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

Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam
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Have you been thinking about taking the Maryland State Board of Cosmetology Exam? Are you passionate about becoming a cosmetologist in the state of Maryland? This article is for you. 

In this article, you will learn about the procedures to apply for and take the Maryland State Board of Cosmetology Exam. You will also get a clear idea of the minimum practical hours required by the state and the license renewal and transfer process.

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Steps Involved in Maryland State Cosmetology Exam

STEP 1: VERIFY YOUR ELIGIBILITY

The first step to applying for the Maryland Cosmetology State Exam is to register for the exam. You can register yourself on the official website of the Maryland Department of Labor

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

Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam
Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam
  • 1500 hours of training or 24 months as a registered apprentice for a cosmetologist license.
  • 1200 hours of training or 15 months as a registered apprentice for a hairstylist license.
  • 600 hours of training or 12 months as a registered apprentice for an esthetician license.
  • 250 hours of training or 8 months as a registered apprentice for a nail technician license.
  • 350 hours of training for a blow-dry stylist license.
  • 2 years of experience as a licensed cosmetologist and must have passed the senior cosmetologist and cosmetologist exam for a senior cosmetology license.
  • 24 months of training with at least 20 hours per week for an apprentice cosmetologist.
  • 15 months of training with at least 20 hours per week for an apprentice hairstylist
  • 12 months of training with at least 20 hours per week for an apprentice esthetician.
  • 8 months of training with at least 20 hours per week for an apprentice nail technician.

The other eligibility requirements for the Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam are as follows:

  • Must be at least 17 years of age.
  • Must have completed 9th grade or have a GED

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

Once you know that you are eligible, the next step is to apply for the Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam. You must register for the cosmetology exam with PSI. 

To register for the Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam, you must complete and submit the examination eligibility registration form. You must also attach the required documents and the examination fee along with the application form. 

If your registration is incomplete, PSI will contact you regarding the status of your application and request that you submit additional documents to further process your application. 

NOTE: Your eligibility has no expiration date. 

Once you have completed your application form, you can mail it to PSI’s address. PSI’s mailing address is:

Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam - PSI's Mailing Address
Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam – PSI’s Mailing Address

PSI generally takes about 10 business days to process a mail registration. You may check online or call PSI to schedule the examination after 10 business days.

STEP 3: PAY YOUR EXAM FEES

Once you have registered for the cosmetology exam with PSI, it is time to pay the required fees for the board to further process your application. The form fee for the Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam is as follows:

  • The original fee is $25 for cosmetologists, nail technicians, estheticians, senior cosmetologists, hairstylists, and blow-dry stylists. 
  • The original fee is $10 for a cosmetology apprentice, nail technician apprentice, esthetician apprentice, and hairstylist apprentice.
  • The late fee is $25 for cosmetologists, nail technicians, estheticians, senior cosmetologists, hairstylists, and blow-dry stylists.

NOTE: All fees are non-refundable. 

The exam fee is as follow:

License TypeExam Fees
Cosmetologist– Practical and theory exam fee: $79 
– Theory exam only: $49 
– Practical exam only: $49
Senior Cosmetologist– Theory exam only: $49
Nail Technician– Practical and theory exam fee: $79 
– Theory exam only: $49 
– Practical exam only: $49
Esthetician– Practical and theory exam fee: $79 
– Theory exam only: $49 
– Practical exam only: $49
Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam Fees

STEP 4: SCHEDULING YOUR EXAM

The next step is to schedule your Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam. Once PSI has approved your application, they will send you an eligibility email. You can then contact PSI to schedule your cosmetology exam. 

To schedule your exam by phone, you can contact PSI at (855) 898-0714. The available hours are as follows: 

  • Monday to Friday – 7:30 am to 10:00 pm.
  • Saturday and Sunday – 9:00 am to 5:30 pm. (Eastern time).

To schedule the Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam by phone, you will need a valid credit card (MasterCard, VISA, American Express, or Discover) to make the payment.

To schedule your exam online, you can access PSI’s registration website. Online registration is available 24 hours a day. 

  • Log onto PSI’s official website and create an account if you are a new user. 
  • Enter the required information, such as first and last name and email address. The information entered must match the information on your application. 

NOTE: Make sure to check the box “Check here to attempt to locate existing records for you in the system.”

  • Select the exam you want to take.
  • Once you have found your record, it is now time to pay and schedule your exam. 
  • Enter your zip code to find the nearest testing sites.
  • Select the site closest to your location and then the available dates will appear. 
  • Select a date to schedule your examination. 

For further information, you can contact PSI at (855) 898-0714 for help.

To reschedule or cancel your exam appointment, you can contact PSI at (855) 898-0714. To reschedule or cancel an exam without forfeiting your fee, you must reschedule or cancel your exam appointment at least 2 days (48 hours) prior to your scheduled examination date. 

STEP 5: ON THE EXAMINATION DAY

You must arrive at least 30 minutes prior to your examination appointment time as it will take some extra time to sign in, verify your identification, and help you familiarize yourself with the exam process. 

You will not be allowed inside the examination site if you arrive late and you will have to forfeit your exam registration fee. 

On the day of your exam, you will have to bring 2 forms of identification to the exam site that is valid and has your signature on them. You will not be allowed to take the exam if you fail to bring proper identification and your fee will not be refunded.

PRIMARY IDENTIFICATION

Here are some of the primary identifications you can provide. Any one or two of the following:

  • An identification card issued by the state.
  • A driver’s license issued by the state.
  • A passport issued by the US Government.
  • A military identification card issued by the US Government.
  • Alien Registration card issued by the US Government.
  • ID card issued by the Canadian Government.
  • Valid student ID card with school seal and photo.

SECONDARY IDENTIFICATION

Here are some of the secondary identifications you can provide. Any one or two of the following:

  • Social security card.
  • Birth certificate issued by the US (with raised seal).
  • Signed credit card.

NOTE: Identification must be valid, unexpired, and must have the candidate’s photo.

STEP 6: TAKE THE EXAM

The Maryland cosmetology state board exam will be administered via computer. You will be provided with a computer keyboard and a mouse. The exam procedure is as follows:

  • You will be directed to a semi-private testing station to take your exam. 
  • An introductory tutorial of about 15 minutes will be provided on the computer screen before you start with the exam.
  • One question at a time appears on the screen.
  • The time left will be displayed on the top of the screen during the exam and will be updated as you record your answers.

THEORY EXAM

  • Scored Items – 100 for cosmetologists, senior cosmetologists, hairstylists, estheticians, nail technicians, and 50 for blow-dry stylists.
  • Non-Scored Items – 10 for cosmetologists, senior cosmetologists, hairstylists, estheticians, nail technicians, and 5 for blow-dry stylists.
  • The theory exam takes about 120 minutes for cosmetologists, senior cosmetologists, hairstylists, estheticians, nail technicians, and 60 minutes for blow-dry stylists.

NOTE: The passing score for the theory exam is 75%

PRACTICAL EXAM

  • For cosmetologists, there are 162 total points and the duration of the practical exam is 3 hours and 30 minutes.
  • For hairstylists, there are 122 total points and the duration of the practical exam is 2 hours and 45 minutes.
  • For blow-dry stylists, there are 41 total points and the duration of the practical exam is 59 minutes.
  • For estheticians, there are 102 total points and the duration of the practical exam is 2 hours.
  • For nail technicians, there are 115 total points and the duration of the practical exam is 1 hour and 45 minutes.

NOTE: The passing score for the theory exam is 75%

STEP 7: RESULTS ANALYSIS

Once you have taken the Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam, the next step is to check if you have passed the exam or not. For the theory exam, you will be provided with your score immediately following the completion of your exam. 

  • ON SCREEN – The score will appear immediately on the screen after the completion of the exam. You will receive a successful notification if you passed the exam. If you did not pass the exam, you will receive an unsuccessful notification on the screen. A diagnostic report will also be displayed on the screen, stating your strengths and weaknesses. 
  • ON PAPER – A score report will be printed at the exam site after the completion of the exam.

You can request a duplicate score report by sending an email at scorereport@psionline.com or call them at (855)898-0714.

STEP 8: RECEIVE YOUR MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY LICENSE

Once you have cleared the Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam, you are now eligible to apply for the Maryland State Board of Cosmetology License. To know if your license has been issued or not, you can do a license search on the official website.

You must enter the required information to search for active cosmetology licensees in the state of Maryland. You may search using any of the following information:

  • Name.
  • Home address.
  • Salon name.
  • Salon location.
  • License registration number.

For further information regarding the license search, you may contact the Maryland Board of Cosmetologists between Monday to Friday – 8:30 am to 4:30 pm or call them at 1-888-218-5925 (toll-free) or at (410)230-6231 (Baltimore area).

To renew your cosmetology license, you can access the license renewal application online. You must enter your license registration number, provided by LABOR, and your password.

For more information, you may contact LABOR between Monday to Friday – 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at (410)230-6320 or at the toll-free number 1-888-218-5925.

You can transfer your cosmetology license by endorsement. The requirements for endorsement are as follows:

  • Have a valid and unexpired license in another state.
  • Offer a certificate showing that your license is in good standing and has the same standards as set by the state of Maryland.

You must fill out the form available on the official website with the required information to apply for a transfer of your license by endorsement.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Maryland Cosmetology Exams

HOW DO I APPLY FOR THE MARYLAND BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY EXAMINATIONS?

You must register for the cosmetology exam with PSI. To register for the Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam, you must complete and submit the examination eligibility registration form. You must also attach the required documents and the examination fee along with the application. 

I CAN’T MAKE THE DATE/TIME OF MY EXAMINATION. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

To reschedule or cancel your exam appointment, you can contact PSI at (855) 898-0714. To reschedule or cancel an exam appointment without forfeiting your fee, you must do so at least 2 days (48 hours) prior to your scheduled examination date.

WHICH EXAMINATION PROGRAM DOES THE MARYLAND BOARD OF BARBERING AND COSMETOLOGY USE?

The Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam uses PSI for its examination.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO TAKE THE MARYLAND STATE BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY EXAM?

The exam fees are as follows:

  • Cosmetologist:

  The practical and theory exam fee is $79.

  Theory exam only fee is $49.

  Practical exam only fee is $49.

  • Senior Cosmetologist:

  Theory exam only fee is $49.

  • Nail Technician:

  The practical and theory exam fee is $79.

  Theory exam only fee is $49.

  Practical exam only fee is $49.

  • Esthetician:

  The practical and theory exam fee is $79.

  Theory exam fee only is $49.

  Practical exam only fee is $49.

WHERE DO THE EXAMINATIONS TAKE PLACE?

The examination sites are as follows:

  • Baltimore.
  • Crofton.
  • College Park.
  • Laurel.
  • Hagerstown.
  • Salisbury.
  • Towson.
  • Lanham.

HOW MANY HOURS OF PRACTICAL WORK DO I NEED TO QUALIFY FOR THE MARYLAND STATE BOARD EXAMINATIONS?

The minimum practical working hours required to be eligible for the Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam are as follows:

  • 1500 hours of training or 24 months as a registered apprentice for a cosmetologist license.
  • 1200 hours of training or 15 months as a registered apprentice for a hairstylist license.
  • 600 hours of training or 12 months as a registered apprentice for an esthetician license.
  • 250 hours of training or 8 months as a registered apprentice for a nail technician license.
  • 350 hours of training for a blow-dry stylist license.
  • 2 years of experience as a licensed cosmetologist and must have passed the senior cosmetologist and cosmetologist exam for a senior cosmetology license.
  • 24 months of training with at least 20 hours per week for an apprentice cosmetologist.
  • 15 months of training with at least 20 hours per week for an apprentice hairstylist
  • 12 months of training with at least 20 hours per week for an apprentice esthetician.
  • 8 months of training with at least 20 hours per week for an apprentice nail technician.

CAN I TAKE THE STATE BOARD EXAMINATIONS BEFORE I’VE COMPLETED THE REQUIRED HOURS?

No. To apply for the Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam, you will first have to meet the eligibility criteria of completing the minimum practical working hours.

HOW LONG IS THE COSMETOLOGY WRITTEN EXAMINATION?

The theory exam takes about 120 minutes for cosmetologists, senior cosmetologists, hairstylists, estheticians, nail technicians, and 60 minutes for blow-dry stylists.

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 with your exam preparation.

HOW LONG IS THE COSMETOLOGY PRACTICAL EXAMINATION?

  • For cosmetologists, the duration of the practical exam is 3 hours and 30 minutes.
  • For hairstylists, the duration of the practical exam is 2 hours and 45 minutes.
  • For blow-dry stylists, the duration of the practical exam is 59 minutes.
  • For estheticians, the duration of the practical exam is 2 hours.
  • For nail technicians, the duration of the practical exam is 1 hour and 45 minutes.

WHAT SCORES DO I NEED TO PASS BOTH PORTIONS OF THE COSMETOLOGY EXAM?

To pass the Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam, you will need to score 75% to pass the exam.

HOW MANY TIMES CAN I RETAKE THE STATE BOARD COSMETOLOGY EXAMINATIONS IF I FAIL?

You can retake the cosmetology exam as many times as you want.

HOW DO I TRANSFER MY COSMETOLOGY LICENSE TO MARYLAND?

You can transfer your cosmetology license by endorsement. The requirements for endorsement are as follows:

  • Have a valid and unexpired license in another state.
  • Offer a certificate showing that your license is in good standing and has the same standards as set by the state of Maryland.

You must fill out the form available on the official website with the required information to apply for a transfer of license by endorsement.

HOW DO I RENEW MY COSMETOLOGY LICENSE IN MARYLAND?

To renew your cosmetology license, you can access the license renewal application online. You must enter your license registration number provided by LABOR and your password.

For more information, you may contact LABOR between Monday to Friday – 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at (410)230-6320 or at the toll-free number 1-888-218-5925.

Maryland Cosmetology State Board Exam Practice Test

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Which of the following is not one of the natural wave patterns of hair?*
How does shampoo draping differ from chemical draping?*
How can split ends be repaired?*
Which type of shampoo should be used to remove build-up?*
Which of the following is not a type of conditioner?*
What purpose do humectants serve in conditioners?*
Which type of shear is best for cutting large sections of hair?*
Moisturizing conditioners allow the _____ to absorb moisture from the air.*
What is the most appropriate hairstyle for round facial types?*
For which techniques should razors be used on curly hair?*
Which elevation angle could be used to add weight to a haircut?*
Which of the following is not a function of brushing?*
What is the difference between treatment massages and relaxation massages?*
It is safe to perform a service on clients who have...*
What purpose does silicone serve in conditioners?*
What are the two types of asymmetrical balance?*
At which two reference points does the comb leave the head?*
What should be done for patients who have been treated with conditioner that must be left in for more than one minute?*
Which of the following is not a layered haircut?*
Which pair includes the two basic requirements for a healthy scalp?*

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