1.1 Kansas Manicurist Licensure Path, Eligibility & Exam Logistics

Quick Answer: Kansas licenses nail technicians as manicurists. You need to be at least 17, hold a high school diploma or equivalent, and finish 350 clock hours in a licensed school. Then you pass two computer-based exams delivered by National Testing Network (NTN) at cosmetologykansas.com. The Written Theory exam has 100 questions, and the Written Practical exam has 125. Each is 2 hours, costs $75, and needs a score of 75. After passing both, you mail the practitioner application and the $60 application fee to the Kansas Board of Cosmetology (KBOC).

Who Licenses Nail Technicians in Kansas

The Kansas Board of Cosmetology (2420 NW Button Rd., Topeka) licenses cosmetologists, estheticians, electrologists and manicurists. It also licenses schools and establishments, plus body art and tanning. Three layers of law apply to you:

The statute calls the credential a manicurist license. Under K.S.A. 65-1901(g), nail technology means "manicuring, pedicuring and sculpturing nails." Schools, NTN and the Board all refer to the "Nail Tech" program, so expect both terms on the exam.

Eligibility for the Exams

K.S.A. 65-1905(b) sets the requirements for licensure by examination. Each applicant must:

1. Be at least 17 years of age.
2. Be a graduate of an accredited high school or the equivalent, such as a GED. The Board requires a high school transcript with the application.
3. Submit verification of date of birth.
4. Complete the apprenticeship required by K.S.A. 65-1912. For a manicurist, that is at least 350 clock hours in a licensed school of cosmetology or nail technology, or the equivalent credit hours at a credit-hour school.

A student must apply for an apprentice license within 15 days of enrolling (K.S.A. 65-1912(a)). The fee is $15. A manicuring student may not work on the public until completing 70 hours of training (K.A.R. 69-4-9(b)). Apprentices may not charge for their services, but the licensed school may charge for student work (K.S.A. 65-1912(c)).

The 350-Hour Nail Technology Curriculum

The Board-approved manicuring curriculum splits the 350 hours as follows:

Getting Referred, Scheduling and Paying

The NTN Manicurist Candidate Information Bulletin (CIB), revised September 2025, describes these steps:

• Referral: Your school, or the Board, refers you online at cosmetologykansas.com and gives you a temporary username and password. You use them to create your own login.
• When you can schedule: once you are within 80 hours of finishing your program.
• On the day of your first exam: your program must be finished, and your school must have reported all your hours on the website. Candidates with incomplete hours are not allowed to test.
• Scheduling: you schedule both exams yourself online, at any open location and time, and in any order. Walk-ins are not admitted.
• Fees: each written exam costs $75, and any retest costs $75. Pay by credit card online. Without a card, mail a money order or cashier's check for a voucher, which takes about two weeks.
• Rescheduling: allowed up to 7 calendar days before the exam. Exam fees are non-refundable.
• Accommodations: ADA requests use the Request for Accommodations Form (Parts A and B) with physician documentation. The request must be approved before you schedule.

NTN's written test sites are in Colby, Garden City, Goodland, Hays, Liberal, Manhattan, Topeka and Wichita. The exams are offered only in English.

Exam-Day Rules

• Arrive 30 minutes early. Entry closes at the start time, and late candidates are not admitted and must pay again.
• Bring two original government-issued IDs, one with a current photo. The name (and birth date, if shown) must match your NTN account exactly.
• No study materials, bags, hats (except religious apparel), bulky clothing, phones, watches or other devices. No food, drink or gum.
• There are no breaks. You need a proctor's permission to leave your station.
• Both exams are on computer. You can go back, review and change answers before you submit.

Scores, Retakes and Appeals

• Results appear in your online account within 5 business days. Test-site staff cannot see scores.
• The passing score is 75 on each exam (K.A.R. 69-1-4 requires at least 75 percent on the written examination). Scores are not combined. If you score below 75 on one exam, you retake that entire exam.
• You can sign up to retake a failed exam at any time for another $75.
• Content-area scores are shown only if you fail, to help you study. They do not add up to your total score.
• NTN considers written appeals about significant procedural errors or adverse testing conditions if you submit them within 15 days after your results are released.

From Passing to Licensed

After you pass both exams, log in, click Print Practitioner Application, and mail it to the Board. Include the $60 manicurist license application fee (K.A.R. 69-11-1), a copy of your Social Security card and your current U.S. government photo ID, your high school transcript, and any name-change documents. The Board says to allow about 10 business days for processing.

A temporary permit lets you work before the license arrives. The rules are:

• You must first submit a complete licensure application. The permit fee is $15.
• It expires 6 weeks after your exam date. Only one is issued per applicant, and it cannot be extended.
• It becomes null and void the moment you fail an exam (see also K.A.R. 69-1-8).
• You may use it only in a licensed establishment, and you must post it conspicuously.

Licensed in another state? For manicurists, the Board's out-of-state application requires 350 hours and passing the Kansas written exams (theory and practical). A separate reciprocity route under K.S.A. 48-3406 exists for military members and spouses, and for people moving to Kansas with qualifying licensure and work experience.