New Hampshire Cosmetology License Exam — All Questions

Which body issues and regulates cosmetology licenses in New Hampshire?

• a.The local county health inspector's office
• b.The National Cosmetology Association, a private trade group
• c.The New Hampshire Department of Motor Vehicles
• d.New Hampshire Board of Barbering, Cosmetology and Esthetics (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification)✓

Cosmetology licensing in New Hampshire is handled by the New Hampshire Board of Barbering, Cosmetology and Esthetics (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification). A private trade association, the motor-vehicle agency, and a county inspector do not grant or revoke cosmetology licenses - the state board or agency does.

In New Hampshire, a person who performs cosmetology services for pay without holding a current license is:

• a.Allowed, as long as a licensed person owns the salon
• b.Engaging in unlicensed practice, which the board may penalize✓
• c.Allowed for up to one year while training
• d.Exempt if the client signs a waiver

Practicing cosmetology for compensation without a valid New Hampshire license is unlicensed practice. Owner supervision, training status, or a client waiver do not excuse it, and the board may impose penalties and stop the activity.

How does New Hampshire typically structure its beauty-industry credentials?

• a.A single all-purpose license covers every beauty and medical service
• b.Only salon owners are licensed; individual workers are not
• c.Licensing is issued and enforced entirely by the federal government
• d.Separate licenses exist for practitioners (such as cosmetologist, esthetician, and nail technician) and for the establishment✓

Like other states, New Hampshire issues distinct credentials by discipline - for example cosmetologist, esthetician, nail technician, and instructor - plus a separate license or registration for the salon or establishment. Each authorizes only the services in its scope.

What is true about keeping a New Hampshire cosmetology license valid?

• a.A license automatically renews whenever the holder changes salons
• b.It must be renewed on the board's cycle before it expires, or the holder may not keep practicing✓
• c.Once issued, a cosmetology license never has to be renewed
• d.Renewal is required only if the licensee moves to another state

A New Hampshire license stays valid only if it is renewed on the board's schedule before expiration. Working for pay on an expired license is prohibited. Exact renewal periods, fees, and any continuing-education rules are set by the board and should be confirmed from its official materials.

Which action is OUTSIDE the lawful scope of a New Hampshire cosmetologist?

• a.Shampooing, cutting, and styling hair
• b.Diagnosing and treating a client's scalp disease✓
• c.Applying color and chemical texture services
• d.Referring a client with a suspicious skin lesion to a physician

Cosmetology is a beauty service. A New Hampshire cosmetologist may cut, color, and style hair and should refer clients with suspected medical problems to a physician, but may not diagnose, treat, or claim to cure any disease or medical condition - that is the practice of medicine.

Which situation could lead the New Hampshire board to discipline a licensee?

• a.Serving more clients than a competing salon
• b.Taking a vacation without notifying the board
• c.Obtaining a license by fraud or operating in unsanitary conditions✓
• d.Using a brand of shampoo the board did not specify

Boards may fine, suspend, or revoke a license for cause - for example fraud in obtaining the license, unlicensed practice, gross misconduct, or unsanitary operation. Ordinary business choices such as product brand, time off, or client volume are not disciplinary grounds.