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Institute for Justice

LTW Occupation

Skin Care Specialist

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

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 RankStateFeesEducation/Experience (Days)ExamsMinimum GradeMinimum 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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