Cosmetology / Barber License from Kansas to Washington: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) — Cosmetology Program ↗
Both Kansas and Washington have enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, but multistate licenses are not yet being issued (as of 2026-07-21). Until the compact activates, transfer your cosmetology license the standard way: apply for licensure by endorsement.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Compact enacted — endorsement for now
Interim path until the compact activates: licensure by endorsement.
The number that defines this move: Kansas licensed you at 1,500 training hours, and Washington requires 1,600 — a 100-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 Washington's position accept documented licensed work experience, supplemental hours, or their own exams. The requirements below are the exact menu Washington offers.
Both states have enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact. That changes nothing today — no multistate licenses are issued yet — but it means this specific move is on the short list to become automatic when the compact activates. If your timeline is flexible, check cosmetologycompact.gov before filing.
What changes, Kansas → Washington
| Kansas (current) | Washington (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| CLC status | CLC enacted — not yet issuing | CLC enacted — not yet issuing |
| Training hours | 1,500 | 1,600 |
| Application fee | $75 (nonrefundable out-of-state application fee; +$25 additional license fee plus exam costs only if board exams are required) | $60 (reciprocity application fee per license; no application fee if applying via the out-of-state (no-exam) path, but Washington exams are then required) |
| Processing time | ~3 weeks (board states the out-of-state process typically takes no less than 3 weeks after all documentation is received; allow 7-10 business days per document review) | not published; DOL states online applications are issued faster than mail |
| Licensing authority | Kansas Board of Cosmetology (KBOC) | Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) — Cosmetology Program |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Washington sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Washington's current requirements on the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) — Cosmetology Program website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) — Cosmetology Program (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Be at least 17 years old.
- Hold an active cosmetology license in good standing from another jurisdiction.
- Have your licensing state send certification of your active license directly to the Department of Licensing.
- Provide verification from your licensing board showing the license is in good standing and proof of the exams you passed.
- Pay the fees ($60 (reciprocity application fee per license; no application fee if applying via the out-of-state (no-exam) path, but Washington exams are then required)) and allow not published; DOL states online applications are issued faster than mail.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Washington accept a Kansas cosmetology license?
Both Kansas and Washington have enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, but multistate licenses are not yet being issued (as of 2026-07-21). Until the compact activates, transfer your cosmetology license the standard way: apply for licensure by endorsement.
Kansas required 1,500 hours but Washington wants 1,600 — do I need more school?
Not necessarily. The 100-hour gap can usually be bridged without re-enrolling: Washington's options are listed in the requirements on this page (experience substitution and examination are the common routes). Contact the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) — Cosmetology Program with your license history before paying for school hours.
Will Washington make me retake the cosmetology exams?
No Washington exams if you passed approved written and practical exams for your out-of-state license; applicants licensed without both exams apply under the out-of-state path and must pass the Washington exams.
What does the Kansas-to-Washington transfer cost and how long does it take?
$60 (reciprocity application fee per license; no application fee if applying via the out-of-state (no-exam) path, but Washington exams are then required); processing not published; DOL states online applications are issued faster than mail. Both states have enacted the cosmetology compact — when it activates, this move may no longer require an application at all.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- WA DOL — Get your license: Cosmetology (reciprocity and out-of-state paths, 1,600 hours) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- WA DOL — Fees: Cosmetologists ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- KBOC — Application for Out-of-State Licensure (cosmetology professions, K.S.A. 65-1904b) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- KBOC — Forms and Applications ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]