Cosmetology / Barber License from Georgia to Wisconsin: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Wisconsin Cosmetology Examining Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services) ↗
A cosmetology license transfers from Georgia to Wisconsin by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Wisconsin Cosmetology Examining Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services), verify your Georgia license, and meet Wisconsin's endorsement requirements. No exam retake under licensure by endorsement; applicants who do not meet endorsement requirements must pass the Wisconsin state board written and practical exams through D.L. Roope Administrations.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
The number that defines this move: Georgia licensed you at 1,500 training hours, and Wisconsin requires 1,550 — a 50-hour deficit on paper. That does not usually mean going back to school. It means proving the gap is covered another way: most boards in Wisconsin's position accept documented licensed work experience, supplemental hours, or their own exams. The requirements below are the exact menu Wisconsin offers.
What changes, Georgia → Wisconsin
| Georgia (current) | Wisconsin (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| CLC status | Licensure by endorsement | Licensure by endorsement |
| Training hours | 1,500 | 1,550 |
| Application fee | $75 (endorsement application fee for Master Cosmetologist; a mandatory $10 processing fee is added (total $85); instructor endorsement is $100 + $10) | $11 (initial credentialing fee, paid online via LicensE) |
| Processing time | ~3 weeks (board states 15 business days; a deficiency adds another 15 business days after you respond) | not published; DSPS provides statute-review timeline information on request |
| Licensing authority | Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers | Wisconsin Cosmetology Examining Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Wisconsin sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Wisconsin's current requirements on the Wisconsin Cosmetology Examining Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Wisconsin Cosmetology Examining Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold a current cosmetologist license in at least one state.
- Complete a board-approved one-hour course on Wisconsin statutes and rules, with the certificate submitted directly by the course provider.
- Verification of Licensure (Form 373) submitted by every state that has issued you a license.
- Apply online through the LicensE portal; endorsement applications undergo statute review.
- Pay the fees ($11 (initial credentialing fee, paid online via LicensE)) and allow not published; DSPS provides statute-review timeline information on request.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Wisconsin accept a Georgia cosmetology license?
A cosmetology license transfers from Georgia to Wisconsin by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Wisconsin Cosmetology Examining Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services), verify your Georgia license, and meet Wisconsin's endorsement requirements. No exam retake under licensure by endorsement; applicants who do not meet endorsement requirements must pass the Wisconsin state board written and practical exams through D.L. Roope Administrations.
Georgia required 1,500 hours but Wisconsin wants 1,550 — do I need more school?
Not necessarily. The 50-hour gap can usually be bridged without re-enrolling: Wisconsin's options are listed in the requirements on this page (experience substitution and examination are the common routes). Contact the Wisconsin Cosmetology Examining Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services) with your license history before paying for school hours.
Will Wisconsin make me retake the cosmetology exams?
No exam retake under licensure by endorsement; applicants who do not meet endorsement requirements must pass the Wisconsin state board written and practical exams through D.L. Roope Administrations.
What does the Georgia-to-Wisconsin transfer cost and how long does it take?
$11 (initial credentialing fee, paid online via LicensE); processing not published; DSPS provides statute-review timeline information on request.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Wisconsin DSPS — Cosmetologist profession page (1,550 hours; endorsement) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Wisconsin DSPS — Form 1681, Licensure by Endorsement Application Information (rev. 8/26/2024) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- GA SoS — Board of Cosmetology and Barbers FAQ (Endorsement/Reciprocity Requirements) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- GA Rules — Chapter 240-11 Licensure by Endorsement (Rule 240-11-.01) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- GA Rules — Chapter 240-15 Cosmetology School Curriculum (1,500-hour master cosmetology course) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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