MSBCB cosmetology renewal: Mississippi 2026
Regulated by the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology (MSBCB)
Last verified:
Mississippi cosmetology licenses are valid for 2 years. There is no continuing education requirement. You renew through the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology (MSBCB).
Mississippi is a tier-driven state. If you hold a standard cosmetologist, esthetician, or nail technician license, you owe no continuing education at all and simply pay your renewal fee every two years. The CE obligation only kicks in once you move up to a Master-level designation or become an instructor, which is the detail that trips up stylists who assume the rules are the same for everyone.
Mississippi runs a two-year (biennial) renewal cycle for cosmetology licenses. What you must do to renew depends entirely on which license you hold.
Standard licenses (no CE required):
- Cosmetologist
- Esthetician
- Nail technician / manicurist
For these, renewal is a fee-and-paperwork process with zero continuing-education hours. This is set out in Miss. Code Ann. § 73-7-19, which governs biennial renewal of regular licenses.
Master licenses (8 CE hours per cycle):
- Master Cosmetologist
- Master Esthetician
- Master Manicurist
To renew any Master designation, you must have 8 hours of continuing education on record with the Board for the two-year period. This comes from Mississippi State Board Rule 6.2(B), which states that proof of eight hours of CE biennially must be on file to renew a Master license. The governing statutes are Miss. Code Ann. §§ 73-7-7 and 73-7-15.
Instructors (24 CE hours per cycle):
- Instructor licenses require 24 hours of continuing education every two years.
- Of those 24 hours, 5 hours must come from a Board-sanctioned teaching-methods seminar.
A note on becoming a Master: the rules show an amendment that appears to raise the CE required for an initial Master designation from 8 hours to 16 hours. If you are applying for a Master license for the first time (rather than renewing one you already hold), confirm the current initial-designation hour count directly with the Board before you enroll in courses.
Online and self-study limits, CE-hour definitions, and renewal fees are not specified in the Board rule text we reviewed, so verify those points with the Board if they apply to you.
Does Mississippi require CE for cosmetology renewal?
Mississippi does not require continuing education for license renewal. You renew every 2 years by paying the fee and submitting any required documentation. Add your renewal date below and we'll email you 90, 60, and 30 days before your deadline.
Exemptions
Master Esthetician/Master Cosmetologist/Master Manicurist licenses require 8 CE hours per 2-year biennial period. Instructors require 24 CE hours per 2-year period (including 5 hrs from Board-sanctioned teaching methods seminar). Regular esthetician/cosmetologist/manicurist: no CE.
Mississippi state board contact info
- Board: Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology (MSBCB)
- Website: https://www.msbcb.ms.gov/
Other states with no CE requirement: Arizona, California, Massachusetts. See the full list of states with no CE requirement. Compare all 53 states.
Set your Mississippi renewal reminders
Drop your email and renewal date once. We send the reminders so your license does not lapse. Free, no spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Frequently asked questions about Mississippi cosmetology renewal
Does Mississippi require CE for cosmetology or esthetician renewal?
Mississippi does not require continuing education for estheticians, master estheticians, cosmetologists, master cosmetologists, nail technicians, master manicurists, and instructors. You renew every 2 years by application and fee only. No CE hours or courses are required.
Can I complete Mississippi cosmetology CE online?
Mississippi has no CE requirement, so there are no online CE hours to complete. Renewal is by application and fee only.
How often does a Mississippi cosmetology license need to be renewed?
Mississippi estheticians, master estheticians, cosmetologists, master cosmetologists, nail technicians, master manicurists, and instructors licenses renew every 2 years. No CE is required; renewal is by application and fee.
What happens if my Mississippi cosmetology license lapses?
If you miss your Mississippi renewal deadline, your license enters expired or inactive status. You may face late fees, a reinstatement application, and in some cases additional CE hours or re-examination. Set a free reminder on CEFinder so your deadline is never a surprise.
I'm a regular cosmetologist in Mississippi. Do I need CE hours to renew?
No. Standard cosmetologist, esthetician, and nail technician licenses carry no continuing-education requirement in Mississippi. You renew every two years by paying the fee and keeping your license in good standing. CE only applies to Master-level and instructor licenses.
How many CE hours does a Master Cosmetologist need to renew?
8 hours per two-year cycle. Under Mississippi State Board Rule 6.2(B), proof of eight CE hours biennially must be on record with the Board to renew a Master Cosmetologist, Master Esthetician, or Master Manicurist license.
What are the CE requirements for cosmetology instructors in Mississippi?
Instructors must complete 24 CE hours every two years, and 5 of those hours must come from a Board-sanctioned teaching-methods seminar. The remaining hours can come from other approved continuing education.
How long is the renewal cycle in Mississippi?
Two years. Mississippi uses a biennial renewal cycle for all cosmetology license types, whether or not the license carries a CE requirement.
Does moving up to a Master license require continuing education?
Yes, and possibly more than a renewal. While renewing a Master license needs 8 hours per cycle, the Board rules show an amendment that may set the initial Master designation at 16 hours. Confirm the current figure with the Board before signing up for courses.