All four Colorado beauty licenses in one place. Colorado uses PSI's own National exams, not NIC, with a notable twist: you pass the practical first, then have one year to pass the theory — 70% on each. Training hours can be clock hours or credit hours. No apprenticeship for any license type. CE-free. Cosmetology Licensure Compact member since June 2024.
Prep for this state
Your written exam is the PSI National paper, the same one ten states use. Colorado is the exception in one modality: barber theory is a Colorado paper, not the national one. The outline, the pass marks and how the ten differ →
Practice Test + Flashcards
Practice tests and flashcards together. One purchase, one email, instant access to both.
Practice Test + Flashcards
Practice tests and flashcards together. One purchase, one email, instant access to both.
PSI National Barber Theory · Practice Test + Flashcards
Colorado barbers sit the PSI National Barber Theory form (CO-CIB-BARBER v1.4) — the same eight domains and weights as California, Michigan, Massachusetts and Georgia. Practice tests and flashcards together. One purchase, one email, instant access to both.
Practice Test + Flashcards
Practice tests and flashcards together. One purchase, one email, instant access to both.
Every question comes with a full rationale. When that isn’t enough — the concept is new, the wording is dense, you got it right by luck — tap Explain and the tutor talks you through it: why your answer was wrong, and what the right idea actually is. Ask it anything back, as many times as you need.
If English isn’t the language you learned this in, it teaches in yours, switched whenever you like. The questions stay in English, because that is how you will see them on exam day. Where enough candidates ask we translate the prep itself — so far Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, Russian and Simplified Chinese, on the products that have it.
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10 questions from the PSI National cosmetology bank and 10 terminology cards from the decks — the same items, the same rationales, the same study modes you get after checkout. Colorado tests on the PSI National exam, so this is the exam you’ll sit. No email, no signup.
Colorado · Cosmetologist
Colorado's broadest beauty license: 1,500 contact hours (or 50 credit hours) at a state-approved school (4 CCR 731-1). PSI National exams — 70% on both; the practical comes first. School training only. If no background screening issues: receive license immediately at the PSI testing site. Renewal: April 30 biennially.
Colorado uses PSI National Theory and Practical Examinations administered by PSI Services. NICPrep’s PSI National bank is built to this form — the one California, Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland and Michigan share character-for-character in cosmetology, esthetics and nails. 70% to pass each (PSI Colorado cosmetology guide v1.4, 21 Oct 2025). Both must be passed — the practical first.
Colorado requires at least 70% on both examinations. What is Colorado-specific is the order: per the PSI Colorado guides, test takers must pass the practical test before they can pay the fee and schedule the theory test, and have one year from the date of passing the practical to pass the theory. Theory fee $62; retake $60. A 30-day waiting period is required between retake attempts on any failed component.
Colorado's Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), Office of Barber and Cosmetology Licensure, administers all beauty licensing. Apply for initial licensure through PSI's system. Endorsement, reinstatement, and renewals go through DORA Online Services (apps2.colorado.gov/dora/licensing). No paper applications accepted for endorsement or reinstatement.
Hair services (cutting, styling, chemical texture, color), skin care services (facials, makeup, waxing, lash services), and manicuring services (manicures, pedicures, artificial nails). Advanced services require additional certification: microdermabrasion (14 additional clock hours) and chemical peels/resurfacing exfoliation (24 additional clock hours) — available only to licensed cosmetologists or estheticians.
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Verify school approval at dpo.colorado.gov. Programs typically run 12–18 months. Colorado's credit-hour alternative may allow faster completion at some institutions.
Go to psiexams.com and apply for your Colorado cosmetology license by examination. Out-of-state training: submit completion records and transcript confirming hours meet or exceed Colorado's requirements.
Schedule at PSI centers statewide. Attend practical with your own mannequin and supplies per the PSI Colorado CIB. 30-day wait between failed retake attempts. Unlimited retakes. Exam fee valid 1 year.
If no background screening issues and no prior Colorado cosmetology work: receive license and photo ID card immediately at PSI site after passing. Otherwise, DORA reviews and mails. Renewal April 30 biennially through DORA Online Services.
Colorado joined the Cosmetology Licensure Compact on June 4, 2024 (HB24-1111) — Colorado's enactment triggered the compact's activation. Once fully operational, Colorado cosmetologists with multistate licenses can practice in all compact member states (currently AL, AZ, CO, KS, KY, MD, OH, TN, VA, WA) without additional licensure.
Cosmetologist licenses expire April 30 biennially (issuance-date based) · $40 renewal · CE-free · 60-day grace period after expiration · $55 reinstatement fee after grace period · Renew through DORA Online Services.
🇪🇸 NICPrep's cosmetology prep is also available in Spanish.
Colorado · Esthetics
600 clock hours (or 20 credit hours) at a state-approved school. PSI National exams — 70% on both; practical first, then one year to pass the theory. School training only. Advanced certifications available for microdermabrasion (14 hrs additional) and chemical peels (24 hrs additional). Renewal: March 31 of even-numbered years.
Colorado uses the PSI National Esthetics Theory and Practical Examinations administered by PSI. NICPrep’s PSI National bank is built to this form — the same one seven states share character-for-character in cosmetology, esthetics and nails. 70% to pass each (PSI Colorado esthetician guide v1.1, 23 Sep 2025); the practical must be passed before the theory can be scheduled, and the theory within one year of it.
Colorado requires additional training for certain advanced services — available only to licensed estheticians or cosmetologists:
Ready to start studying? See pricing ↑
Verify school approval at dpo.colorado.gov. Programs typically run 5–8 months full-time.
Apply at psiexams.com for Colorado esthetics by examination.
30-day waiting period between failed retake attempts. Unlimited retakes. Exam fee valid 1 year.
Immediately at PSI if no screening issues; otherwise DORA mails it. Renewal March 31 even years. CE-free.
Colorado · Hairstylist & Barber
Colorado offers a dedicated Hairstylist license at 1,200 contact hours (40 credit hours); the Barber license is 1,500 hours (50 credits) — focused on hair services only, without the full esthetics and nail scope of a cosmetologist license. Barber licensing is also available through the same DORA office. PSI National exams — 70% on the written. School training only.
Colorado uses PSI's own National examinations, not NIC, for hairstylist and barber licensing. The barber theory form is the PSI National Barber Theory (CO-CIB-BARBER v1.4, 21 Oct 2025): 85 scored + 10 pretest, 120 minutes — Safety and Infection Control 31%, Shaving 22%, Client Consultation and Hair and Skin Analysis 15%, Haircutting 8%, Haircoloring 7%, Chemical Texture 7%, Skin Care 5%, Hairstyling 5%. NICPrep’s PSI National barber bank is built to that outline. Written 70%, practical 70%; the practical is taken first.
A Hairstylist license (1,200 hrs / 40 cr) covers hair cutting, styling, chemical texture, and color services — not esthetics or nail services. A full Cosmetologist license (1,500 hrs / 50 cr) adds skin care and nail services. A licensed cosmetologist may also hold a hairstylist license. A hairstylist wanting to add esthetics or nail services needs the additional appropriate license.
Barbers are also licensed through DORA's Office of Barber and Cosmetology Licensure. The same PSI National exam structure applies, 70% on the written. Confirm current barber training hour requirements and specific program requirements at dpo.colorado.gov before enrolling.
Ready to start studying? See pricing ↑
Verify school approval at dpo.colorado.gov. Programs typically run 10–14 months full-time.
Apply at psiexams.com for Colorado hairstylist by examination.
30-day wait between retakes. Unlimited retakes. Exam fee valid 1 year.
Immediately at PSI or by mail from DORA. Renewal March 31 even years. CE-free.
Colorado · Nail Technician
PSI National exams — 70% on both; practical first, then one year to pass the theory. 600 contact hours (or 20 credit hours) at a state-approved school (4 CCR 731-1). School training only. Renewal: March 31 of even-numbered years. CE-free.
Colorado uses the PSI National Nail Technology Theory and Practical Examinations administered by PSI. NICPrep’s PSI National bank is built to this form — the same one seven states share character-for-character in cosmetology, esthetics and nails. 70% to pass each (PSI Colorado nail technician guide v1.1, 23 Sep 2025); the practical must be passed before the theory can be scheduled, and the theory within one year of it.
Ready to start studying? See pricing ↑
Clock hours or credit hours accepted. Verify school approval through DORA before enrolling.
Apply at psiexams.com. Pay exam fees. Both written and practical required.
30-day wait between failed retake attempts. Unlimited retakes. Exam fee valid 1 year.
Immediately at PSI or by DORA mail. Renewal March 31 even years. $40 renewal fee. CE-free.
🇻🇳 NICPrep's nail technology prep is also available in Vietnamese.
Colorado uses PSI's own National exams, not NIC. 70% on each exam, practical first. NICPrep's PSI National bank is built to this exam's own ten-domain outline.
2026 CIB changes, domain study tips, and new-modality launches — a few emails a month, no spam.