Cosmetology / Barber License from Tennessee to Kansas: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Kansas accept a Tennessee cosmetology license?
Both Tennessee and Kansas have enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, but multistate licenses are not yet being issued (as of 2026-10-29). Until the compact activates, transfer your cosmetology license the standard way: apply for licensure by endorsement.
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Compact enacted — not yet issuing
Interim path until the compact activates: licensure by endorsement.
Tennessee and Kansas require identical training hours (1,500), which removes the usual friction from a cosmetology transfer. What remains is Kansas's administrative checklist below.
Both states have enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact. That changes nothing today — the compact is not yet operating as a multistate network — but once the compact activates, a multistate license could cover work in Kansas without a separate Kansas license (changing your home state would still mean licensing there). If your timeline is flexible, check cosmetologycompact.gov before filing.
What's different between Tennessee and Kansas
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Kansas. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Tennessee to Kansas (this page): Compact enacted — not yet issuing; until it issues, licensure by endorsement.
Kansas to Tennessee (the reverse move): Compact enacted — not yet issuing; until it issues, licensure by endorsement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Tennessee matter?
Coming from Tennessee matters here: only 12 of 50 origins (the other 49 states and DC) get this result for a move into Kansas.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (38).
- CLC membership
Tennessee and Kansas have both enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, which is not issuing yet, so it does not cover this move today.
- Application fee
Kansas lists $75 for an out-of-state applicant and Tennessee lists $100 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Processing time
Kansas lists 3+ weeks; Tennessee lists 3–4 weeks for the reverse move.
- Training hours
Kansas's first-time-applicant standard is 1,500 training hours for the standard license; Tennessee's is 1,500.
The two standards are the same.
- Exam rules on record
Kansas and Tennessee carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Kansas (this move): Board written and practical exams are waived if you completed at least 1,500 training hours and hold an active license in another state — only a 20-question open-book exam on Kansas laws is required; applicants with fewer hours or an expired license must take the board exams
- Tennessee (the reverse move): No Tennessee examinations are listed in the reciprocity process; your certification of licensure must show you substantially met Tennessee's qualifications, which include a theory and practical examination for all license types
What changes, Tennessee → Kansas
| Tennessee (current) | Kansas (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| CLC status | CLC enacted — not yet issuing | CLC enacted — not yet issuing |
| Training hours | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| Application fee | $100 (reciprocity fee, all license types, non-refundable) | $75 (nonrefundable out-of-state application fee; exam fees are additional only if board exams are required) |
| Processing time | 3–4 weeks (board advises allowing three to four weeks for processing after submitting the online application; receipt of certifications from other state boards varies) | 3+ weeks (board states the out-of-state process typically takes no less than 3 weeks after all documentation is received; allow 7-10 business days per document review) |
| Licensing authority | Tennessee Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners | Kansas Board of Cosmetology (KBOC) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Kansas sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Kansas's current requirements on the Kansas Board of Cosmetology (KBOC) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Kansas Board of Cosmetology (KBOC) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold an active cosmetology license in another US state, district, or territory (with at least 1,500 training hours this qualifies you for the open-book Kansas law exam under K.S.A. 65-1904b).
- To use K.S.A. 48-3406 reciprocity instead (valid license plus at least one year of work experience), be a military member or spouse, or have established (or intend to establish) Kansas residency.
- Request license verification sent directly to the board from every state where you have been licensed or trained.
- Have employers send employment verification letters directly to the board.
- Submit a high school transcript or GED (waived if licensed in the field for 10+ years).
- 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.
- KBOC — Application for Out-of-State Licensure (cosmetology professions, K.S.A. 65-1904b) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- KBOC — Forms and Applications ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Cosmetology Licensure Compact — official commission site (compact not yet active) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- TN Cosmetology and Barber Examiners Board — Renewal, Reciprocity, and Other Resources ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- TN Cosmetology and Barber Examiners Board — License Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-10-29
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