficulties.
Deadlines and Renewal Frequency
In North Carolina, the requirements and renewal frequencies vary depending on the license that you hold:
- Cosmetologists: Renew your license every 3 years
- Manicurists, Natural Hair Specialists, Estheticians: Renew annually
- Shop license: Yearly
If you’re submitting an individual license renewal application, you should do it between July 1st, midnight, and October 1st, 11:59 pm of every year. For any cosmetologist with a shop, it’s also important to keep in mind that your shop license will expire every year on February 1. Use the following guidelines when renewing your license:
- December 1st to February 1st: The recommended period for on-time renewals
- From February 2nd: Late, with a $10 fine
- After March 1st: Pay a $10 fine and a $25 reinstatement fee
Paying attention to these crucial dates helps a lot with avoiding inconveniences such as late fees and potential setbacks like being unauthorized to practice.
Continuing Education Requirements
The process of renewing your license is tied to continuing education (CE) requirements. Though you may see these requirements as being unnecessary, they help a lot with keeping you knowledgeable about the latest and most efficient or creative techniques and safety protocols. That way, your clients will trust you better.
You can opt to plan the CE hours by yourself and use free resources such as the free CE course by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners or enroll in an accredited institution like RocketCert for a stress-free NC Contractors License Renewal process.
The NC board’s CE requirements are:
- Cosmetologists: 24 hours of board-approved CE every three years (8 hours every year)
- Estheticians, Natural Hair Care Specialists, and Manicurists: 8 hours of board-approved CE annually (since renewal is annual)
These hours are not limited to one form of training and can include:
- Watching tutorials or educational videos
- Participating in a hands-on class
- Taking online or correspondence courses
- Being taught new skills by another professional
It’s also important to note that at least half of your CE should be directly related to your field of licensure.
Fees
As a cosmetologist, you are required to pay $23 to have your license renewed. It’s crucial to confirm the payment details before sending your payment since incorrect payments can result in your renewal being returned unprocessed.
Also, make sure to keep checking the status of your application just in case you are required to submit extra details or some input is required from you.
Important Considerations
- Exemptions: You qualify for a CE exemption if you are at least 60 years old and have 10 years of continuous work experience or more, or if you have had 20 years of consecutive practice as a cosmetologist thus far.
- Late Renewals: Failing to renew on time attracts late fees and your license can be deemed inactive after some time. If your license remains inactive for five years, you will have to take the board exam as part of the process required to reactivate it.
Stay Effortlessly Current With Your License
Keeping your license renewed as directed by the Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners not only keeps you authorized to keep practicing your craft, but it can also instill extra confidence in your clients, especially the new ones. The process, however, doesn’t have to be back-breaking, which is why RocketCert invests a lot of time and effort to help you renew your license with no trouble.
So if you are looking for an easy, tried-and-tested way to renew your cosmetology license, enroll at RocketCert today!
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