Cosmetology / Barber License from Mississippi to Hawaii: Does It Transfer? (2026)

What's different between Mississippi and Hawaii

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

Route, each way

Mississippi to Hawaii (this page): Licensure by endorsement.

Hawaii to Mississippi (the reverse move): Reciprocity agreement.

The two directions differ: Mississippi and Hawaii do not give each other's licensees the same route.

Does coming from Mississippi matter?

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

Reciprocity agreements

Hawaii's row names no reciprocity agreement states.

Mississippi's reciprocity agreement list names 27 states, including Hawaii.

CLC membership

Neither Mississippi nor Hawaii has enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact.

Application fee

Hawaii lists $92–$165 for an out-of-state applicant and Mississippi lists $55 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.

Processing time

Hawaii lists 4–8 weeks; Mississippi has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.

Training hours

Hawaii's first-time-applicant standard is 1,800 training hours for the standard license; Mississippi's is 1,500.

Hawaii's is 300 training hours higher than Mississippi's.

Exam rules on record

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

• Hawaii (this move): You may qualify for an examination waiver (no Hawaii exam) if you obtained a passing score on the NIC or PSI Services examination in another jurisdiction — apply via examination waiver with proof of passing; otherwise you must pass Hawaii's licensing examination, administered by PSI Services since January 1, 2026
• Mississippi (the reverse move): No practical exam for reciprocity applicants; the Mississippi written/theory exam is required unless you were licensed in 2025 or later by a state on the board's published reciprocity list, in which case the exam is waived and you proceed to the license form upon application approval

What changes, Mississippi → Hawaii

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

Step by step

1. Confirm Hawaii's current requirements on the Hawaii Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing Division) website (linked below) — rules change.
2. Submit the endorsement application to the Hawaii Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing Division) (application linked below).
3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
4. Qualify and apply as a new beauty operator applicant — the Hawaii board has no reciprocal arrangements with any other cosmetology board.
5. Use an out-of-state license plus at least 1 year of licensed experience to satisfy the training requirement (recognized only for the hours the issuing state required).
6. Be a high school graduate or equivalent (1 year of licensed beauty operator experience satisfies this).
7. Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or alien authorized to work in the U.S.
8. Attach proof of passing the NIC or PSI Services examination to apply via examination waiver; otherwise pass the Hawaii licensing examination (registration and fees paid directly to PSI Services).
9. Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.

Official links

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