1.1 Current Exam Facts

Current Exam Facts for the Virginia Nail Technician License

Quick Answer: Virginia licenses nail technicians through the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology at DPOR. You must pass both the NIC Nail Technology written theory exam and the NIC practical exam. Prov has administered those exams since January 1, 2025. Theory is 110 items (100 scored) in 90 minutes and includes 10 Virginia law questions. Current official materials do not publish a numeric passing score.

The Virginia Nail Technician license is an occupational credential issued by the Virginia Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, a board inside the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). Statutory definitions live in § 54.1-700 of the Code of Virginia. Day-to-day rules — training hours, performances, exams, fees, sanitation, shops, schools, and temporary licenses — live in 18VAC41-20, the Barbering and Cosmetology Regulations. When a study question cites "the Board," it means this Board, not a national association and not your school.

What the license actually authorizes

Under § 54.1-700, a nail technician is any person who, for compensation, manicures or pedicures natural nails, performs artificial nail services, or any combination of those acts. Nail care is the same pair of activities: natural-nail manicure/pedicure and artificial nail services. That scope is narrower than a cosmetology license and it is not a waxing license. DPOR's published FAQ is explicit: a nail technician license does not authorize waxing; a nail technician who wants to wax must also hold a wax technician license (or another license whose scope includes waxing, such as cosmetology or esthetics). Exam questions that invite you to wax a lip, brow, or bikini as a nail technician are testing whether you know the edge of the credential, not whether you can describe a wax procedure.

You also cannot lawfully practice nail care in Virginia on another state's license. DPOR states that Virginia law prohibits practicing or offering to practice nail care in the Commonwealth without a Virginia license. Out-of-state licensees use endorsement (18VAC41-20-30) or sit the Virginia exams; they do not "transfer" a card and start work the same week.

Two exams, one license

18VAC41-20-60 A requires applicants for initial licensure to pass a practical examination and a written examination approved by the Board. For nail technicians, those Board-approved exams are the NIC Nail Technology written (theory) exam and the NIC Nail Technology practical exam, developed by the National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC).

Prov is the contracted vendor. DPOR's Board page and the VA Prov Candidate Information Bulletin (CIB) dated 2026.03.05 both state that effective January 1, 2025, Prov assumed examination responsibilities. The Board continues to use NIC exams; only the administrator changed. Applications are accepted through Prov (online at provexam.com, or the Board's PDF exam-and-license application). Exam fees are paid to Prov. After you pass, official results are sent electronically from Prov to DPOR; you still apply and pay the Board's license fee separately.

Current fees you will actually pay

Keep the money streams separate. Prov bills the tests. DPOR bills the credential. 18VAC41-20-140 states that all Board fees are nonrefundable and will not be prorated.

The technology fee is not a third exam fee. It is a DPOR surcharge on certain Board fees beginning July 1, 2026, used to upgrade DPOR's software, and it remains in place through June 30, 2030. When you sit for a 2026 exam, add it mentally to the license-application side of the ledger, not to Prov's $99/$95.

Theory format (national NIC plus Virginia law)

The NIC National Nail Technology Theory Examination CIB (effective September 1, 2025, revision March 1, 2026) is the national content outline. It states:

• The exam contains 110 items.
• 100 items are weighted and contribute to the candidate's final score.
• Time allowed is 90 minutes.

The Virginia administration is not a purely national test. The VA Prov CIB states that the Virginia NIC Theory Examination includes Virginia State Laws and Regulations, and that 10 Virginia State questions are included within that theory examination. The published reference for those items is 18VAC41-20 (Barbers and Cosmetology Regulations — the chapter that covers nail technicians). Virginia State Law questions are provided in English only. Public-school candidates whose training was regulated under the Virginia Department of Education must take the written examination in English to be eligible for licensure.

Current official materials do not separately publish whether the 10 Virginia items occupy the 10 unweighted national slots or sit among the 100 scored items. Study them as must-know content. Do not skip sanitation, temporary-license, hour, or fee rules because you assumed they were "only pretest."

NIC theory CIBs are available in Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese for the national nail technology written exam. That language option does not extend to the Virginia law items, and it does not extend to the practical, which Virginia administers in English only.

Practical format (Virginia uses core services only)

The VA Prov CIB lists the required core practical exam services for nail technicians. Virginia uses those core services and does not add extra NIC optional sections. Plan your kit and your timing around this list:

1. Work area and client preparation, and set up of supplies — 15 minutes
2. Basic water manicure and polish application — 20 minutes
3. Work area and new client preparation, and set up of supplies — 10 minutes
4. Full-well tip application and blending — 15 minutes
5. Sculptured nail — 20 minutes
6. Removal of sculptured nail — 20 minutes
7. Blood exposure — examined individually

Practical exams are in-person in Virginia and English only. Candidates must bring their own supplies; borrowing during the exam is not allowed. Disinfectants must be disinfecting wipes with a manufacturer's label showing virucidal, bactericidal, and fungicidal properties (NIC returned to labeled wipes after a temporary wipe-shortage relaxation). Kits must fit under the work area (no larger than 30" × 30" on the CIB kit rule used across these professions).

Where you test, and how you hear results

Prov has established fourteen (14) written testing centers in Virginia, five (5) of which also administer practical exams. Written and practical examinations must be taken in Virginia. As of January 17, 2026, theory exams may also be taken remotely from home through Examroom, on a MAC, PC, or Chromebook that meets Prov's system check. Remote testing is theory only. If your equipment or room fails the remote rules, Prov reschedules you to an in-person site and you repay the exam fee if you were unprepared.

The five combined practical-and-written sites named in the 2026.03.05 CIB are Mechanicsville, Centreville, Roanoke (Williamson Road), Forest, and Virginia Beach. Written-only sites include locations such as Abingdon, Alexandria, Ashburn, Chantilly, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Harrisonburg, Newport News, Norfolk, Richmond, Roanoke Higher Education Center, and Tazewell. Sites can change; the live scheduler is the authority on open seats.

Official exam results for practical and written exams are emailed 24 hours after the test is complete. Prov also sends official results to DPOR electronically. Arrive at least 15 minutes early for site testing. If the session has begun, you are turned away and forfeit the fee.

The unpublished cut score — do not invent 75%

Older third-party blogs and some stale exam-meta copy still say "75%" or "70–75%." That number is not a current DPOR-published passing score for this exam. The current DPOR Board for Barbers and Cosmetology page and the VA Prov CIB 2026.03.05 describe fees, vendor, languages, sites, remote theory, and 24-hour email results. They do not publish a numeric passing score. This guide therefore does not treat 75% as an official Virginia cut score. Prov tells you pass or fail. Until DPOR or Prov publishes a number, memorize the blueprint and the Virginia regulations instead of chasing a percentage rumor.

Official contacts worth putting in your phone

• Board licensing: (804) 367-8509; BCHOPLicensing@dpor.virginia.gov
• Board office: (804) 367-8590; BarberCosmo@dpor.virginia.gov
• DPOR Examinations Section: (804) 367-8544; exams@dpor.virginia.gov
• Mail: 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 400, Richmond, VA 23233
• Prov: (877) 228-3926; call or text (801) 733-4455; support@provexam.com; provexam.com
• Call-center hours (Board): Monday, Thursday, Friday 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday noon–2 p.m. only

Official sources to verify before test day

• DPOR Board for Barbers and Cosmetology
• 18VAC41-20 (Barbering and Cosmetology Regulations)
• VA Prov CIB 2026.03.05
• NIC Nail Technology Theory CIB