Florida

Florida beauty services are regulated by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation and the Florida Board of Massage Therapy. The department and the board have various sets of licensing requirements for the following professions:

Non-Regulated Beauty Service in Florida, USA:

Regulated Beauty Services in Florida, USA

Hairstylist / Waxing Technician / Makeup Artist / Lash Technician

These services are all under cosmetology, so interested learners must become licensed cosmetologists to work in Florida. Applicants must finish 1,200 training hours for cosmetology to take the exam. They are also required to submit a certificate of completion for HIV/AIDS if they graduated from a Florida school.

For licensed cosmetologists from another state, they may qualify to have a license in Florida through the license by state endorsement. This allows them to practice in the state without needing to take the licensure exam again.

Barber

The state of Florida has two types of licenses for barbering: restricted barber and barber. Restricted barbers are not permitted to perform services involving chemicals, such as hair colouring. Barbers provide the same services as restricted barbers but are allowed to perform services involving chemicals.

Restricted barbers should finish 600 training hours and must be determined competent to take the examination by a school official. They are also expected to submit a certificate for HIV/AIDS training completion.

Barbers should complete 600 training hours and must be acknowledged by a school official to be competent for the examination. Completion of an HIV/AIDS course is also required for barbers.

Nail Technician

Nail techs or nail specialists in the state need 180 training hours and must complete an HIV/AIDS program. They provide manicuring, pedicuring and nail extension or enhancement services.

Facialist

Facialists or facial specialists are required to finish 220 training hours for the facial program. They also need to complete an HIV/AIDS course and must submit their certificates for the program.

Applicants can also take the full specialist license if they are interested in providing facial and nail services. To take the examination, they must complete 400 training hours for the full specialty program. They also need to have a certificate for HIV/AIDS training as another requirement.

Massage Therapist

The board requires massage therapists to finish 500 training hours at an approved institution. Out-of-state and out-of-country applicants are welcome to take the examination in Florida, but their credentials will be reviewed by the board.

The examinations approved by the board are the MBLEx, NCETM, NCETMB and NESL. The last three examinations are accepted if taken through the NCBTMB before they were no longer offered.

More licensing information is available on this page:

https://floridasmassagetherapy.gov/licensing/licensed-massage-therapist-lmt/

Non-Regulated Beauty Service in Florida, USA

Spray Tanning Technician

Spray tanning techs can choose where to train to get skilled as the industry has no licensing requirements yet. The Florida Department of Health doesn’t even have product regulations for spray tanning. Only the FDA reminds the public to be cautious of the products used during the application.