Cosmetology / Barber License from Maryland to Georgia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Georgia accept a Maryland cosmetology license?
A cosmetology license transfers from Maryland to Georgia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers, verify your Maryland license, and meet Georgia's endorsement requirements. Written and practical exams are not retaken if you provide proof of passing a national or state-approved written and practical exam in English; otherwise the Board issues an exam-eligibility letter and you must pass the Georgia (NIC/PSI) exams within three attempts.
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Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Maryland and Georgia require identical training hours (1,500), which removes the usual friction from a cosmetology transfer. What remains is Georgia's administrative checklist below.
What's different between Maryland and Georgia
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Georgia. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Maryland to Georgia (this page): Licensure by endorsement.
Georgia to Maryland (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Maryland matter?
Coming from Maryland does not change the answer: every origin (the other 49 states and DC) gets the same result for a move into Georgia.
- CLC membership
Maryland has enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact; Georgia has not.
- Application fee
Georgia lists $75 for an out-of-state applicant and Maryland lists $28 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Training hours
Georgia's first-time-applicant standard is 1,500 training hours for the standard license; Maryland's is 1,500.
The two standards are the same.
- Exam rules on record
Georgia and Maryland carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Georgia (this move): Written and practical exams are not retaken if you provide proof of passing a national or state-approved written and practical exam in English; otherwise the Board issues an exam-eligibility letter and you must pass the Georgia (NIC/PSI) exams within three attempts
- Maryland (the reverse move): Most transfer applicants do not retake exams; applicants originally examined in Alaska (after 12/7/2020), California (after 1/1/2022), Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Pennsylvania (after 11/24/2014), or South Dakota must pass both the Maryland theory and practical examinations
What changes, Maryland → Georgia
| Maryland (current) | Georgia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| CLC status | CLC enacted — not yet issuing | Licensure by endorsement |
| Training hours | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| Application fee | $28 (cosmetologist licensure-by-endorsement application fee) | $75 (endorsement application fee for Master Cosmetologist; the board fee schedule adds a non-refundable processing fee of $10 for paper applications or $5 for online applications; instructor endorsement is $100) |
| Processing time | board does not publish a processing timeframe for endorsement applications | no timeframe published; the board processes applications in the order received, and a completed application may also go to a board meeting (it must be complete at least 15 days before the meeting to make that agenda); an application may be withdrawn if noted deficiencies are not satisfied within 60 days |
| Licensing authority | Maryland Board of Cosmetologists (Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing) | Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Georgia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Georgia's current requirements on the Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold an active cosmetology license in good standing in another state or U.S. territory at the appropriate level.
- Submit official certification of licensure from every state in which you have ever been licensed, showing no board orders or unpaid citations.
- Provide proof of high school graduation, GED, or postsecondary/college education.
- Be at least 17 years old and of good moral character.
- Submit a notarized application with a Secure and Verifiable Document (ID) and citizenship affidavit.
- Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Related guides
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.
- GA SoS — Board of Cosmetology and Barbers FAQ (Endorsement/Reciprocity Requirements) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- GA Rules — Chapter 240-11 Licensure by Endorsement (Rule 240-11-.01) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- GA Rules — Chapter 240-15 Cosmetology School Curriculum (1,500-hour master cosmetology course) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- GA SoS — How-to Guide: Master Cosmetologist, Cosmetology Instructor (endorsement checklist; after you apply) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- GA State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers — Fee Schedule (GSBCB rev. 03/22; endorsement $75, processing fee $10 paper / $5 online) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Maryland Board of Cosmetologists — Apply for Licensure by Endorsement (Reciprocal) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Maryland Board of Cosmetologists — License Requirements ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Cosmetology Licensure Compact — official commission site (FAQ: not yet active) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
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