Alabama State Board of Cosmetology Exam: Free Practice Test and Everything You Need to Know

Ashley Wisener
January 30, 2024
3:47 pm

FIND SCHOOLS!

Steps Involved in the Alabama State Board of Cosmetology Exam

STEP 1: VERIFY YOUR ELIGIBILITY

The very first step to applying for the Alabama State Board of Cosmetology Exam is to enroll in the cosmetology exam offered by the state. You can begin the enrollment procedure by registering on the official website for the exam.

Before you begin the registration process, you must verify if you are eligible to apply for the exam offered in the state of Alabama. The minimum practical working hours required to be eligible to apply for the Alabama State Board of Cosmetology Exam are as follows:

1000 school hours or 2000 apprentice clock hours for a Barber license.
1500 school clock hours or 3000 apprentice clock hours for a Cosmetology license.
1000 school clock hours or 2000 apprentice clock hours for an Esthetician license.
210 school clock hours or 420 apprentice clock hours for a Natural Hair Stylist license.
750 school clock hours or 1200 apprentice clock hours for a Manicurist license.

STEP 2: APPLY FOR THE ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY EXAMINATION

Once you have verified your eligibility with the Board of Cosmetology and Barbering in the state of Alabama, the next step is to apply for the Alabama State Board of Cosmetology Exam. In Alabama, cosmetology examinations are offered by NIC. To apply for the exam, you have to fill out the application form available on the official website.

You can also contact Ms. Yina Ford at (334) 242-1916 to learn more about the Alabama State Board of Cosmetology Exam.

Here are some of the requirements set by the state for the applicants willing to apply for the Alabama State Board of Cosmetology Exam. The requirements are as follows:

The candidate must be at least 16 years old.
All the candidates are required to have successfully completed at least 10 grades in secondary school or the equivalent.
Make sure to include a valid email address on all the exam applications.

STEP 3: PAY YOUR EXAM FEES

After you have applied for the Alabama State Board of Cosmetology Exam, the next step is to pay all the necessary fees for the board to further process your application to take the exam. The fee details for the Alabama State Board of Cosmetology Exam are as follows:

NIC Written Exam fee — $75.
NIC Practical Exam fee — $130.

NOTE: Exam fees are non-refundable.

STEP 4: SCHEDULING YOUR EXAM

Once you have paid all the required fees for the cosmetology exam offered in the state of Alabama, the next step is to schedule the Alabama State Board of Cosmetology Exam. To schedule the exam, you will have to visit Prometric. You can also schedule and reschedule the exam by visiting the official website. If you are a new user, you can register and create a new account. If you are an existing user, you can directly log in.

You can email them at SMT-OperationsTeam@prometric.com if you require assistance to schedule the exam. You can also call their Clearwater Office at 877-977-3113.

Make sure to provide all the necessary details to successfully schedule the Alabama State Board of Cosmetology Exam.

RESCHULING EXAMINATION

Candidates who are unable to attend the Alabama State Board of Cosmetology Exam must reschedule the exam at least five calendar days prior to the scheduled examination date. If you fail to reschedule, it will be recorded as a “No Show.”

STEP 5: ON THE EXAMINATION DAY

After you have scheduled the exam, the next step is to appear for the exam. On the examination day, make sure to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to your scheduled examination time. This will give you the time to complete the identification verification and other procedures involved in taking the Alabama State Board of Cosmetology Exam.

Likewise, make sure you do not leave the examination room without permission from the Proctor. You will require photo identification for re-entry into the examination hall. Here are some things you will have to bring on the examination day.

All the candidates are required to bring their Candidate Admission Letter offered by Prometric after you have scheduled the exam.
Out of two forms of identification, one must be a photo ID issued by the government.

NOTE: You will not be allowed to enter the examination room if you fail to bring the above-mentioned items and a “No Show” will be recorded. Also, if a “No Show” is recorded, candidates are required to submit another application and repay the exam fee to the Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering (ABOCB) before rescheduling through Prometric.

STEP 6: TAKE THE EXAM

The next step is to take the cosmetology exam. National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) administers the Alabama State Board of Cosmetology Exam. NIC exams consist of 2 components:

The NIC Theory Exam.
The NIC Practical Exam.

THE NIC THEORY EXAM

The theory exam is a written exam that consists of 110 multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Out of the 110 MCQs, only 100 questions will be scored. The duration of the NIC theory exam is 90 minutes.

THE NIC PRACTICAL EXAM

The practical exam is a hands-on exam type. All the candidates are required to bring all the necessary supplies for the examination. The duration of the NIC practical exam is about 2 to 3 hours long.

STEP 7: RESULTS ANALYSIS

After you have completed the cosmetology exam in the state of Alabama, the next step is to find out your examination results. The results for both the NIC practical and NIC theory examinations are provided immediately after the completion of the exam.

Candidates are required to score a minimum passing score of about ‘70%‘ in the Alabama State Board of Cosmetology Exam. You will receive a score report indicating “Pass” or “Fail, upon completion of the exam.

STEP 8: RECEIVE YOUR ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY LICENSE

Once you have passed the cosmetology exam offered by the state of Alabama, the next step is to apply and receive the Cosmetology License. You can also search your licensure online to check if it has been issued or not.

In the state of Alabama, you can verify your cosmetology licensure by visiting the official website. Candidates are required to provide all the necessary information to search for licensure.

LICENSE RENEWAL

In Alabama, candidates are allowed to renew their cosmetology license online or through the mail. You can also email them at accounting@aboc.alabama.gov regarding renewal requests. You will have to pay the required renewal fee of $80.

LICENSE TRANSFER

Alabama offers candidates the opportunity to transfer their cosmetology license from a different state to Alabama through reciprocity. To transfer a license through reciprocity, you must fill out the application form on the official website. You will have to pay the required transfer fee of $100.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Alabama Cosmetology Exams

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF LICENSURE AVAILABLE IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA?

The different types of licensures available in the state of Alabama are as follows:

Barber license.
Cosmetology license.
Esthetician license.
Natural Hair Stylist license.
Manicurist license.

HOW CAN I CONTACT THE ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY FOR LICENSURE?

You can contact the Alabama State Board of Cosmetology for licensure by visiting the official website. There, you can learn more about license renewal, license search, and license transfer.

HOW DO I VERIFY MY ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY LICENSURE?

You can verify your Alabama State Board of Cosmetology License by visiting the License Search section on the official website to check if your license has been issued or not.

HOW LONG IS COSMETOLOGY LICENSURE VALID IN THE ALABAMA?

In the state of Alabama, cosmetology licensure is valid for about 2 years.

HOW DO I TRANSFER MY COSMETOLOGY LICENSE TO ALABAMA?

Alabama offers candidates the opportunity to transfer their cosmetology license from a different state to Alabama through reciprocity. To transfer a license through reciprocity, you must fill out the application form available on the official website. You will have to pay the required transfer fee of $100.

HOW DO I RENEW MY COSMETOLOGY LICENSE IN ALABAMA?

HOW LONG IS THE COSMETOLOGY EXAMINATION?

In the state of Alabama, the cosmetology exam has 2 sections:

The NIC theory exam – 90 minutes.
The NIC practical exam – 2 to 3 hours.

CAN I RENEW MY LICENSE FOR A SHORTENED PERIOD IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA IF I DO NOT NEED THE LICENSE FOR THE FULL LICENSE CYCLE?

No. The Alabama State Board of Cosmetology only lets you renew your license for a period of 2 years.

HOW CAN I CONTACT NIC TO GET MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THE EXAM?

To learn more information regarding the exam, you can visit NIC’s official website where you can learn more about both the NIC theory and practical exam.

CAN I TAKE A PRACTICE TEST EXAM?

Yes, you can take practice tests on the official website. Also, you can try out our free practice test to help you prepare for your cosmetology exam.

WHAT IS THE PASSING SCORE FOR THE ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY EXAM?

The passing score for the NIC exams in the state of Alabama is 70%.

HOW MANY TIMES CAN I TAKE THE ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY EXAMINATIONS IF I FAIL?

You can retake the cosmetology exam any number of times, but you are required to pay the examination fee every single time you retake the exam in the state of Alabama.

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The towel(s) cross(es) underneath the client's chin

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