Planning on taking the Tennessee Cosmetology Board Exam? Are you interested in becoming a cosmetologist in the state of Tennessee? You are at the right place.
In this article, you will learn more about the application process for the Tennessee Cosmetology Board Exam and License. You will also get a clear idea of the minimum practical working hours required and the eligibility criteria set by the state.
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The Steps Involved in Tennessee Cosmetology Board Exam
STEP 1: VERIFY YOUR ELIGIBILITY
The first step in the process of applying for the Tennessee Cosmetology State Board Exam is to register for the cosmetology exam. You can register for the exam on the official website of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.
Before you proceed with the registration process, you must check your eligibility to apply for the Tennessee Cosmetology State Board Exam. The minimum practical working hours required to be eligible to apply for the exam are as follows:
- 1500 hours for a Cosmetologist license.
- 340 hours for a Barber Technician license.
- 600 hours of a Nail Technician license.
- 750 hours of an Esthetician license.
- 300 hours of a Natural Hairstylist license.
- 600 hours of an Electrologist license.
- 500 hours of a Massage Therapist license.
- 1500 hours of a Master Barber license.
- A Cosmetology license + 1-year junior instruction + 300 hours for a Cosmetology Instructor license.
- A Barber license for 3+ years + 450 hours for a Barber Instructor license.
- Must have a Tattoo Artist license for a Permanent Makeup Artist license.
STEP 2: APPLY FOR THE TENNESSEE STATE BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY EXAMINATION
The Tennessee Cosmetology State Board Exam has contracted with PSI to offer the National Barber Cosmetology Program (NBCP) exam. PSI offers 4 types of registration for candidates willing to take the cosmetology exam in the state of Tennessee. You can find the registration form on the official website.
ONLINE REGISTRATION
PSI online registration is the fastest and is available 24 hours all through the week. To register online, you will have to visit PSI’s official website. You will have to create a new account or log in if you are a user already.
PSI allows registration via email as well. To register via email, you must complete the Cosmetology Exam Registration Form along with the mode of payment. Email these details to examschedule@psionline.com. Registration via email is accepted 24 hours a day. It takes about 7 to 10 business days to process your registration further.
TELEPHONE
PSI also allows candidates to register over the telephone. You may call a Customer Service Representative at (855) 340-3710. The Representative will be available at the following times:
- 6:30 am to 9 pm CST, from Monday to Friday.
- 8 am to 4:30 pm CST, on Saturday and Sunday.
Likewise, the registration by phone requires the candidate to provide a valid credit or debit card.
U.S. MAIL SERVICE
PSI also allows candidates to register through mail services. To register via mail, you must fill out the Cosmetology Exam Registration Form along with the mode of payment. You can choose any mode of payment, such as a credit or debit card, a cashier’s check, a company check, or a money order, made payable to PSI Services LLC.
You can mail these details to the following mailing address:
PSI Licensure: Certification
3210 E Tropicana
Las Vegas, NV 89121
PSI takes about 14 days to process registrations received via mail.
NOTE: Personal checks and cash are not accepted by PSI.
RESCHEDULING OR CANCELLATION
To reschedule or cancel the Tennessee Cosmetology State Board Exam without forfeiting your fee, you will have to notify PSI in a way they receive your cancellation or reschedule notice at least 48 hours prior to the appointed time.
STEP 5: ON THE EXAMINATION DAY
On the day of the Tennessee Cosmetology State Board Exam, the candidates must arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the appointed time. Arriving early to the exam site allows time for the candidate to sign-in and complete the identification verification process.
If they arrive late, the candidate will not be admitted to the examination room and will have to forfeit all their exam fee(s).
Candidates are required to bring ID proof along with them on the day of the examination. This can include:
- A valid ID issued by the government that has the exam taker’s name, a signature, and a photograph. (Eg: State ID, passport, or driver’s license).
- Another ID that has the exact legal name as in the registration form along with the candidate’s signature.
STEP 6: TAKE THE EXAM
After you have signed-in and completed the identification verification procedures, the next step is to take the exam. The Tennessee Cosmetology State Board Exam consists of 3 parts, namely:
- The theory exam.
- The law exam.
- The practical exam.
THE THEORY EXAM
The PSI theory exam in the state of Tennessee consists of 110 questions, out of which only 100 questions are scored. The exam lasts for about 2 hours (120 minutes).
THE LAW EXAM
The Tennessee law exam consists of 25 questions. The law exam lasts for about 40 minutes.
THE PRACTICAL EXAM
The practical exam in the state of Tennessee lasts for about 3 to 4 hours. The candidates are required to bring their own supply kit along with 2 containers to dispose of both single-use and multi-use items separately.
STEP 7: RESULTS ANALYSIS
The last and final step of the Tennessee Cosmetology State Board Exam is result analysis. Candidates will be provided a duplicate score report when they exit the examination center.
Candidates may email scorereport@psionline.com or call Customer Service at (855) 340-3710 to request a duplicate score report and/or a license application after they have left the examination center.
All the candidates are required to to score at least 70% to pass the examination.
STEP 8: RECEIVE YOUR TENNESSEE STATE BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY LICENSE
Once you have passed the Tennessee Cosmetology State Board Exam, you are now eligible to apply for the Tennessee Cosmetology License. The licensing requirements set by the state of Tennessee are as follows:
- Candidates must be at least 16 years of age.
- Must have completed at least 2 years of high school or at least have scored 38% on the GED or HiSET exam.
You can apply for an initial license by visiting the official website. The initial application fee is $60.
You can verify your license by visiting the License Verification section on the official website.
You can transfer your license through reciprocity by logging into the official website, if you are an existing user. Or by creating a new account, if you are a new user. Likewise, you must meet the eligibility criteria set by the state to be able to apply for reciprocity of your license from a different state to Tennessee.
You can renew your license by logging into the same website. After logging in, you can fill out the renewal form and submit all the required documents to further process your license renewal request.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Tennessee Cosmetology Exams
HOW DO I APPLY FOR THE TENNESSEE BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY EXAMINATIONS?
The Tennessee Cosmetology State Board Exam has contracted with PSI to offer the National Barber Cosmetology Program (NBCP) exam. To apply for PSI, you must fill out the application form and submit it, along with the exam fee, or register online.
I CAN’T MAKE THE DATE/TIME OF MY EXAMINATION. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
To reschedule or cancel the Tennessee Cosmetology State Board Exam without forfeiting your fee, you should notify PSI about the cancellation or reschedule notice at least 48 hours prior to the appointed time.
WHICH EXAMINATION PROGRAM DOES THE TENNESSEE BOARD OF BARBERING AND COSMETOLOGY USE?
The Tennessee Cosmetology State Board Exam has contracted with PSI to offer the National Barber Cosmetology Program (NBCP) exam.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO TAKE THE TENNESSEE STATE BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY EXAMS?
The exam fee for the Tennessee Cosmetology State Board Exam are as follows:
- Both the theory and practical exams – $140.
- Only the theory exam – $70.
- Only the practical exam – $70.
WHERE DO THE EXAMINATIONS TAKE PLACE?
Tennessee Cosmetology State Board Exam takes place in the following places:
- Cookeville.
- Chattanooga.
- Jackson.
- Johnson City.
- Knoxville.
- Memphis.
- Nashville.
HOW MANY HOURS OF PRACTICAL WORK DO I NEED TO QUALIFY FOR THE TENNESSEE STATE BOARD EXAMINATIONS?
The minimum practical working hours required to be eligible to apply for the Tennessee Cosmetology State Board Exam are as follows:
- 1500 hours for a Cosmetologist license.
- 340 hours for a Barber Technician license.
- 600 hours of a Nail Technician license.
- 750 hours of an Esthetician license.
- 300 hours of a Natural Hairstylist license.
- 600 hours of an Electrologist license.
- 500 hours of a Massage Therapist license.
- 1500 hours of a Master Barber license.
- A Cosmetology license + 1-year junior instruction + 300 hours for a Cosmetology Instructor license.
- A Barber license for 3+ years + 450 hours for a Barber Instructor license.
- Must have a Tattoo Artist license for a Permanent Makeup Artist license.
CAN I TAKE THE STATE BOARD EXAMINATIONS BEFORE I’VE COMPLETED THE REQUIRED HOURS?
No. To apply for the Tennessee Cosmetology State Board Exam, you must first meet the eligibility criteria of completing the minimum practical working hours.
HOW LONG IS THE COSMETOLOGY WRITTEN EXAMINATION?
The written Tennessee Cosmetology State Board Exam lasts for about 2 hours (120 minutes).
WHAT’S THE FORMAT OF THE WRITTEN EXAMINATION?
The format of the PSI written theory exam in the state of Tennessee is multiple- choice questions (MCQ). The written Tennessee Cosmetology State Board Exam consists of 110 questions, out of which only 100 questions are scored.
CAN I TAKE A PRACTICE TEST EXAM?
Yes, you can take practice tests on the official website. You can also get your hands on our free practice test to help you efficiently prepare for the exam.
HOW LONG IS THE COSMETOLOGY PRACTICAL EXAMINATION?
The practical exam in the state of Tennessee lasts for about 3 to 4 hours.
WHAT’S THE FORMAT OF THE PRACTICAL EXAMINATION?
The format of the practical exam in the state of Tennessee is hands-on. The candidates are required to bring their own supply kit along with 2 containers to dispose of both single-use and multi-use items separately.
WHAT SCORES DO I NEED TO PASS BOTH PORTIONS OF THE COSMETOLOGY EXAM?
To pass the Tennessee Cosmetology State Board Exam, all candidates are required to score at least 70%.
HOW MANY TIMES CAN I RETAKE THE STATE BOARD COSMETOLOGY EXAMINATIONS IF I FAIL?
You may retake the Tennessee Cosmetology State Board Exam any number of times. You will have to pay the exam fee each time you want to retake the exam.
HOW DO I TRANSFER MY COSMETOLOGY LICENSE TO TENNESSEE?
You can transfer your license through reciprocity by logging into the official website, if you are an existing user. Or by creating a new account, if you are a new user. Likewise, you must meet the eligibility criteria set by the state to be able to apply for reciprocity of your license from a different state to Tennessee.
HOW DO I RENEW MY COSMETOLOGY LICENSE IN TENNESSEE?
You can renew your license by logging into the same website. After logging in, you can fill out the renewal form and submit all the required documents to further process your license renewal request.
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