North Dakota Cosmetology License Exam — All Questions

Which agency regulates cosmetology licensing in North Dakota?

• a.The North Dakota Department of Health
• b.The North Dakota State Board of Cosmetology✓
• c.The county sheriff's office
• d.The North Dakota Cosmetology Association, a private club

The North Dakota State Board of Cosmetology is the licensing authority that issues practitioner and salon licenses, sets rules, and inspects for compliance. General health departments and law-enforcement offices do not license cosmetologists, and private associations do not grant licenses.

How does North Dakota structure the credentials needed to perform different beauty services?

• a.A single all-purpose license covers every possible service with no distinctions
• b.Only a business permit is required and individual workers need nothing
• c.Separate licenses or certificates are issued by discipline (Cosmetologist, Esthetician, Nail Technician, and Instructor)✓
• d.Services are unregulated as long as the salon posts a sign

North Dakota issues separate licenses by discipline, and each license authorizes only the services within its defined scope. North Dakota recognizes credentials such as Cosmetologist, Esthetician, Nail Technician, and Instructor, and each credential limits you to the services within its defined scope. Working outside your scope, or without the proper credential, is a violation the North Dakota State Board of Cosmetology can act on.

May a person perform cosmetology services for pay in North Dakota while waiting to receive a license?

• a.Yes, as long as they have finished a training program
• b.No; practicing cosmetology for compensation without a current North Dakota license is prohibited✓
• c.Yes, if a licensed coworker is somewhere in the building
• d.Yes, for the first 90 days after applying

In North Dakota, you must hold a valid, current license before you provide cosmetology services for compensation. Completing training or submitting an application does not authorize paid practice; the license itself must be issued and active. Unlicensed practice is one of the most common violations enforced by the North Dakota State Board of Cosmetology, and it can also expose the salon that allows it to discipline.

In North Dakota, does a salon or establishment itself need to be licensed, separate from the people who work there?

• a.Yes; the establishment must hold its own salon license in addition to each worker's license✓
• b.No; only individual workers are ever licensed
• c.No; a salon needs only a general city business license
• d.Only if the salon has more than ten employees

North Dakota licenses the physical establishment as well as the individuals. The salon must hold its own salon license, and that requirement is independent of the personal licenses held by the cosmetologists working there. A general city business license does not replace the state establishment license, and the requirement does not depend on staff size.

What is a licensee's responsibility for keeping a North Dakota cosmetology license valid over time?

• a.Once issued, the license never needs any further action
• b.The salon owner is solely responsible for every worker's renewal
• c.The licensee must renew the license before it expires and may not practice on a lapsed license✓
• d.Renewal is only required after moving to a new address

A North Dakota cosmetology license must be renewed periodically before it expires, and the licensee is responsible for keeping it current. Practicing on an expired or lapsed license is prohibited and can lead to penalties. Because published renewal cycles and fees can change, always confirm current requirements directly with the North Dakota State Board of Cosmetology rather than relying on memory.

A client asks a North Dakota cosmetologist to inject a wrinkle filler and diagnose a suspicious mole. What is the correct response?

• a.Perform both because a cosmetology license covers all skin services
• b.Decline both; these are medical acts outside a cosmetology license and require a licensed medical professional✓
• c.Perform the injection but not the diagnosis
• d.Diagnose the mole but refer the injection out

A North Dakota cosmetology or esthetics license authorizes surface, non-medical beauty services. Injecting dermal fillers and diagnosing skin conditions are medical acts that fall outside cosmetology scope and must be handled by an appropriately licensed medical professional. Performing them would be practicing outside your scope and potentially practicing medicine without a license.