1.1 Minnesota Board of Cosmetology: Purpose, Powers & Key Definitions
Key Takeaways
Minn. Stat. 155A.20 sets a seven-member, governor-appointed board: two cosmetologists, two school instructors, one advanced practice esthetician, one nail technician and one public member.
Laws 2026, chapter 119, article 4 renamed the Board of Cosmetologist Examiners the Board of Cosmetology; older rule text and study materials may still use the former name.
Minn. Stat. 155A.21 states the purpose of licensing: protecting public health and safety because cosmetology involves infection control, chemicals and implements requiring special skill.
Minn. R. 2105.0010 defines disinfect as using an EPA-registered, hospital-level antimicrobial pesticide on nonporous surfaces, and sterilization as destroying all microbial life including spores.
A separate work area exists only when it is partitioned by walls at least six feet high with doorways less than five feet wide (Minn. R. 2105.0010, subp. 14).
Why this section matters
The PSI Cosmetology State Examination has 30 scored questions (plus 5 unscored) in one hour. Its first domain, General Information, carries 15% of the state exam (about 4 to 5 questions) and covers three things: definitions (Minn. Stat. 155A.23 and Minn. R. 2105.0010), the board's purpose and responsibilities (Minn. Stat. 155A.20, 155A.21, 155A.24, 155A.26 and 155A.31), and scope of practice (Minn. R. 2105.0105, covered in Section 1.4). Definitions also drive the rest of the exam: if you know exactly what "clean," "disinfect," "single-use" and "work area" mean, many practice-requirement questions answer themselves.
The board and its 2026 name change
Minnesota regulates cosmetology through a state licensing board created by Minn. Stat. 155A.20. In 2026 the Legislature passed Laws 2026, chapter 119, article 4, which, among other changes, directed the revisor of statutes to change "Board of Cosmetologist Examiners" to "Board of Cosmetology" everywhere it appears in statute. The PSI Candidate Information Bulletin (effective June 5, 2026) already uses "Minnesota Board of Cosmetology." The online text of Minn. R. 2105.0010, subp. 3 still prints the old name until the rules are republished, so treat the two names as the same agency.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Agency | Minnesota Board of Cosmetology (formerly Board of Cosmetologist Examiners) |
| Address | 1000 University Avenue West, Suite 100, St. Paul, MN 55104 |
| Phone / email | (651) 201-2742; cosmetology@state.mn.us |
| Statutes | Minnesota Statutes, chapter 155A (sections 155A.20 to 155A.36 cover cosmetology) |
| Rules | Minnesota Rules, chapter 2105 (licensing, salons, practice) and chapter 2110 (schools) |
Board composition (Minn. Stat. 155A.20)
The board has seven members appointed by the governor:
- Two cosmetologists, one of whom is recommended by a professional association of cosmetologists, nail technicians and estheticians
- Two school instructors, one teaching at a public cosmetology school and one at a private cosmetology school
- One advanced practice esthetician (the 2026 law changed this seat from "esthetician")
- One nail technician
- One public member, as defined in Minn. Stat. 214.02
Licensed members must hold a current Minnesota license in their field, must have practiced for at least five years immediately before appointment, and must know Minn. Stat. 155A.21 to 155A.36 and Minnesota Rules chapters 2105 and 2110. Terms, compensation, removal and vacancies follow Minn. Stat. 214.07 to 214.09; staff, office space, complaint processing and fee setting follow chapter 214. A member appointed to fill a vacancy serves the rest of the predecessor's term.
Purpose and powers
Minn. Stat. 155A.21 (Policy) explains why cosmetology is licensed at all: the Legislature found that public health and safety are served by licensing "because of infection control and the use of chemicals, implements, apparatus, and other appliances requiring special skills and education." The board exists to protect the public, not to set prices or settle business disputes.
The board's powers come from several sections:
| Statute | What it gives the board |
|---|---|
| 155A.24 | All powers and duties necessary to administer chapter 155A; authority to hire staff for testing, licensing, inspections and complaint investigations |
| 155A.26 | Authority to adopt rules under chapter 14 (the source of Minn. R. 2105 and 2110) |
| 155A.27, subd. 4 | All theory, practical and Minnesota law testing must be done by a board-approved provider (currently PSI) |
| 155A.31 | Responsibility to inspect salons and schools; resources go first to licensees who fail requirements or present greater risk |
| 155A.33 | Enforcement: investigations, cease and desist orders, license discipline, civil penalties and, since 2026, corrective action agreements (Section 2.1) |
Statutory definitions you must know (Minn. Stat. 155A.23)
| Term | Legal meaning (summarized) |
|---|---|
| Cosmetology (subd. 3) | Personal services, for compensation, for the cosmetic care of the hair, nails and skin of the head, scalp, face, arms, hands, legs, feet and trunk, except services performed by a licensed barber |
| Cosmetologist (subd. 4) | A person who, for compensation, performs personal services for the cosmetic care of the hair, nails and the stratum corneum of the skin surface (2026 wording) |
| Esthetician (subd. 5) | Cosmetic care of the stratum corneum of the skin surface only |
| Advanced practice esthetician (subd. 14) | Cosmetic care of the skin, including mechanical or electrical skin care apparatus used on the epidermal layer |
| Nail technician (subd. 7) | Cosmetic care of the hands, feet and nails only |
| Hair technician (subd. 21) | Cosmetic care of hair on the scalp, including cutting and dyes, bleach, reactive chemicals or keratin |
| Eyelash technician (subd. 4b) | A person who is not a cosmetologist, esthetician or AP esthetician and performs only eyelash extensions |
| Manager (subd. 8) | A practitioner who holds a manager license |
| Designated licensed salon manager, DLSM (subd. 15) | The manager designated by the salon owner and registered with the board, responsible with the owner for salon and practitioner compliance |
| Salon (subd. 9) | An indoor area, room or rooms used to offer personal services; not the home of a customer |
| Mobile salon (subd. 8a) | A salon operated in a mobile vehicle or mobile structure |
| Threading (subd. 13) | Removing hair with cotton thread, without chemicals or wax |
Rule definitions that drive infection-control questions (Minn. R. 2105.0010)
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Clean (subp. 4) | Free from soil, dirt and debris, and washed with soap and water or a cleaning agent, and rinsed |
| Disinfect (subp. 4b) | Using an antimicrobial pesticide that eliminates harmful bacteria, fungi and viruses on nonporous surfaces |
| Disinfectant (subp. 4c) | An antimicrobial pesticide registered with the EPA for use in a hospital setting that is a bactericide, virucide and fungicide |
| Sterilization (subp. 11l) | Destruction of all microbial life and spores by heat, steam or chemical sterilants |
| Autoclave (subp. 2a) | A device registered and listed with the FDA that sterilizes with high-pressure saturated steam |
| Porous material (subp. 11g) | Material that absorbs liquid or lets liquid penetrate |
| Sharps / sharps container (subps. 11h, 11i) | Objects that can cut or penetrate skin; a closed, puncture-resistant, leak-proof container labeled with the biohazard symbol |
| Good repair (subp. 10) | Clean, with no holes, frayed wires or torn coverings, and fully operational |
| Licensed services (subp. 11) | Services defined as cosmetology under 155A.23, subd. 3 |
| Unregulated service (subp. 13) | Services exempt from board regulation, such as ear piercing, tattooing, microblading, spray tanning, massage, mortuary services and hair braiding |
| Work area (subp. 14) | A space where regulated services are provided; a separate work area needs walls at least 6 feet high and doorways less than 5 feet wide |
| Homebound (subp. 10e) | A person who lacks the capacity for independent transportation to a licensed salon |
| Operator (subp. 11e) | A standard practitioner license that is not a manager license |
| Active license (subp. 1a) | A current license that has not expired and is not retired |
Tip
Exam writers like the difference between clean and disinfect. Cleaning removes soil; it is a required first step but it kills nothing reliably. Disinfection needs an EPA-registered hospital-level product on a nonporous item. Porous items cannot be disinfected, which is why the rules make them single-use.
Practice scenario
A client asks whether the board can make a salon refund a disputed service charge. The correct answer on the exam is that the board's mandate is public health and safety under 155A.21; pricing disputes are not a licensing function. If the complaint alleges an infection-control violation, however, the board can investigate under 155A.33 and inspect under 155A.31.
How many members serve on the Minnesota Board of Cosmetology, and who appoints them?
Seven members, appointed by the governor
Nine members, elected by licensees
Five members, appointed by the commissioner of health
Seven members, appointed by the legislature
Under Minn. R. 2105.0010, which statement correctly defines a disinfectant?
Any product containing at least 70 percent isopropyl or ethyl alcohol, applied by spray and allowed to air dry
An EPA-registered hospital-setting antimicrobial pesticide that is a bactericide, virucide and fungicide
A soap or detergent that removes all visible soil
A device registered with the FDA that destroys all microbial life, including bacterial spores
A salon wants a facial room to count as a separate work area. What does Minnesota's definition require?
Walls at least six feet high and doorways less than five feet wide
Any curtain or folding screen between stations
A ceiling-height wall and a separate entrance from outside
A locking door and its own sink
According to Minn. Stat. 155A.21, why does Minnesota license the practice of cosmetology?
To set uniform prices for salon services across the state so that consumers can compare costs fairly
To protect public health and safety because of infection control and the use of chemicals and implements
To limit the number of salons operating in each county and protect existing businesses from new competition
To collect sales tax on salon services
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.