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Transfer Your Cosmetology / Barber License to Pennsylvania: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)

Updated · Data verified · source: Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology ↗
Generated from a source-cited dataset with AI-assisted research; facts checked against official sources · How these pages are made

Does my cosmetology license transfer to Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania has published reciprocity arrangements covering Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and accepts other states' cosmetologists by endorsement. Requirements center on 1,250 training hours; the application fee is $89 (licensure by reciprocity / Act 41 endorsement application fee, applied for through the PALS portal). Pennsylvania has enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, but the compact is not yet operating as a multistate network (as of 2026-10-29) — endorsement is still the path.

Moving to Pennsylvania from a specific state?

Pick your current state — the checker returns your exact pathway.

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Verdict

CLC enacted — not yet issuing

At 1,250 required training hours, Pennsylvania sits in the national mainstream. Transfers from most states clear the hour bar; if you trained in one of the low-hour states (around 1,000-1,200 hours), check the gap-closing options in the requirements below before assuming you need more schooling.

The board states it has a reciprocal agreement with every state except Connecticut, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, and Utah; licensees from those eight states may qualify through Act 41 endorsement (substantially equivalent requirements, same $89 fee). Education requirement is 1,250 school hours or 2,000 apprenticeship hours. Pennsylvania enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact (SB 331, signed July 20, 2026), but the compact commission states the compact is not yet active (as of 2026-10-29) — reciprocity or Act 41 endorsement remains the working path.

Pennsylvania requirements at a glance

Out-of-state cosmetology license transfer requirements for Pennsylvania, verified 2026-10-29
ExamExams are not retaken — an applicant who meets the criteria for licensure by reciprocity may obtain the license without examination (49 Pa. Code 7.31(b))
Training hours1,250 training hours for the standard license
Fees$89 (licensure by reciprocity / Act 41 endorsement application fee, applied for through the PALS portal)
Processing timethe board's processing guide describes a three-phase timeline but publishes no fixed durations

Step by step

  1. Confirm Pennsylvania's current requirements on the Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology website — rules change.
  2. Submit the reciprocity/endorsement application to the Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology (application linked on this page).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state.
  4. Hold a current license with a minimum of two years of licensed work experience, documented by signed employer certifications.
  5. Provide criminal history records checks, dated within 180 days, from every state where you lived, worked, or trained during the past five years.
  6. Be licensed in a state with which Pennsylvania holds a reciprocal agreement; applicants from the eight non-reciprocal states apply by Act 41 endorsement instead.
  7. Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.

Official links

Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology ↗Pennsylvania application ↗Cosmetology Licensure Compact ↗

Coming from a specific state?

Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Pennsylvania:

Alabama → PennsylvaniaArizona → PennsylvaniaColorado → PennsylvaniaConnecticut → PennsylvaniaDelaware → PennsylvaniaDistrict of Columbia → PennsylvaniaFlorida → PennsylvaniaHawaii → PennsylvaniaKansas → PennsylvaniaKentucky → PennsylvaniaMaryland → PennsylvaniaNevada → PennsylvaniaNew Jersey → PennsylvaniaNew Mexico → PennsylvaniaNew York → PennsylvaniaNorth Carolina → PennsylvaniaOhio → PennsylvaniaOklahoma → PennsylvaniaRhode Island → PennsylvaniaTennessee → Pennsylvania
All 25 origin states
Texas → PennsylvaniaUtah → PennsylvaniaVirginia → PennsylvaniaWashington → PennsylvaniaWest Virginia → Pennsylvania

Nearby states

Cosmetology / Barber license transfer into the states bordering Pennsylvania:

Pennsylvania for other professions

Frequently asked questions

How many training hours does Pennsylvania require for cosmetology?

1,250 clock hours for the standard cosmetology license (verified 2026-10-29). Transfers with fewer completed hours should review Pennsylvania's gap options — experience substitution, supplemental training, or examination.

Is Pennsylvania in the Cosmetology Licensure Compact?

Pennsylvania has enacted the compact, but the compact is not yet operating as a multistate network as of 2026-10-29, and a multistate license would not cover a permanent move in any case. Until activation, endorsement rules on this page apply unchanged.

Sources

Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-10-29.

Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29

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