Institute for Justice

LTW Occupation

Skin Care Specialist

License to Work: A National Study of Burdens from Occupational Licensing

Highlights

License required in 50 states
38th most burdensome licensing requirements
8th most heavily regulated occupation

(Last updated April 24, 2012)

Definition

Skin care specialists, also known as estheticians, aestheticians, spa technicians and facialists, among other titles, provide skin care treatments to face and body to enhance an individual's appearance.

Summary

Except for Connecticut, every state and the District of Columbia require a license to work as a skin care specialist. On average, these laws cost those wishing to enter the occupation 149 days of education and training and $120 in fees and require two exams, the 38th most burdensome requirements of those studied. Both because of the relatively high average burdens and because skin care specialists are licensed so widely, it is in the most widely and onerously licensed tier of occupations, ranking eighth overall.

Most states have minimum age and grade requirements for skin care specialists, as well as one or two exams. Education and experience requirements, however, show more variation. In Alabama and Florida, aspiring skin care specialists lose 280 days -- more than nine months -- to education and training, while those in Pennsylvania, Delaware and Massachusetts lose 70 days.

(Last updated May 1, 2012)

State Licensing Requirements

Burden Rank	State	Fees	Education/Experience (Days)	Exams	Minimum Grade	Minimum Age
1	Florida	125	280	2	12	16
2	Alabama	135	280	2	10	16
3	Kentucky	200	233	2	12	18
4	Kansas	135	233	2	12	17
5	Georgia	119	233	2	12	17
6	Nevada	90	210	2	12	18
7	Texas	181	175	2	12	17
8	Missouri	165	175	2	10	17
9	Illinois	203	175	1	12	16
10	Louisiana	75	175	2	10	16
11	Tennessee	190	175	2	0	16
12	Indiana	99	163	2	10	18
13	Vermont	185	140	3	12	18
14	Montana	60	152	1	12	18
15	South Dakota	80	140	3	12	18
16	Arizona	185	140	2	10	23
17	Washington, D.C.	230	140	2	8	17
18	New Mexico	50	140	3	10	17
19	New Hampshire	154	140	3	12	0
20	New Jersey	110	140	2	12	17
21	Arkansas	140	140	2	10	16
22	Mississippi	85	140	2	12	17
23	California	115	140	2	10	17
24	Maine	101	140	2	10	17
25	Rhode Island	50	140	2	12	18
26	West Virginia	159	140	1	12	18
27	Wyoming	90	140	2	10	16
28	Maryland	100	140	2	9	17
29	Idaho	57	140	2	10	16.5
30	Ohio	51	140	2	10	16
31	Minnesota	141	140	2	12	0
32	Iowa	115	140	2	12	0
33	Oklahoma	40	140	2	8	16
34	Hawaii	60	140	1	12	16
35	Nebraska	47	140	1	12	17
36	Colorado	165	140	2	0	16
37	North Dakota	50	140	2	12	0
38	Utah	234	140	2	0	0
39	New York	55	140	2	0	17
40	Washington	30	140	2	0	17
41	Virginia	170	140	2	0	0
42	North Carolina	119	140	2	0	0
43	Wisconsin	202	105	2	12	18
44	South Carolina	165	105	2	10	16
45	Oregon	73	117	2	0	0
46	Michigan	64	93	2	9	17
47	Alaska	205	82	2	0	0
48	Pennsylvania	159	70	2	10	16
49	Delaware	143	70	2	10	16
50	Massachusetts	57	70	0	0	16

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