Cosmetology / Barber License from Tennessee to Maryland: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Maryland accept a Tennessee cosmetology license?
Both Tennessee and Maryland 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 Maryland require identical training hours (1,500), which removes the usual friction from a cosmetology transfer. What remains is Maryland'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 Maryland without a separate Maryland 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 Maryland
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Maryland. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Tennessee to Maryland (this page): Compact enacted — not yet issuing; until it issues, licensure by endorsement.
Maryland 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 Maryland.
The others get: licensure by endorsement (38).
- CLC membership
Tennessee and Maryland have both enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, which is not issuing yet, so it does not cover this move today.
- Application fee
Maryland lists $28 for an out-of-state applicant and Tennessee lists $100 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Processing time
Tennessee lists 3–4 weeks for the reverse move; Maryland has no verified processing-time figure on file, so the two cannot be compared here.
- Training hours
Maryland'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
Maryland and Tennessee carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Maryland (this move): Most transfer applicants do not retake exams; applicants originally examined in Alaska (after 12/7/2020), California (after 1/1/2022), Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Pennsylvania (after 11/24/2014), or South Dakota must pass both the Maryland theory and practical examinations
- 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 → Maryland
| Tennessee (current) | Maryland (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) | $28 (cosmetologist licensure-by-endorsement application fee) |
| 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) | board does not publish a processing timeframe for endorsement applications |
| Licensing authority | Tennessee Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners | Maryland Board of Cosmetologists (Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Maryland sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Maryland's current requirements on the Maryland Board of Cosmetologists (Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Maryland Board of Cosmetologists (Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold a current, active license in good standing from a U.S. state, territory, or jurisdiction with comparable licensing requirements.
- Have your original licensing state send an official license certification, including disciplinary history, directly to the board (applicant-submitted documents are not accepted).
- Complete a one-hour Domestic Violence Awareness training course through a Maryland Board-approved provider.
- Applicants first licensed in certain states (including Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Tennessee) must document at least 6 months of work experience.
- 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.
- Maryland Board of Cosmetologists — Apply for Licensure by Endorsement (Reciprocal) ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Maryland Board of Cosmetologists — License Requirements ↗ (accessed 2026-10-29)
- Cosmetology Licensure Compact — official commission site (FAQ: 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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