Cosmetology / Barber License from Colorado to Maryland: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Maryland Board of Cosmetologists (Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing) ↗
Both Colorado and Maryland 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.
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Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Compact enacted — endorsement for now
Interim path until the compact activates: licensure by endorsement.
Colorado 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 — 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, Colorado → Maryland
| Colorado (current) | Maryland (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| CLC status | CLC enacted — not yet issuing | CLC enacted — not yet issuing |
| Training hours | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| Application fee | endorsement application fee is displayed in the DPO Online Services portal at application; no public fee schedule page for this profession | $28 (cosmetologist licensure-by-endorsement application fee) |
| Processing time | no timeframe published; review begins only after all state license verifications arrive (board warns California verifications alone can take up to 3 months) | board does not publish a processing timeframe for endorsement applications |
| Licensing authority | Colorado Office of Barber and Cosmetology Licensure (DORA Division of Professions and Occupations) | 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 ($28 (cosmetologist licensure-by-endorsement application fee)) and allow board does not publish a processing timeframe for endorsement applications.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Maryland accept a Colorado cosmetology license?
Both Colorado and Maryland 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 Maryland make me retake the cosmetology exams?
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.
What does the Colorado-to-Maryland transfer cost and how long does it take?
$28 (cosmetologist licensure-by-endorsement application fee); processing board does not publish a processing timeframe for endorsement applications. 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.
- Maryland Board of Cosmetologists — Apply for Licensure by Endorsement (Reciprocal) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Maryland Board of Cosmetologists — License Requirements ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Colorado DPO — Barber and Cosmetology Applications and Forms (endorsement instructions) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- 4 CCR 731-1 Barber and Cosmetology Licensure Rules, Rules 1.2 and 1.4 (Colorado SOS CCR) ↗ (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]