California Cosmetologist Written (Theory) Examination — 110 questions (100 scored, 10 unscored pretest) · 120 minutes · Passing score: Not published by California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. PrepPass also publishes a study guide book as a downloadable book (88 pages, 64 practice questions inside, $14.99).
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A printable colour cheat sheet for the exam: the format, the content areas and the figures it turns on, each checked against a named source and dated.
Cosmetology State Board Theory Exam cheat sheet PDF — $9.99 →
4 pages · US Letter · printable PDF · yours to keep
Test what you know · free, all of it
The same 484 questions, dealt five ways. Pick the one that fits the time you have.
Learn what the questions test
Practice finds the gaps. Reading closes them. The seven chapters below are free to read online. The study guide book is a separate download, sold on its own page.
Before you sit
See the questions first
Real items, with the answer marked and the reason written out — the same format as all 484.
Under California regulations, what is the MINIMUM contact time a multi-use tool must remain fully immersed in an EPA-registered disinfectant?
Why: California regulation requires multi-use implements be totally immersed in an EPA-registered disinfectant for at least 10 minutes (or the time specified on the product label, if longer).16 CCR §979
Under California law, a cosmetologist using a chemical exfoliant may legally act on which layer?
Why: Licensee exfoliation is limited to the dead cells of the stratum corneum; removal of living layers is the practice of medicine.BPC §7316
Watch
The exam itself
| Questions | 110 questions (100 scored, 10 unscored pretest)Cosmetologist only. The Board publishes a different length for each license on the same page, and PSI's bulletin prints the same figures as totals: Barber 95 (85 scored + 10 pretest); Esthetician 85 (75 + 10); Manicurist 65 (60 + 5); Electrologist 55 (50 + 5); Hairstylist 50 scored + 10 pretest. PSI notes that the unscored pretest items still count against examination time. |
|---|---|
| Time | 120 minutesCosmetologist and Barber are allowed two hours; Esthetician, Manicurist, Electrologist and Hairstylist are allowed 90 minutes. |
| Sections | Anatomy & Sciences · Chemistry & Products · Electricity & Equipment · Infection Control & Safety · Ethics & California Law · Hair Services · Skin & Nail Services |
| Passing score | Not published by California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology16 CCR § 932(b) states only that the Board sets the passing score using a criterion-referenced method, and PSI's bulletin gives the same method with no number. Neither publishes a percentage. Any “75% to pass” claim for this exam is unsourced. |
| Our bank | 484 questions · updated August 2026Written from California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (BBC) |
| Languages | English · 中文 · Español · Tiếng Việt |
| Source | California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (BBC)Verified 2026-09-03 |
Cosmetology & Beauty License Exams
Questions
All 484 questions, the timed mock and the report are free with no sign-up. A free account only adds saving your progress. The study guide book is sold separately, $14.99 one-time; nothing in the practice requires it.
No. Ours is 100 questions in 120 minutes; the real exam is 110 questions in 120 minutes. Use the mock for stamina and section timing, not as a score predictor.
Not published by California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. 16 CCR § 932(b) states only that the Board sets the passing score using a criterion-referenced method, and PSI's bulletin gives the same method with no number. Neither publishes a percentage. Any “75% to pass” claim for this exam is unsourced.
Yes. PrepPass sells Cosmetology State Board Exam — Complete Study Guide (2026), a PDF + EPUB download, $14.99 one-time; the practice on this page stays free without it. Written from the NIC national content outline. It does not teach California's laws and rules; PSI's California content outline covers what your exam adds. See the study guide →
