Cosmetology / Barber License from Rhode Island to Wyoming: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Wyoming Board of Cosmetology ↗
A cosmetology license transfers from Rhode Island to Wyoming by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Wyoming Board of Cosmetology, verify your Rhode Island license, and meet Wyoming's endorsement requirements. No Wyoming exam retake by endorsement when you passed a state examination given by a state board or testing company for your current license.
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
The number that defines this move: Rhode Island licensed you at 1,000 training hours, and Wyoming requires 1,600 — a 600-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 Wyoming's position accept documented licensed work experience, supplemental hours, or their own exams. The requirements below are the exact menu Wyoming offers.
What changes, Rhode Island → Wyoming
| Rhode Island (current) | Wyoming (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| CLC status | Licensure by endorsement | Licensure by endorsement |
| Training hours | 1,000 | 1,600 |
| Application fee | $25 (application by verification (endorsement) fee, same as the examination application fee) | $273 (endorsement fee, money order only) |
| Processing time | no published timeline; out-of-state licensees may practice for up to three months on a non-renewable temporary permit provided an application is filed within that period | not published by the board |
| Licensing authority | Rhode Island Department of Health — Board of Hairdressing and Barbering | Wyoming Board of Cosmetology |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Wyoming sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Wyoming's current requirements on the Wyoming Board of Cosmetology website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Wyoming Board of Cosmetology (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state.
- Hold a current license from another state with training completed at a licensed school or state-approved apprenticeship program.
- Have passed a state examination administered by a state board or testing company.
- Official license certifications sent from both your original state and your current state of licensure.
- Submit a notarized application with a current passport-style photo and proof of lawful presence.
- Pay the fees ($273 (endorsement fee, money order only)) and allow not published by the board.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Wyoming accept a Rhode Island cosmetology license?
A cosmetology license transfers from Rhode Island to Wyoming by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Wyoming Board of Cosmetology, verify your Rhode Island license, and meet Wyoming's endorsement requirements. No Wyoming exam retake by endorsement when you passed a state examination given by a state board or testing company for your current license.
Rhode Island required 1,000 hours but Wyoming wants 1,600 — do I need more school?
Not necessarily. The 600-hour gap can usually be bridged without re-enrolling: Wyoming's options are listed in the requirements on this page (experience substitution and examination are the common routes). Contact the Wyoming Board of Cosmetology with your license history before paying for school hours.
Will Wyoming make me retake the cosmetology exams?
No Wyoming exam retake by endorsement when you passed a state examination given by a state board or testing company for your current license.
What does the Rhode Island-to-Wyoming transfer cost and how long does it take?
$273 (endorsement fee, money order only); processing not published by the board.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Wyoming Board of Cosmetology — Transferring a License ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Wyoming Board of Cosmetology — Rules and Regulations (Chapter 2 endorsement; Chapter 6 course of study, 1,600 hours) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- 216-RICR-40-05-4 — Barbers, Hairdressers/Cosmeticians, Manicurists, Estheticians, and Instructors ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- 216-RICR-10-05-2 — RIDOH fee structure (hairdresser/cosmetologist fees) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- RIDOH — Barbering, Hairdressing and Cosmetology licensing page ↗ (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]