Cosmetology / Barber License from Washington to Kansas: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Kansas Board of Cosmetology (KBOC) ↗
Both Washington and Kansas have enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, but multistate licenses are not yet being issued (as of 2026-07-21). 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 — endorsement for now
Interim path until the compact activates: licensure by endorsement.
This move runs downhill. Washington trained you to 1,600 hours; Kansas requires only 1,500. With the hour test cleared by a margin, your transfer is administrative — license verification, application, fee — and the requirements below read as a checklist rather than an obstacle course.
Both states have enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact. That changes nothing today — no multistate licenses are issued yet — but it means this specific move is on the short list to become automatic when the compact activates. If your timeline is flexible, check cosmetologycompact.gov before filing.
What changes, Washington → Kansas
| Washington (current) | Kansas (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| CLC status | CLC enacted — not yet issuing | CLC enacted — not yet issuing |
| Training hours | 1,600 | 1,500 |
| Application fee | $60 (reciprocity application fee per license; no application fee if applying via the out-of-state (no-exam) path, but Washington exams are then required) | $75 (nonrefundable out-of-state application fee; +$25 additional license fee plus exam costs only if board exams are required) |
| Processing time | not published; DOL states online applications are issued faster than mail | ~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 | Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) — Cosmetology Program | 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 a valid cosmetology license in another US state, district, or territory with at least one year of work experience.
- Be a military member or spouse, or have established (or intend to establish) Kansas residency (K.S.A. 48-3406).
- 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 ($75 (nonrefundable out-of-state application fee; +$25 additional license fee plus exam costs only if board exams are required)) and allow ~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).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Kansas accept a Washington cosmetology license?
Both Washington and Kansas have enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, but multistate licenses are not yet being issued (as of 2026-07-21). Until the compact activates, transfer your cosmetology license the standard way: apply for licensure by endorsement.
Will Kansas make me retake the cosmetology exams?
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.
What does the Washington-to-Kansas transfer cost and how long does it take?
$75 (nonrefundable out-of-state application fee; +$25 additional license fee plus exam costs only if board exams are required); processing ~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). Both states have enacted the cosmetology compact — when it activates, this move may no longer require an application at all.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- KBOC — Application for Out-of-State Licensure (cosmetology professions, K.S.A. 65-1904b) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- KBOC — Forms and Applications ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- WA DOL — Get your license: Cosmetology (reciprocity and out-of-state paths, 1,600 hours) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- WA DOL — Fees: Cosmetologists ↗ (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]