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

South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology Exam

Have you been planning to take the South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology Exam? Are you interested in becoming a cosmetologist in the state of South Carolina? You are at the right place.

In this article, you will learn more about the steps involved in applying for the South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology Exam. You will also learn about the eligibility criteria set by the state, along with the license renewal and transfer process in South Carolina.

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Steps Involved in South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology Exam

STEP 1: VERIFY YOUR ELIGIBILITY

The very first step to applying for the South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology Exam is to register for the exam. You can start by registering on the official website of the PSI.

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

  • 1500 hours for a Cosmetologist license.
  • 1500 hours for a Barber license.
  • 450 hours for an Esthetician license.
  • 300 hours for a Nail Technician license.
  • A Cosmetology license + 2 years of work experience + 45 hours for a Cosmetology Instructor license.
  • 500 hours for a Massage Therapist license.

STEP 2: APPLY FOR THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY EXAMINATION

The South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology has contracted with PSI to offer the cosmetology exam. To apply for the exam, you must fill out the application form available on the official website.

You can access the application form for Cosmetologists, Nail Technicians, and Estheticians here.

You can access the application form for Instructors here

STEP 3: PAY YOUR EXAM FEES

Once you have registered for the cosmetology exam with PSI, the next step is to pay the necessary fees to further process your application. The fee details for the South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology Exam are as follows:

  • Examination fee – $66.

NOTE: The above-mentioned exam fee is non-refundable and not transferable.

THE RENEWAL FEE

The renewal and reinstatement fee details for the South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology License are as follows:

  • The Cosmetologist, Nail Technician, and Esthetician license renewal fee is $52.
  • The Cosmetologist, Nail Technician, and Esthetician license reinstatement fee is $152.
  • The Instructor license renewal fee is $82.
  • The Instructor license reinstatement fee is $182.

THE ENDORSEMENT OR RECIPROCITY FEE

The endorsement or reciprocity fee details for the South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology License are as follows:

  • The Cosmetologist, Nail Technician, and Esthetician license endorsement reciprocity fee is $60.
  • The Instructor license endorsement reciprocity fee is $80.

OTHER FEES

Other fee details for the South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology License are as follows:

  • The License verification fee is $5 each.
  • The Duplicate license fee is $10 (limited to 1).
  • The Reactivation fee is $100 (inactive status).
  • The Licensee list request fee is $10 per license type.

STEP 4: SCHEDULING YOUR EXAM

Once you have paid all the necessary fees, the next step is to schedule your exam with PSI, who has contracted with South Carolina for exams. PSI offers 2 ways to register and schedule the South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology Exam.

ONLINE REGISTRATION

One of the fastest and most convenient ways to register for the South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology Exam is online registration. You can register online by accessing the official website of PSI. Online registration is available 24 hours a day.

TELEPHONE REGISTRATION

Another way to register for the South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology Exam is via telephone. You may call the PSI registrar’s office at (855)340-3701 for telephone registration. Make sure to have a valid credit card with you when you make the call.

PSI registrars are available during the following times:

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

RESCHEDULING OR CANCELLATION

To cancel or reschedule your South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology Exam, you can call PSI at (855)340-3701. You will not forfeit your fee if you inform PSI at least 2 days prior to the scheduled exam date.

RETAKING A FAILED EXAM

It is not possible to retake the exam on the same day as receiving your results. You may be able to retake the failed exam within 2 business days, depending on the space availability. You may access the registration form available on the PSI’s official website or call PSI to re-register via telephone.

STEP 5: ON THE EXAMINATION DAY

On the examination day, candidates are required to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to your appointed time. This gives candidates the time to sign-in, complete the identification procedure, and familiarize with the examination process. If the candidate arrives late, they will not be allowed inside the examination center and will have to forfeit the exam registration fee.

On the day of the exam, you will have to bring 2 forms of valid ID to the examination center.

PRIMARY IDENTIFICATION (Any one):

Some of the primary IDs you can bring are as follows:

  • Driver’s License issued by the state government.
  • Identification Card issued by the state government.
  • Passport issued by the U.S. government.
  • Military Identification Card issued by the U.S. government.
  • Alien Registration Card issued by the U.S. government.
  • ID issued by the Canadian government.

NOTE: The ID must be valid, unexpired, and have the candidate’s photo and signature.

SECONDARY IDENTIFICATION (Any one):

Some of the secondary IDs you can bring are as follows:

  • Social Security Card.
  • Credit Card (must be signed).

NOTE: Employment ID and Student ID are not accepted as forms of Identification.

STEP 6: TAKE THE EXAM

The next step is to take the South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology Exam. PSI uses NIC for offering the cosmetology exams and it offers 2 exams. Namely,

  • The theory exam.
  • The practical exam.

NIC THEORY EXAM

Cosmetology theory exam in the state of South Carolina is a computer-based examination. The theory exam will be administered via computer and you will be using a computer keyboard and a mouse to take the exam. The questions are of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) format.

The theory exam lasts for about 90 minutes. The exam consists of 110 questions, out of which only 100 are scored.

NIC PRACTICAL EXAM

Cosmetology practical exam in the state of South Carolina is a hands-on exam. You will be completing the practical exam using a mannequin head and hands.

The practical exam lasts for about 2 to 3 hours. The exam consists of 10 core domain sections.

STEP 7: RESULTS ANALYSIS

Once you have taken the South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology Exam, the next step is to find out your exam results. The exam results for both the NIC theory and NIC practical exam are provided immediately after the completion of the exam.

The minimum passing score required to pass both the theory and the practical exams is 75%. Upon completion of the examination, you will receive a score report indicating ‘Pass’ or ‘Fail’.

STEP 8: RECEIVE YOUR SOUTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY LICENSE

Last but not the least, the last step is to apply and receive your South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology License. You have to log in to the portal to renew your cosmetology license in the state of South Carolina. To learn about the application status or verify your license online, you can access the same online portal.

For licensee lookup, you can access the Licensee Lookup page. To apply for licensure after passing both exams, you can access the Apply for License section on the official website.

Frequently Asked Questions about the South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology Exams

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF LICENSURE AVAILABLE IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA?

The different types of licensure available in the state of South Carolina are as follows:

  • Cosmetology.
  • Nail Technician.
  • Esthetician.
  • Cosmetology Instructor.
  • Barber.
  • Massage Therapist.

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

You can contact the South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology for licensure by visiting the official website. You can access the online portal to learn more about license renewal, verification, and licensee lookup.

HOW DO I VERIFY MY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY LICENSURE?

You can verify your South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology License by logging into the online portal on the official website.

HOW LONG IS COSMETOLOGY LICENSURE VALID IN SOUTH CAROLINA?

In the state of South Carolina, you will have to renew your cosmetology license once every 2 years. The cosmetology license is valid only for 2 years. You can renew your license by logging into the portal on the official website.

HOW DO I TRANSFER MY COSMETOLOGY LICENSE TO SOUTH CAROLINA?

You can transfer your South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology License through endorsement. You can fill out the endorsement application form on the official website and pay the necessary fees to process your endorsement.

HOW DO I RENEW MY COSMETOLOGY LICENSE IN SOUTH CAROLINA?

You have to log in to the portal to renew your cosmetology license in the state of South Carolina.

HOW LONG ARE THE COSMETOLOGY EXAMINATIONS?

The South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology Exam has 2 sections, namely:

  • 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 SOUTH CAROLINA IF I DO NOT NEED THE LICENSE FOR THE FULL LICENSE CYCLE?

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

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

To get more information regarding the exam, you can contact PSI by calling them at (855)340-3701 or by accessing PSI’s official website.

CAN I TAKE A PRACTICE TEST EXAM?

Yes, you can take practice tests on the official website. You can also try out our free practice test to help you efficiently prepare for your South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology Exam.

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

The passing score for the NIC theory and NIC practical exams in the state of South Carolina is 75%.

HOW MANY TIMES CAN I TAKE THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY EXAM IF I FAIL?

In the state of South Carolina, you may retake the cosmetology exam any number of times. You will have to pay the exam fee each time you want to retake the exam. You can schedule either exam if you have passed one exam but failed the other.

South Carolina State Board of Cosmetology Exam Practice Test

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

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