Navigating Florida Cosmetology Continuing Education Requirements for License Renewal

For cosmetologists and specialists in Florida, maintaining an active license requires understanding and meeting specific continuing education (CE) requirements. This article provides a comprehensive guide to these requirements, renewal processes, and available resources.

Continuing Education: An Overview

In Florida, cosmetologists and other beauty specialists must complete continuing education courses to stay updated on the latest industry practices, safety regulations, and legal requirements. These courses ensure that professionals provide safe and effective services to their clients.

Who Needs Continuing Education?

The Florida State Board of Cosmetology grants licenses to various beauty specialists, including:

Cosmetologists
Nail Specialists
Facial Specialists
Full Specialists
Hair Braiders
Hair Wrappers
Body Wrappers

All these professionals must maintain an active license to practice legally, which involves completing the necessary CE hours.

How Many CE Hours Are Required?

In 2020, the Florida Board of Cosmetology decreased the continuing education renewal requirement for cosmetologists and specialists from 16 hours to 10 hours. This change applies to cosmetology, facial specialist, nail specialist, and full specialist licenses and registrations.

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Cosmetologist, Nail Specialist, Facial Specialist, and Full Specialist: 10 hours of CE every two years.
Hair Braider, Hair Wrapper, and Body Wrapper: 2 hours of CE every two years.

Breakdown of Required CE Hours

The 10 hours of CE for cosmetologists and specialists must include training in the following areas:

HIV/AIDS and Other Communicable Diseases: 1 hour
Sanitation and Sterilization: 3 hours
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Regulations: 30 minutes
Workers' Compensation Related to Florida Law: 30 minutes
State and Federal Laws and Rules: 2 hours, specifically Chapter 477, F.S., and the Rules of the Board.
Chemical Makeup Related to Hair, Skin, and Nails: 1 hour
Environmental Issues: 1 hour
Additional Instruction: 1 hour in any course approved by the State of Florida for Continuing Education.

For Hair Braiders, Hair Wrappers, and Body Wrappers, the 2 hours of CE must cover HIV/AIDS.

Approved Providers and Course Information

To ensure that the CE hours are valid, professionals must take courses from a Florida Board of Cosmetology-approved provider. One such approved provider is Beauty Bliss CE (#0007442), with course number 0501351 for the 10-hour renewal package.

Key Features of Approved Courses:

Online Accessibility: Courses and exams are web-based, allowing for completion at any time.
Self-Paced Learning: Professionals can complete the course whenever it works for them.
Immediate Access: Course reading material and exams are immediately available after purchase.
Open Book Exams: The 30-question multiple-choice exam is open book, with unlimited attempts. A passing score of 75% is required.
Instant Certificate: After passing the exam, a certificate is immediately available for download and printing.
Reporting to the State: Florida board-approved providers must report completed CE credits to The Bureau of Education and Testing within 30 days of completion, or 10 days if it is near the October 31st renewal date.

Renewal Process

All cosmetologists in the state of Florida are required to complete 10 hours of continuing education training by October 31st every 2 years as part of the Florida cosmetology renewal requirements.

Steps to Renew Your License:

Complete the Required CE Hours: Take a board-approved 10-hour continuing education course.

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Check Your CE Credits: Verify that your CE credits have been reported to the state by logging into your account on myfloridalicense.com and selecting "View Continuing Education" or by calling 850-487-1395.
Renew Online or by Phone:
- Online: Log in to your account at myfloridalicense.com, select "Renew License," pay the renewal fee, and print your new license certificate.
- Phone: Call 850-487-1395 and speak with a DBPR associate.
Pay Renewal Fees: Ensure all fees are paid to complete the renewal process.

What Happens If You Miss the Renewal Deadline?

A cosmetology license is only active for a two-year period and will expire on October 31 of the second year. However, the license can be renewed prior to the expiration by completing the required continuing education courses and renewing the license with the Board of Cosmetology.

Consequences of Non-Renewal:

Missed One Renewal Period: To get your license back to “active” status, you need to complete 10 hours of board-approved continuing education.
License Null and Void: If you have missed two renewal deadlines, your license is likely now null and void. In this case, you first need to complete a 4-hour HIV/AIDS course for the null and void application.

Initial Cosmetology License Course

Anyone wishing to acquire a Florida cosmetology license must take the 4-hour HIV/AIDS course for initial cosmetology licensure.

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Additional Resources and Information

Beauty Bliss CE: A provider of cosmetology continuing education courses. They offer reminders when your license renewal is due and recommend courses to fulfill your state license renewal requirements.
Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR): The official website for license renewal and information.
MyFloridaLicense.com: The online portal for managing your cosmetology license, checking CE credits, and renewing your license.

Understanding Cosmetology Practices

A “cosmetologist” means a person who is licensed to engage in the practice of cosmetology which includes the mechanical or chemical treatment of the head, face, and scalp for aesthetic rather than medical purposes, including, but not limited to, hair shampooing, hair cutting, hair arranging, hair coloring, permanent waving, hair relaxing, hair removing, pedicuring, and manicuring, for compensation.

A “nail specialist” means a person registered to engage in the practice of manicuring and pedicuring in the State of Florida. Manicuring means the cutting, polishing, tinting, coloring, cleansing, adding, or extending of the nails, and massaging of the hands. This term includes any procedure or process for affixing of artificial nails, except those nails which may be applied by a simple adhesive. Pedicuring means the shaping, polishing, tinting, or cleansing of the nails of the feet, and massaging or beautifying of the feet. These services must be performed in a licensed salon.

A “facial specialist” means a person registered to do facials in the State of Florida. Facial means the massaging or treating of the face or scalp with oils, creams, lotions, or other preparations.

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