Fee-only jurisdictions
States that do not require cosmetology continuing education
37 of 53 US jurisdictions do not require any continuing education for cosmetology, esthetician, or nail-technician renewal. Renewal is by application and fee only. The remaining 15 jurisdictions require CE hours ranging from 4 to 24 per cycle. Every figure below is source-verified against the state board's published administrative code or statute.
What "no CE required" actually means
A state in this list does not require continuing education hours as a condition of renewing your cosmetology license. That does not mean the renewal is unregulated. Most fee-only jurisdictions still require you to:
- Submit a renewal application before the deadline (usually two years from initial licensure)
- Pay the renewal fee published by the board
- Maintain the sanitation and infection-control standards your initial training covered
- Update the board if your contact information or name changes
Some states also impose initial-licensure CE or post-disciplinary CE that does not appear in the routine renewal rule. If you have ever had a board action against your license, check your state page for any conditional CE requirements.
The 37 jurisdictions with no CE requirement
| State | Renewal cycle | Renewal fee |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | every 2 years | $100 |
| Alaska | every 2 years | $140 |
| Arizona | every 2 years | $60 |
| Arkansas | every 2 years | $50 |
| California | every 2 years | $50 |
| Colorado | every 2 years | not published |
| Connecticut | every 2 years | $100 |
| Delaware | every 2 years | $59 |
| Hawaii | every 2 years | $30 |
| Idaho | every 1 year | $25 |
| Indiana | every 2 years | $40 |
| Kansas | every 2 years | $35 |
| Kentucky | every 1 year | not published |
| Louisiana | every 2 years | $25 |
| Maine | every 2 years | $50 |
| Massachusetts | every 2 years | $68 |
| Michigan | every 2 years | $48 |
| Mississippi | every 2 years | not published |
| Missouri | every 2 years | $30 |
| Montana | every 2 years | $100 |
| New Hampshire | every 2 years | $60 |
| New Jersey | every 2 years | $90 |
| New Mexico | every 1 year | $100 |
| New York | every 4 years | $40 |
| North Dakota | every 1 year | $15 |
| Oklahoma | every 2 years | $80 |
| Oregon | every 2 years | $65 |
| Pennsylvania | every 2 years | not published |
| Rhode Island | every 2 years | $25 |
| South Dakota | every 2 years | $25 |
| Tennessee | every 2 years | $60 |
| Utah | every 2 years | not published |
| Vermont | every 2 years | $75 |
| Virginia | every 2 years | $120 |
| Washington | every 2 years | not published |
| West Virginia | every 1 year | $25 |
| Wyoming | every 2 years | $50 |
How to read this list
- Renewal cycle is how often the license renews. Most are every two years.
- Renewal fee is the standard published fee for a routine renewal in the state board's current fee schedule. Reinstatement fees, late fees, and initial-license fees are separate and shown on each state page.
- Some states recently reclassified into "no CE required" after rule changes. Kentucky repealed its CE regulation in 2025. Oregon dropped traditional CE for regular cosmetology effective July 1, 2025 (annual bloodborne-pathogens training still required). Always verify against the state board directly.
Why some states require CE and others don't
US cosmetology licensing is regulated state by state. There is no federal CE floor. State boards write their own rules under the state's administrative code. Some boards have moved toward CE over the years (Maryland added a 6-hour requirement on January 1, 2026). Others have moved away from CE (Kentucky repealed its rule, Oregon switched to BBP-only). The list above reflects the rules as published by each state board on the date we last verified each entry.
See also: States that require CE | Compare all 53 states side by side | Recent rule changes