SF4217

Purpose

• The bill makes changes to Minnesota’s cosmetology laws and the Board of Cosmetologist Examiners. It updates how the board is formed and who can work in cosmetology, esthiology, nail technology, and related fields. It also changes how licenses are issued, renewed, and priced, adds new license types and rules, and repeals an older provision.

Key Provisions

• Board of Cosmetologist Examiners
  • Creates a seven-member board with specific roles: two cosmetologists, two school instructors (one from a public program and one from a private program), one advanced practice esthetician, one nail technician, and one public member.
  • Members must be licensed in their field, have at least five years of practice, and meet education and rule-reading requirements.
• Definitions and Scope
  • Updates definitions for Cosmetologist, Esthetician, Manager, Salon, School, School Administrator, and Practitioner (covering cosmetology, esthiology/esthetic services, nail technology, hair technology, and eyelash technology).
• Roles and Facilities
  • Adds a definition for School Administrator (the proprietor/partner/officer/signatory responsible for a school in various organizational forms).
  • Clarifies what a Salon is and when the home of a client can be governed by board rules.
• Licenses and Fees
  • Sets a three-year licensing cycle with a detailed fee schedule:
  • Initial Practitioner license: $195 total ($155 license + $40 application)
  • Renewal Practitioner license: $115 total ($100 license + $15 application)
  • Renewal Manager or Instructor license: $145 total ($130 license + $15 application)
  • Initial Salon license: $350 total ($250 license + $100 application)
  • Renewal Salon license: $225 total ($175 license + $50 application)
  • Initial School license: $4,000 total ($3,000 license + $1,000 application)
  • Renewal School license: $2,500 total ($2,000 license + $500 application)
  • Establishes a schedule of penalties for violations and administrative fees (e.g., reinspection fees, license display failures, late renewal fees, and various penalties for improper practice or mismanagement).
• Nonresident and Military Licenses
  • Allows nonresident cosmetologists, nail technicians, estheticians, and related professionals to be licensed in Minnesota if certain education, licensing, and testing requirements are met, including translation of tests when needed.
  • Creates temporary military and expedited licenses with defined processing times.
• Cross-Category Licensing and Reciprocity
  • When an instructor license and another license (operator or salon manager) are held, expiration dates are aligned and certain fees are waived or combined.
  • Adds reciprocity provisions with barber licenses, allowing some barber license hours to count toward cosmetology/hair technology licensing hours, with verification of barber status.
• Timelines and Processing
  • Board must act within set timeframes (e.g., processing completed applications within a specified number of working days; expedited and military licenses have shortened processing windows).
• Repeals and Revisions
  • Repeals specific older statute (155A.275) and updates multiple related sections to align with new definitions and processes.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Structural change to the regulatory board composition and qualifications.
• Expanded and clarified definitions for key roles (cosmetologist, esthetician, practitioner, manager, school administrator, etc.).
• New and expanded license categories with higher associated fees, especially for schools.
• Formalized temporary and expedited licensing pathways, including military-related licenses.
• Introduced explicit cross-license reciprocity with barbers and a process for testing and language translation for nonresidents.
• Tightened timelines for application reviews and renewals.
• Repeal of an older statutory provision (155A.275) as part of modernization.

Impact and Considerations

• For practitioners: higher or more clearly defined fees; new alignment of license expiry dates when multiple licenses are held; potential changes to how hours from barbering may count toward cosmetology licensing.
• For schools and operators: significantly higher initial licensing costs for schools; formalized responsibilities for school administrators.
• For nonresidents and military personnel: clearer pathways to licensure and language accommodations where needed.
• For consumers: ongoing protections through clarified definitions and stricter administrative processes.

Relevant terms - Board of Cosmetologist Examiners - cosmetology, esthiology, esthetician/esthetician - nail technician - advanced practice esthetician - manager, operator, salon, school, school administrator - practitioner - temporary military license - nonresident license - reciprocity - barber licensing (reciprocity/credit) - license fees, renewal fees, initial licenses - penalties, reinspection, administrative fees - test translation, board-approved examinations - Minnesota Statutes 2024 sections (155A.20, 155A.23, 155A.25, 155A.27, 155A.29, 155A.30, 155A.31, 155A.32, 155A.33, 155A.275) - repeal of 155A.275