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.
For informational purposes only, not legal advice. Always verify directly with your state’s cosmetology board before practicing.
Status Key:
Exempt No licence required
Registration Simple registration only
Licence Required Cosmetology or esthetics
Verify Contact board directly
14States Exempt
1Registration Only
33Licence Required
2Verify
Important — Salon Ownership vs. Personal Service
Even in states where threading is exempt from personal licensing, operating or owning a salon requires separate facility licensing and compliance with state business and health department regulations. A threading exemption covers your personal service only. Always consult your state board and a local attorney before opening a commercial location.
| State | Status | Requirement | Notes | State Board |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Exempt | No licence required | Confirmed exempt. No cosmetology licence requirement for threading. | www.aboc.alabama.gov ↗ |
| Alaska | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Regulated under Alaska Board of Barbers and Hairdressers. | www.commerce.alaska.gov ↗ |
| Arizona | Exempt | No licence required | Exempted after successful IJ lawsuit. Salon facility rules still apply. | azbbhe.us ↗ |
| Arkansas | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading within cosmetology scope. Esthetics requires 600 hours. | www.arkansas.gov ↗ |
| California | Exempt | No licence required | Threading explicitly exempt. No training required to thread clients commercially. | www.barbercosmo.ca.gov ↗ |
| Colorado | Exempt | No licence required | Threading not regulated under Colorado cosmetology laws. | dpo.colorado.gov ↗ |
| Connecticut | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence (260 hrs) | Esthetics licence required. 260 training hours. | portal.ct.gov ↗ |
| Delaware | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Regulated under Delaware Board of Cosmetology and Barbering. | dpr.delaware.gov ↗ |
| Florida | Licence Required | Cosmetology or facial specialist licence (260 hrs) | Florida explicitly requires a licensed cosmetologist or facial specialist to perform threading. | myfloridalicense.com ↗ |
| Georgia | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence (1,500 hrs) | Among the highest cosmetology training requirements nationally. | sos.ga.gov ↗ |
| Hawaii | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under cosmetology scope. | cca.hawaii.gov ↗ |
| Idaho | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence (600 hrs) | Threading falls under esthetics services. 600 training hours required. | ibol.idaho.gov ↗ |
| Illinois | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Regulated under Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. | idfpr.illinois.gov ↗ |
| Indiana | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Regulated under Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (IPLA). | www.in.gov ↗ |
| Iowa | Exempt | No licence required | SF 2119 (2022) explicitly exempted eyebrow threading from cosmetology licensing. | plb.iowa.gov ↗ |
| Kansas | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence (1,000 hrs) | Among the strictest. Multiple exemption attempts have not passed as of 2025. | ksboc.us ↗ |
| Kentucky | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Regulated under Kentucky State Board of Hairdressers and Cosmetologists. | cosmetology.ky.gov ↗ |
| Louisiana | Exempt | No licence required | Exempted after successful IJ legal action. | www.lsbc.louisiana.gov ↗ |
| Maine | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading falls under esthetics scope in Maine. | www.maine.gov ↗ |
| Maryland | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Regulated under Maryland State Board of Cosmetologists. | www.dllr.state.md.us ↗ |
| Massachusetts | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence (1,000 hrs) | One of the highest training requirements nationally. | www.mass.gov ↗ |
| Michigan | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Regulated under Michigan LARA. | www.michigan.gov ↗ |
| Minnesota | Exempt | No licence required | Minnesota carved out certain beauty services from licensing in 2020. Threading included. | mn.gov ↗ |
| Mississippi | Exempt | No licence required | Mississippi exempts eyebrow threading from cosmetology licensing. | www.msboc.us ↗ |
| Missouri | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Regulated under Missouri Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners. | pr.mo.gov ↗ |
| Montana | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Regulated under Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists. | boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov ↗ |
| Nebraska | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Regulated under Nebraska Board of Cosmetology Examiners. | dhhs.ne.gov ↗ |
| Nevada | Exempt | No licence required | Nevada explicitly exempts eyebrow threading. One of the first states to do so. | cosmetology.nv.gov ↗ |
| New Hampshire | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Regulated under NH Board of Barbering, Cosmetology and Esthetics. | www.oplc.nh.gov ↗ |
| New Jersey | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Regulated under NJ State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. | www.njconsumeraffairs.gov ↗ |
| New Mexico | Exempt | No licence required | New Mexico exempts threading from cosmetology licensing. | www.rld.nm.gov ↗ |
| New York | Licence Required | Appearance enhancement licence | Threading falls under New York appearance enhancement scope. | www.dos.ny.gov ↗ |
| North Carolina | Licence Required | Cosmetology licence | Regulated under NC State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. | www.nccosmeticarts.com ↗ |
| North Dakota | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Regulated under ND State Board of Cosmetology. | www.nd.gov ↗ |
| Ohio | Registration | Boutique services registration (no hours required) | HB 238 signed January 2025 created a boutique services registration. Registration required but no training hours or exam. | cos.ohio.gov ↗ |
| Oklahoma | Licence Required | Esthetics licence (600 hrs) | IJ challenge ongoing as of 2024. Verify current status with board before practicing. | cosmo.ok.gov ↗ |
| Oregon | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Regulated under Oregon Health Licensing Office. | www.oregon.gov ↗ |
| Pennsylvania | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Threading regulated under Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology. | www.dos.pa.gov ↗ |
| Rhode Island | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Regulated under Rhode Island Board of Hairdressing. | health.ri.gov ↗ |
| South Carolina | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Regulated under SC Board of Cosmetology. | www.llr.sc.gov ↗ |
| South Dakota | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Regulated under South Dakota Cosmetology Commission. | dlr.sd.gov ↗ |
| Tennessee | Exempt | No licence required | Tennessee exempts eyebrow threading from cosmetology licensing. | www.tn.gov ↗ |
| Texas | Exempt | No licence required | After Texas Supreme Court ruling (2015) and SB 1502 (2017), threading requires NO licence. Most business-friendly threading state. | www.tdlr.texas.gov ↗ |
| Utah | Exempt | No licence required | Utah explicitly exempts threading from cosmetology licensing. | dopl.utah.gov ↗ |
| Vermont | Verify | Unclear. Contact board directly | Vermont regulations don't explicitly address threading. Contact Vermont Office of Professional Regulation before practicing. | sos.vermont.gov ↗ |
| Virginia | Licence Required | Wax technician or cosmetology licence (115 hrs) | Virginia requires at minimum a wax technician licence for threading. Multiple exemption bills have failed. | www.dpor.virginia.gov ↗ |
| Washington | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Regulated under Washington State Department of Licensing. | www.dol.wa.gov ↗ |
| West Virginia | Exempt | No licence required | West Virginia exempts threading from cosmetology licensing. Confirmed exempt per IJ. | www.wvboc.com ↗ |
| Wisconsin | Licence Required | Cosmetology or esthetics licence | Regulated under Wisconsin Cosmetology Examining Board. | dsps.wi.gov ↗ |
| Wyoming | Verify | Unclear. Contact board directly | Wyoming cosmetology rules don't explicitly address threading. Contact Wyoming Board of Cosmetology directly. | cda.wyo.gov ↗ |
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