Cosmetology / Barber License from New Hampshire to Mississippi: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering (MSBCB) ↗
Yes — Mississippi has a reciprocity arrangement covering New Hampshire license holders. Apply to the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering (MSBCB) under its reciprocity/endorsement track; typically you skip the national exam and complete state-specific requirements only.
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Verdict
Reciprocity agreement
New Hampshire and Mississippi require identical training hours (1,500), which removes the usual friction from a cosmetology transfer. What remains is Mississippi's administrative checklist below.
What changes, New Hampshire → Mississippi
| New Hampshire (current) | Mississippi (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| CLC status | Licensure by endorsement | Reciprocity with 27 states |
| Training hours | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| Application fee | $100 (Individuals Licensed in Another State application fee (NH Admin Rule Bar 304.01); pay by money order, electronic payment, or cash) | $55 (non-refundable application fee under reciprocity or UROLA; practitioner license fee $50 per Rule 5.20) |
| Processing time | board does not publish an endorsement processing timeframe; license renewals are noted to take up to 2 weeks | board does not publish a processing timeframe; UROLA applicants receive a 365-day temporary practice permit upon complete application |
| Licensing authority | New Hampshire Board of Barbering, Cosmetology, and Esthetics (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification) | Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering (MSBCB) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Mississippi sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Mississippi's current requirements on the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering (MSBCB) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the reciprocity application to the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering (MSBCB) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold a practitioner license from a state or U.S. territory with educational requirements similar to Mississippi (minimum hours and 10th-grade education).
- Submit two 2x2-inch passport-style photographs taken within the last 90 days.
- Submit two forms of identification, at least one government-issued with photograph.
- Submit color copies of all licenses held plus a certified letter/verification of active practice and good standing from every state board where you hold a license.
- New Mississippi residents may instead apply under the Universal Recognition of Occupational Licenses Act (UROLA) and must pass the Mississippi Laws and Sanitation Examination within 1 year.
- Pay the fees ($55 (non-refundable application fee under reciprocity or UROLA; practitioner license fee $50 per Rule 5.20)) and allow board does not publish a processing timeframe; UROLA applicants receive a 365-day temporary practice permit upon complete application.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Mississippi accept a New Hampshire cosmetology license?
Yes — Mississippi has a reciprocity arrangement covering New Hampshire license holders. Apply to the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering (MSBCB) under its reciprocity/endorsement track; typically you skip the national exam and complete state-specific requirements only.
Will Mississippi make me retake the cosmetology exams?
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 does the New Hampshire-to-Mississippi transfer cost and how long does it take?
$55 (non-refundable application fee under reciprocity or UROLA; practitioner license fee $50 per Rule 5.20); processing board does not publish a processing timeframe; UROLA applicants receive a 365-day temporary practice permit upon complete application.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- MSBCB — Rules and Regulations (Rules 5.2, 5.8, 5.10, 5.20) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- MSBCB — Reciprocity with Mississippi state table (2025-present) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- MSBCB — Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- New Hampshire RSA 313-A:11 — Qualifications; Cosmetologists (1,500 hours or 3,000-hour apprenticeship) (accessed via Internet Archive) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- New Hampshire RSA 313-A:14 — Nonresidents (licensure of substantially-equivalent out-of-state licensees) (accessed via Internet Archive) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- New Hampshire Administrative Rules Bar 304.01 — Individuals Licensed in Another State ($100 fee, certificate of licensure) (accessed via Internet Archive) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- New Hampshire Board of Barbering, Cosmetology, and Esthetics — board page (accessed via Internet Archive) ↗ (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]