Know Before You Thread
Threading Laws
by State
A reference guide to eyebrow threading licensing requirements across all 50 US states — researched from state board sources as of 2025.
This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws change. Always verify current requirements directly with your state's cosmetology or licensing board before performing threading services on clients or opening a business. Brow Goddess Academy is not responsible for any regulatory outcomes based on this information.
Status Key:
Exempt No licence required to thread
Registration Simple registration, no education hours
Licence Required Cosmetology or esthetics licence required
Verify Unclear / verify with state board
20States Exempt
3Registration Only
25Licence Required
2Verify with Board
⚠ Important — Salon Ownership vs. Personal Service
Even in states where threading itself is exempt from licensing, operating or owning a salon, spa, or commercial beauty establishment requires separate facility licensing and compliance with state business and health department regulations. A threading exemption covers your personal service. It does not exempt you from salon operation laws. Always consult your state board and a local attorney before opening a commercial location.
| State | Status | Requirement | Notes | State Board |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Licence Required | Esthetics licence (1,000 hrs) | One of the highest esthetics hour requirements in the US. Threading falls under esthetics scope of practice. | aboc.alabama.gov ↗ |
| Alaska | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under cosmetology board. Must be performed in a licensed facility. | commerce.alaska.gov ↗ |
| Arizona | Exempt | No licence required | Exempted after successful IJ lawsuit. Threaders may operate without a cosmetology licence. Salon facility rules still apply. | azbbhe.us ↗ |
| Arkansas | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading considered within cosmetology scope. Esthetics licence requires 600 hrs. | arkansas.gov ↗ |
| California | Exempt | No licence required | Threading explicitly exempt from cosmetology licensing. No training or certification required to thread on clients. Salon facility licence still required for commercial locations. | barbercosmo.ca.gov ↗ |
| Colorado | Exempt | No licence required | Threading not regulated under cosmetology laws. Can be performed without a licence. | dpo.colorado.gov ↗ |
| Connecticut | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under cosmetology board. Esthetics licence requires 260 hrs. | portal.ct.gov/dcp ↗ |
| Delaware | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading falls under cosmetology/esthetics scope. Must be performed by licensed professional. | dpr.delaware.gov ↗ |
| Florida | Licence Required | Cosmetology, full specialist, or facial specialist licence | Florida explicitly states threading requires a licensed cosmetologist, registered facial specialist, or full specialist. Esthetics licence = 260 hrs. One of the lowest hour requirements. | myfloridalicense.com ↗ |
| Georgia | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence (1,000 hrs) | Among the highest esthetics hour requirements. Threading regulated under cosmetology board. | sos.ga.gov ↗ |
| Hawaii | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under cosmetology scope. Must be performed in licensed facility. | cca.hawaii.gov ↗ |
| Idaho | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading falls under esthetics services. Esthetics programme requires 600 hrs. | ibol.idaho.gov ↗ |
| Illinois | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. | idfpr.illinois.gov ↗ |
| Indiana | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under cosmetology board. Verify threading-specific status with IPLA. | in.gov/pla ↗ |
| Iowa | Exempt | No licence required | SF 2119 (2022) explicitly exempted eyebrow threading from cosmetology licensing. Threaders need not be licensed in Iowa. | plb.iowa.gov ↗ |
| Kansas | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence (1,000 hrs) | Kansas is among the strictest. Multiple attempts to exempt threading have not yet passed. | ksboc.us ↗ |
| Kentucky | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under state board of hairdressers and cosmetologists. | cosmetology.ky.gov ↗ |
| Louisiana | Exempt | No licence required | Exempted after IJ legal action. Threading may be performed without a cosmetology licence. | lsbc.louisiana.gov ↗ |
| Maine | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading falls under esthetics/cosmetology scope in Maine. | maine.gov ↗ |
| Maryland | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under Maryland State Board of Cosmetologists. | dllr.state.md.us ↗ |
| Massachusetts | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Massachusetts has one of the highest overall cosmetology requirements nationally. Threading regulated under cosmetology. | mass.gov ↗ |
| Michigan | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). | michigan.gov/lara ↗ |
| Minnesota | Exempt | No licence required | Minnesota carved out certain beauty services from licensing requirements in 2020. Threading included in the exemption. | mn.gov ↗ |
| Mississippi | Exempt | No licence required | Mississippi exempts eyebrow threading from cosmetology licensing. | msboc.us ↗ |
| Missouri | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under Missouri Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners. | pr.mo.gov ↗ |
| Montana | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists. | boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov ↗ |
| Nebraska | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under Nebraska Board of Cosmetology Examiners. | dhhs.ne.gov ↗ |
| Nevada | Exempt | No licence required | Nevada explicitly exempts eyebrow threading from cosmetology licensing. One of the first states to do so. | cosmetology.nv.gov ↗ |
| New Hampshire | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under NH Board of Barbering, Cosmetology and Esthetics. | oplc.nh.gov ↗ |
| New Jersey | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. | njconsumeraffairs.gov ↗ |
| New Mexico | Exempt | No licence required | New Mexico exempts threading from cosmetology licensing requirements. | rld.nm.gov ↗ |
| New York | Licence Required | Cosmetology or appearance enhancement licence | Threading falls under NY appearance enhancement scope. Licence required. NY has relatively fewer cosmetology hours required but firm enforcement. | dos.ny.gov ↗ |
| North Carolina | Licence Required | Cosmetology licence | Threading regulated under NC State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. | nccosmeticarts.com ↗ |
| North Dakota | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under ND State Board of Cosmetology. | nd.gov ↗ |
| Ohio | Registration | Boutique services registration (no education hours) | HB 238 (signed Jan 2025) created a "boutique services registration" covering threading, braiding, and makeup — registration required but no training hours or exam. Much less burdensome than a licence. | cos.ohio.gov ↗ |
| Oklahoma | Licence Required | Esthetics licence (600 hrs) | Oklahoma requires 600 hrs of esthetics training none of which covers threading. IJ lawsuit ongoing as of 2024. Verify current status with board. | cosmo.ok.gov ↗ |
| Oregon | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under Oregon Health Licensing Office. | oregon.gov/ohla ↗ |
| Pennsylvania | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology. Must be performed in licensed salon. | dos.pa.gov ↗ |
| Rhode Island | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under RI Board of Hairdressing. | health.ri.gov ↗ |
| South Carolina | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under SC Board of Cosmetology. | llr.sc.gov ↗ |
| South Dakota | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under SD Cosmetology Commission. | dlr.sd.gov ↗ |
| Tennessee | Exempt | No licence required | Tennessee exempts eyebrow threading from cosmetology licensing. Threading can be performed without a licence. | tn.gov ↗ |
| Texas | Exempt | No licence required | After landmark Texas Supreme Court ruling (2015) and SB 1502/SB 2065 (2017), threading requires NO barber, cosmetologist, or specialty licence. One of the most business-friendly threading states. | tdlr.texas.gov ↗ |
| Utah | Exempt | No licence required | Utah explicitly exempts threading from cosmetology licensing. | dopl.utah.gov ↗ |
| Vermont | Verify | Unclear — contact board | Vermont's cosmetology regulations are less specific on threading. Contact the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation to confirm current requirements. | sos.vermont.gov ↗ |
| Virginia | Licence Required | Wax technician or cosmetology licence (115 hrs) | Virginia requires a wax technician licence (115 hrs) for threading. Multiple bills to exempt threading have failed (2015, 2019, 2021). Verify with DPOR for latest status. | dpor.virginia.gov ↗ |
| Washington | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under Washington State Cosmetology Board. | dol.wa.gov ↗ |
| West Virginia | Exempt | No licence required | West Virginia exempts threading from cosmetology licensing requirements. | wvboc.com ↗ |
| Wisconsin | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under Wisconsin Cosmetology Examining Board. | dsps.wi.gov ↗ |
| Wyoming | Verify | Unclear — contact board | Wyoming cosmetology rules do not explicitly address threading. Contact Wyoming Board of Cosmetology directly to confirm requirements before practicing. | cda.wyo.gov ↗ |
| Alabama — Note re: registration states | Three states (Ohio, and two others listed as Verify) have moved toward registration-only models — simpler than a licence but not fully exempt. Always check your board directly as laws evolve frequently. | |||