Cosmetology / Barber License from Michigan to Georgia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Georgia accept a Michigan cosmetology license?
A cosmetology license transfers from Michigan 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 Michigan 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
Michigan 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 Michigan 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
Michigan to Georgia (this page): Licensure by endorsement.
Georgia to Michigan (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Michigan matter?
Coming from Michigan does not change the answer: every origin (the other 49 states and DC) gets the same result for a move into Georgia.
- CLC membership
Neither Michigan nor Georgia has enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact.
- Application fee
Georgia lists $75 for an out-of-state applicant and Michigan lists $63 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; Michigan's is 1,500.
The two standards are the same.
- Exam rules on record
Georgia and Michigan 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
- Michigan (the reverse move): Michigan does not re-examine licensure-by-endorsement applicants; instead you must show your licensing state's requirements were substantially equal — a theory and practical examination plus at least 1,500 hours of prelicensure training or a 2-year apprenticeship (training-hour shortfalls may be substituted with work experience at 100 hours of training per 6 months of work experience)
What changes, Michigan → Georgia
| Michigan (current) | Georgia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| CLC status | Licensure by endorsement | Licensure by endorsement |
| Training hours | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| Application fee | $63 (application fee plus 2-year license fee; same $63 total for licensure by examination or reciprocity) | $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 | LARA does not publish a processing timeframe in the cosmetology licensing guide | 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 | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Professional Licensing — Cosmetology | 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 Michigan 2026-07-21, Georgia 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)
- LARA — Cosmetology (profession page) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- LARA — Michigan Cosmetology Licensing Guide (PDF) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Michigan Admin Code R 338.2121b — Licensure by endorsement ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources Michigan 2026-07-21, Georgia 2026-10-29
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