Cosmetology / Barber License from District of Columbia to Texas: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) — Barbering and Cosmetology ↗
A cosmetology license transfers from District of Columbia to Texas by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) — Barbering and Cosmetology, verify your District of Columbia license, and meet Texas's endorsement requirements. No Texas examinations are required if your licensing state's education and examination requirements are substantially equivalent to Texas (License by Reciprocity); applicants from non-equivalent states with five or more years of active licensure may apply but must pass the Texas written and practical examinations.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
This move runs downhill. District of Columbia trained you to 1,500 hours; Texas requires only 1,000. With the hour test cleared by a margin, your transfer is administrative — license verification, application, fee — and the requirements below read as a checklist rather than an obstacle course.
What changes, District of Columbia → Texas
| District of Columbia (current) | Texas (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| CLC status | Licensure by endorsement | Licensure by endorsement |
| Training hours | 1,500 | 1,000 |
| Application fee | DLCP publishes a $65 initial application fee plus $110 initial license fee for initial licenses (listed under the exam pathway); an endorsement-specific fee is not separately published | $100 (License by Reciprocity application, TDLR form BAC-LIC-003 (instructor $110); the separate license-by-examination application is $50) |
| Processing time | no timeframe published by DLCP | TDLR does not publish a standard processing timeline for reciprocity applications |
| Licensing authority | District of Columbia Board of Barber and Cosmetology (Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection) | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) — Barbering and Cosmetology |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Texas sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Texas's current requirements on the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) — Barbering and Cosmetology website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) — Barbering and Cosmetology (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold a current, active out-of-state cosmetology license in good standing and submit a copy.
- Letter of certification from the out-of-state licensing agency, submitted in the original sealed envelope.
- Official transcript of hours or course certificate from your school if your state has an apprenticeship program.
- Meet all requirements within 12 months of the filing date or a new application and fee are required.
- Pay the fees ($100 (License by Reciprocity application, TDLR form BAC-LIC-003 (instructor $110); the separate license-by-examination application is $50)) and allow TDLR does not publish a standard processing timeline for reciprocity applications.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Texas accept a District of Columbia cosmetology license?
A cosmetology license transfers from District of Columbia to Texas by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) — Barbering and Cosmetology, verify your District of Columbia license, and meet Texas's endorsement requirements. No Texas examinations are required if your licensing state's education and examination requirements are substantially equivalent to Texas (License by Reciprocity); applicants from non-equivalent states with five or more years of active licensure may apply but must pass the Texas written and practical examinations.
Will Texas make me retake the cosmetology exams?
No Texas examinations are required if your licensing state's education and examination requirements are substantially equivalent to Texas (License by Reciprocity); applicants from non-equivalent states with five or more years of active licensure may apply but must pass the Texas written and practical examinations.
What does the District of Columbia-to-Texas transfer cost and how long does it take?
$100 (License by Reciprocity application, TDLR form BAC-LIC-003 (instructor $110); the separate license-by-examination application is $50); processing TDLR does not publish a standard processing timeline for reciprocity applications.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- TDLR — Apply for a Cosmetology or Barbering License by Equivalence (out-of-state) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- TDLR — Apply for a Cosmetology Operator License (1,000-hour course, $50 exam-route fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- TDLR — License by Reciprocity Application, form BAC-LIC-003 rev May 2026 ($100 fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- DC DLCP — Board of Barber and Cosmetology (endorsement instructions, hours, fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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