Transfer Your Cosmetology / Barber License to Virginia: Reciprocity & Endorsement (2026)

Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Virginia Board for Barbers and Cosmetology (DPOR) ↗

A cosmetology license transfers to Virginia by endorsement: the Virginia Board for Barbers and Cosmetology (DPOR) verifies your current license and compares your training against its 1,000 training hours requirement. Expect $120 (License by Endorsement application fee (practitioner) per form A450-1213END) in application fees. Virginia has enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, but no multistate licenses exist yet (as of 2026-07-21) — endorsement is still the path.

Moving to Virginia from a specific state?

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Verdict

CLC enacted — not yet issuing

Virginia's 1,000-hour requirement sits at the low end of the national range, which makes it an easy destination: almost every state trains at or above this level, so incoming transfers rarely face an hour deficit. The checklist below is mostly administrative — verification, application, fee.

Enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact (HB 322, 2024) but the compact is not yet issuing multistate licenses — endorsement remains the working path. Virginia's cosmetology program is now 1,000 hours; the 1,500-hour program was retired September 1, 2024.

Virginia requirements at a glance

Out-of-state cosmetology license transfer requirements for Virginia, verified 2026-07-21
Exam	Exams are not retaken when your out-of-state license was earned with substantially equivalent training and examination; the certification of licensure must come from the state board where you passed your exams
Training hours	1,000 hours
Additional requirements	Hold a current valid cosmetology license in another state Training (hours and content) must be substantially equivalent to Virginia's; applicants who completed less than 80% of the required hours are not eligible for endorsement Submit a Certification of Licensure / Letter of Good Standing dated within the last 60 days from the state board where you passed your examinations If you trained in a different jurisdiction than the state of your current license, an additional certification from the original jurisdiction is required
Fees	$120 (License by Endorsement application fee (practitioner) per form A450-1213END)
Processing time	no processing time published on the board pages reviewed

Step by step

Confirm Virginia's current requirements on the Virginia Board for Barbers and Cosmetology (DPOR) website — rules change.
Submit the endorsement application to the Virginia Board for Barbers and Cosmetology (DPOR) (application linked on this page).
Arrange license verification from your current state.
Hold a current valid cosmetology license in another state.
Training (hours and content) must be substantially equivalent to Virginia's; applicants who completed less than 80% of the required hours are not eligible for endorsement.
Submit a Certification of Licensure / Letter of Good Standing dated within the last 60 days from the state board where you passed your examinations.
If you trained in a different jurisdiction than the state of your current license, an additional certification from the original jurisdiction is required.
Pay the fees ($120 (License by Endorsement application fee (practitioner) per form A450-1213END)) and allow no processing time published on the board pages reviewed.

Official links

Virginia Board for Barbers and Cosmetology (DPOR) ↗Virginia application ↗Cosmetology Licensure Compact ↗

Coming from a specific state?

Direction matters — these guides cover the exact move into Virginia:

Alabama → Virginia Arizona → Virginia California → Virginia Colorado → Virginia Florida → Virginia Georgia → Virginia Illinois → Virginia Kansas → Virginia Kentucky → Virginia Maryland → Virginia Michigan → Virginia New York → Virginia North Carolina → Virginia Ohio → Virginia Pennsylvania → Virginia Tennessee → Virginia Texas → Virginia Washington → Virginia

Frequently asked questions

Does my cosmetology license transfer to Virginia?

How many training hours does Virginia require for cosmetology?

1,000 clock hours for the standard cosmetology license (verified 2026-07-21). Transfers with fewer completed hours should review Virginia's gap options — experience substitution, supplemental training, or examination.

Will I have to retake exams in Virginia?

Exams are not retaken when your out-of-state license was earned with substantially equivalent training and examination; the certification of licensure must come from the state board where you passed your exams.

What does the transfer cost and how long does it take?

$120 (License by Endorsement application fee (practitioner) per form A450-1213END); processing no processing time published on the board pages reviewed.

Is Virginia in the Cosmetology Licensure Compact?

Virginia has enacted the compact, but it is not yet operational anywhere — no multistate licenses are issued as of 2026-07-21. Until activation, endorsement rules on this page apply unchanged.

Sources

Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.

DPOR — How to Transfer a License from Another State (Board for Barbers and Cosmetology) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
DPOR — Barber and Cosmetology License by Endorsement application (A450-1213END) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
DPOR — Cosmetology curriculum requirements (1,000-hour program) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)

Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21

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