Direct answer: TDLR is the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation — the state agency that licenses and regulates cosmetologists, estheticians, nail technicians, barbers, and the salons they work in. TDLR sets the required training hours, approves schools, administers the licensing exams through a testing vendor, issues and renews licenses, and inspects salons for health and safety compliance.
Your training hours. The 1,000/750/600 hour requirements aren’t the school’s numbers — they’re the state’s. That’s why every licensed Texas school teaches to the same hour totals.
Your student permit. On your first day of school we collect a $25 fee to secure your student permit with TDLR. It isn’t an exam fee — it’s what registers you as a student in training with the state.
Your exams. TDLR contracts testing to PSI. You must pass the written theory exam before you may sit for the practical, a score of 70% is required to pass, and eligibility to test lasts five years. See What Happens If You Fail the Texas Cosmetology Exam?
Your scope of practice. TDLR publishes scope-of-practice guides defining exactly what each license permits. This is why an Eyelash Extension Specialist can only do lashes while a Cosmetology Operator can do lashes, hair, skin, and nails — see Do You Need a License to Do Eyelash Extensions in Texas?
Your workplace. Salons themselves are licensed and inspected. Sanitation, disinfection, and record-keeping rules are enforced with real penalties, which is why infection control takes up so much of your coursework.
| Fee | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| Student permit | $25 | First day of school |
| Written theory exam | $55 | After your hours are complete |
| Practical exam | $76 | After you pass theory |
| License application | $50 | After both exams |
These go to the state and its testing vendor, not to the school. Tuition and kit costs are separate.
Your license has to be renewed on TDLR’s cycle, and renewal includes continuing education. Keep your address current with the agency — renewal notices go to the address on file, and a lapsed license means you legally cannot work.
Verify any professional’s license, and your own status, through TDLR’s public license search at tdlr.texas.gov.
Hours only count if they’re earned at a school the state has approved, and only an approved school can certify your hours for exam eligibility. William Edge Institute is a licensed Texas school offering Cosmetology (1,000 hours), Esthetics (750 hours), and Nail Tech / Manicure (600 hours). Before you enroll anywhere in Texas — including with us — confirm the school’s status and current requirements directly with TDLR.
What does TDLR stand for? Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
Does TDLR issue cosmetology licenses? Yes — TDLR took over barbering and cosmetology licensing from the former state board.
How do I check a Texas cosmetology license? Use the license search tool at tdlr.texas.gov.
Who gives the cosmetology exam in Texas? PSI administers TDLR’s written and practical exams.
What score do I need to pass? 70% or better.
Do I need a TDLR license to work in a salon? Yes, for any service performed for compensation.
Every Texas beauty career runs through TDLR — and it starts with hours at an approved school. Come tour ours in New Braunfels. Call 830-387-4094 or email admissions@wmedge.com.