Cosmetology / Barber License from New York to Illinois: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) ↗
A cosmetology license transfers from New York to Illinois by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), verify your New York license, and meet Illinois's endorsement requirements. Exams are not retaken if your out-of-state license is the same as or substantially similar to the Illinois cosmetologist license; endorsement applicants who cannot satisfy all requirements may be required to submit additional information, take additional coursework, and/or pass the Illinois examination.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
The number that defines this move: New York licensed you at 1,000 training hours, and Illinois requires 1,500 — a 500-hour deficit on paper. That does not usually mean going back to school. It means proving the gap is covered another way: most boards in Illinois's position accept documented licensed work experience, supplemental hours, or their own exams. The requirements below are the exact menu Illinois offers.
What changes, New York → Illinois
| New York (current) | Illinois (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| CLC status | Reciprocity with 27 states | Licensure by endorsement |
| Training hours | 1,000 | 1,500 |
| Application fee | $40 (cosmetology license application fee; $50 combined fee if applying for the initial license and a temporary license together) | $45 (endorsement fee per 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.100(a)(7)) |
| Processing time | Department of State does not publish a processing timeframe | IDFPR does not publish a processing time for cosmetologist endorsement |
| Licensing authority | New York State Department of State, Division of Licensing Services (Appearance Enhancement — Cosmetology) | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Illinois sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Illinois's current requirements on the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold a current, active cosmetologist license in another U.S. state or jurisdiction.
- Submit official certification of licensure from the jurisdiction of original licensure and from the jurisdiction where currently licensed and practicing, if different.
- License must be the same or substantially similar to Illinois's; licenses obtained through reciprocity in another state may not qualify.
- Provide school transcripts and/or verification of work experience if requested.
- Complete a Department-approved abnormal skin growth (melanoma) education course for applications on or after January 1, 2026.
- Pay the fees ($45 (endorsement fee per 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.100(a)(7))) and allow IDFPR does not publish a processing time for cosmetologist endorsement.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Illinois accept a New York cosmetology license?
A cosmetology license transfers from New York to Illinois by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), verify your New York license, and meet Illinois's endorsement requirements. Exams are not retaken if your out-of-state license is the same as or substantially similar to the Illinois cosmetologist license; endorsement applicants who cannot satisfy all requirements may be required to submit additional information, take additional coursework, and/or pass the Illinois examination.
New York required 1,000 hours but Illinois wants 1,500 — do I need more school?
Not necessarily. The 500-hour gap can usually be bridged without re-enrolling: Illinois's options are listed in the requirements on this page (experience substitution and examination are the common routes). Contact the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) with your license history before paying for school hours.
Will Illinois make me retake the cosmetology exams?
Exams are not retaken if your out-of-state license is the same as or substantially similar to the Illinois cosmetologist license; endorsement applicants who cannot satisfy all requirements may be required to submit additional information, take additional coursework, and/or pass the Illinois examination.
What does the New York-to-Illinois transfer cost and how long does it take?
$45 (endorsement fee per 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.100(a)(7)); processing IDFPR does not publish a processing time for cosmetologist endorsement.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- IDFPR — Qualifications for Licensure: Cosmetologist (011), rev. 9/2025 ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- IDFPR — Cosmetology profession page ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.100 — Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NY DOS — Cosmetology Reciprocity (state table, certification, $40 fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NY DOS — Endorsement States (cosmetology endorsement list) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NY DOS — Become a Cosmetologist (1,000-hour course, exams, 5-year experience path) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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