Maryland State Board of Cosmetology Rules and Regulations

The Maryland Board of Cosmetologists’ rules and regulations govern who may practice cosmetology, nail technology, and esthetics in the state, how salons must be set up and sanitized, and what penalties follow when those standards are not met. The rule most licensees need to know right now: starting January 1, 2026, every renewal requires six hours of approved continuing education.¹ The rest of the framework covers licensing paths, salon permits, sanitation standards, and a detailed fine schedule that inspectors work from during unannounced visits.

Who Needs a License and How to Get One

Anyone practicing cosmetology, nail technology, or esthetics in Maryland must hold a license from the Board of Cosmetologists. You have to be at least 17 and have finished ninth grade or earned a GED before applying.²

Required training hours depend on the specialty:

Cosmetologist: 1,500 hours at a state-approved school, or 24 months as a registered apprentice in a licensed salon
Esthetician: 600 school hours or 12 months of registered apprenticeship
Nail technician: 250 school hours or 8 months of registered apprenticeship

Apprentices must register with the Board and work under a licensed professional the entire time.²

Maryland also offers a Senior Cosmetologist license for practitioners with at least two years of experience as a licensed cosmetologist. Applicants must pass both the Senior Cosmetologist exam and the standard Cosmetologist exam.²

After completing training, candidates take a written theory exam and a practical exam through PSI Services.³ Retakes are unlimited, but both scores must be achieved within two years of each other for the Board to accept them.

Bringing a License from Another State

If you already hold a current, active license in good standing elsewhere, you can apply for Maryland licensure by endorsement, and the Board may waive the theory and practical exams. Your original licensing state must send verification, including any disciplinary history, directly to the Maryland Board. Documents you submit yourself are not accepted, and you must contact the state where you originally trained and tested even if your current active license is from a different state. Wait to file your Maryland application until the Board confirms your certification has arrived.⁴

Military spouses have separate federal protection. If you hold a cosmetology license in good standing and move to Maryland on your spouse’s military orders, your existing license must be recognized for the same scope of practice while your application is processed. If the Board cannot process the application within 30 days, it may issue a temporary license with the same rights as a permanent one.⁵ Expect to provide military orders, a marriage certificate, and a notarized affidavit confirming good standing with no pending investigations.

Renewals and the New Continuing Education Rule

Every Maryland cosmetology license renews every two years through the Department of Labor’s online portal. The fee is $28 for individual practitioner licenses and $56 for salon permits, and all fees are nonrefundable.⁶

Under HB 1600, every licensee renewing on or after January 1, 2026 must first complete six hours of Board-approved continuing education:¹

Two hours on required health, safety, and welfare topics
Four hours in Board-approved electives

Renewal will not process without those hours. Approved courses are offered through accredited beauty schools, professional associations, and online providers, but confirm Board approval before you pay for a course.

If you let a license expire, add a $28 reinstatement fee to the renewal cost.⁷ Practicing on an expired license is treated as working without a valid license and carries a $300 civil penalty if an inspector catches it.⁸

Salon Permit and Setup Requirements

A salon needs its own permit from the Board before it opens. The application requires certifications of compliance with local zoning, health, and fire prevention requirements, and a Board inspector visits the premises before the permit is issued. The Board can refuse the permit if the space does not meet the regulations.⁹

Each workstation needs adequate space, proper lighting, and ventilation. Shampoo bowls must have permanently plumbed hot and cold running water. Electrical outlets near wet areas should include ground-fault circuit interrupters per Maryland building codes. Restrooms must be accessible and stocked with soap and disposable towels.

Nail salons face additional ventilation demands because of chemical exposure. OSHA requires adequate ventilation to control airborne chemicals, and NIOSH laboratory tests found exhaust systems can reduce worker exposure by at least 50 percent.¹⁰ Ventilated tables, exhaust fans, and properly maintained HVAC systems all contribute to meeting that standard.

Sanitation and Disinfection Rules

Sanitation citations are among the most common findings during inspections, and the rules are specific. Every implement used in direct client contact must first be washed in hot, soapy water, then fully immersed in a wet sanitizer containing an EPA-registered disinfectant effective against HIV and hepatitis viruses, or a hospital-grade tuberculocidal disinfectant. Once disinfected, implements go into a closed, dry cabinet or drawer that holds nothing else.¹¹

Tools that cannot be immersed, such as scissors, trimmers, and clippers, must be cleaned and sprayed with an EPA-registered antimicrobial spray after each use. Single-use items like end papers and cotton are discarded immediately.¹²

Some items cannot be reused at all. Neck dusters, powder puffs, sponges, styptic pencils, and anything else that cannot be properly sanitized and disinfected may not be used on more than one client.¹¹ Workstations, treatment tables, manicure stations, and shampoo bowls must be cleaned with an EPA-registered disinfectant between clients, and hair and debris cleared promptly.¹² Towels and linens are laundered in hot water and stored separately in covered containers.

Blood exposure has its own procedure. If a tool causes a cut or skin abrasion, clean and disinfect it immediately. Blood is collected with tissue or cotton, and contaminated materials go into a sealed, double-plastic bag right away.¹¹ Mishandling a blood incident is not a fixed-fine offense; it triggers a formal Board hearing.

Wash hands before and after each client. Discard gloves after single use. Decline services for clients with open wounds or visible contagious infections, and step away from work yourself if you have visible infections on your hands or arms.

Federal Rules That Also Apply

Board rules are not the only standards inspectors and regulators enforce against Maryland salons.

OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard requires a safety data sheet for every product containing a hazardous chemical at 1 percent or more, or a potential carcinogen at 0.1 percent or more. Sheets must be kept near the products and accessible to employees, and workers must be trained on each product’s hazards and safe handling.¹⁰

Any salon where employees could be exposed to blood must maintain a written Exposure Control Plan, reviewed and updated at least annually, applying universal precautions. If an exposure incident happens, the employer must immediately provide the affected employee a confidential medical evaluation and follow-up.¹³

The Americans with Disabilities Act applies to salons open to the public. The accessible route through the business must be at least three feet wide and kept clear of furniture and displays. If the main entrance cannot be made accessible, an alternate accessible entrance must be available and clearly signed. At least one service counter or checkout must be usable by people with mobility disabilities.¹⁴

The FDA prohibits marketing any cosmetic that is harmful to consumers when used as directed, whether or not the product contains a specifically banned ingredient. Salons that use products with prohibited substances risk seizure actions and injunctions.¹⁵

Fines and Hearings

Inspectors conduct unannounced visits, respond to complaints, and issue on-the-spot citations for many violations. Individual practitioners face civil penalties including:⁸

Working without a valid license: $300
Working in an unpermitted location: $300
Performing services beyond your license scope: $300
No photo on license or no valid photo ID: $100
Disinfection failures such as unwashed implements, improper storage, or missing disinfectant: $150 each
Improper handling of a blood-related incident: formal hearing

Salons face a separate schedule. Operating on an expired permit is $300, while operating without a permit that was never issued triggers a formal hearing. Display violations are the lowest: $25 for a missing sign, $50 for a missing permit or zoning certificate, and $100 for failing to post the condensed rules and regulations. Sanitation violations at the salon level range from $50 for poor lighting, unclean restrooms, or missing soap up to $150 for disinfection failures. Rodent or insect presence is a $50 fine, and using the salon for sleeping or living is $100.¹⁶

The most serious violations skip the fine schedule entirely. Operating without any permit, allowing unlicensed practitioners to work, and mishandling blood exposure all go straight to a formal hearing before the Board, where the outcome can be license revocation or permit cancellation.

1
Maryland Department of Labor. Continuing Education – Cosmetologists – Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing
2
Maryland Board of Cosmetologists. License Requirements – Maryland Board of Cosmetologists
3
Maryland Department of Labor. Taking the Exam – Cosmetologists – Maryland Department of Labor
4
Maryland Department of Labor. Apply for Licensure by Endorsement (Reciprocal) – Cosmetologists
5
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 50 USC 4025a Portability of Professional Licenses of Servicemembers and Their Spouses
6
Maryland Department of Labor. Forms and Fees – Cosmetologists – Maryland Department of Labor
7
Maryland Department of Labor. Renew a License – Cosmetologists
8
Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute. Maryland Code Regs. 09.22.01.15 – Citations to Licensees
9
Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute. Maryland Code Regs. 09.22.02.01 – Salon-General
10
Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Health Hazards in Nail Salons – Chemical Hazards
11
Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute. Maryland Code Regs. 09.22.02.04 – Sanitation Requirements-General
12
Maryland Department of Labor. Reopening Checklist and COMAR Sanitation Requirements for Barbers and Cosmetologists
13
Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Bloodborne Pathogens
14
ADA.gov. ADA Update – A Primer for Small Business
15
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Cosmetics Safety Q and A – Prohibited Ingredients
16
Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute. Maryland Code Regs. 09.22.02.07 – Citations to Beauty Salons