Cosmetology / Barber License from Illinois to Missouri: Does It Transfer? (2026)

What's different between Illinois and Missouri

Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Missouri. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.

Route, each way

Illinois to Missouri (this page): Licensure by endorsement.

Missouri to Illinois (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.

The route is the same in both directions.

Does coming from Illinois matter?

Coming from Illinois does not change the answer: every origin (the other 49 states and DC) gets the same result for a move into Missouri.

CLC membership

Neither Illinois nor Missouri has enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact.

Application fee

Missouri lists $100 for an out-of-state applicant and Illinois lists $45 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.

Processing time

Missouri lists about 1 week; Illinois has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.

Training hours

Missouri's first-time-applicant standard is 1,500 training hours for the standard license; Illinois's is 1,500.

The two standards are the same.

Exam rules on record

Missouri and Illinois carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.

• Missouri (this move): Written and practical examinations are not retaken; reciprocity applicants need only pass the Missouri online state law test with a score of at least 75%
• Illinois (the reverse move): Exams are not retaken if your out-of-state license is the same as or substantially similar to the Illinois cosmetologist license; endorsement applicants who cannot satisfy all requirements may be required to submit additional information, take additional coursework, and/or pass the Illinois examination

What changes, Illinois → Missouri

The destination column is what you must satisfy — Missouri sets the rules for this move.

Step by step

1. Confirm Missouri's current requirements on the Missouri Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Division of Professional Registration) website (linked below) — rules change.
2. Submit the endorsement application to the Missouri Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Division of Professional Registration) (application linked below).
3. Arrange license verification from your current state.
4. Hold a current, valid cosmetology license issued by another state, U.S. territory, or D.C. and have been licensed for at least one year.
5. Have the other state's licensing agency send a license-verification affidavit directly to the Missouri board confirming the license is active and in good standing.
6. Submit two color passport-style photographs taken within the past two years.
7. Pass the Missouri online state law test with a score of at least 75%.
8. Submit proof of age (birth certificate or driver's license).
9. Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.

Official links

Related guides