The Pennsylvania Board Of Cosmetology is in charge of enforcing laws and regulations through inspections, investigation into complaints submitted by consumers and conducts hearings, imposes penalties and enforces actions when they deem necessary. Through education and the enforcement of the cosmetology laws in PA, the state board ensures the safety, welfare and public health by regulating the salons, schools and individuals who practice cosmetology. The list of the board members who are part of the Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology are listed below:

State Board Members

Member Position
Bruno, Tracy -
Farrell, James M. (Public) Vice Chairman
Ferron, Kristal (Consumer Protection) Deputy Attorney General
Folk, Carolyn -
Gonzalez, Elisa -
Brown-Haywood, Felicia -
Hahn, Addrean -
Neatock, Debora S. Secretary
O'Neill, Tammy -
Wallin, Stephen A. Chairman

They also issue licenses for to individuals who qualify for reciprocity or through the state boards administration of a written and practical examination to schools and salons. To find out how to apply for a new license, renew an existing one or find out how many hours for cosmetology license in Pennsylvania, check out the Pennsylvania Cosmetology License page for additional information. The list of categories the state board issues licenses for are below:

  • Available License Categories
  • Cosmetologist
  • Cosmetician
  • Manicurist

If you need to obtain a cosmetology license, renew an existing one, or want to open up a salon or go to school, then in most cases there are fees involved. We list all available fees for this state below. We recommend to call the Pennsylvania State Board Of Cosmetology if you cannot find the fee information you are looking for below, or if you need to know how to pay your fees and what type of payments they accept.

Fees charged by the Board are as follows:

Licensure of cosmetologist, nail technician, esthetician or natural hair braider

$10

Licensure of cosmetology teacher or limited practice teacher

$10

Licensure of cosmetology salon or limited practice salon

$100

Licensure of cosmetology school

$180

Licensure by reciprocity

$60

Registration of cosmetology apprentice

$70

Biennial renewal of nail technician license

$67

Biennial renewal of esthetician license

$67

Biennial renewal of cosmetologist license

$67

Biennial renewal of natural hair braider license

$67

Biennial renewal of cosmetology teacher or limited practice teacher license

$105

Biennial renewal of cosmetology salon or limited practice salon license

$114

Biennial renewal of cosmetology school license

$285

Approval of cosmetology school supervisor

$20

Change in cosmetology salon or limited practice salon (Inspection required)

$85

Change in cosmetology salon or limited practice salon (No inspection required)

$30

Change in cosmetology school (Inspection required)

$110

Change in cosmetology school (No inspection required)

$35

Reinspection of cosmetology salon or limited practice salon or cosmetology school

$85

Certification of student or apprentice training hours

$30

Verification of license, registration, permit or approval

$15

Pennsylvania Cosmetology License Lookup

If you are planning to setup an appointment with a local salon, it is recommended that you first verify the professional or business license. You can do that online for the state of Pennsylvania by visiting www.pals.pa.gov. From there you can search for the person or business and see if there are any disciplinary actions on record. This will allow you to make an informed decision about the person and or business providing your service.

Filing a Complaint

Part of the duties of the Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology is receiving and investigating consumer complaints involving unlawful acts which may include:

  • False advertisement
  • Violations of health
  • Deceptive statements
  • Sanitation regulations
  • Unlicensed person
  • Malpractice or incompetence

If you feel like you have experienced one of these issues listed above, or have information about a specific incident, then you would need to submit your complaint. If you have issues or questions about the complaint process outlined below, then it is recommended you contact the state board for assistance.

The Pennsylvania Department of State receives complaints concerning the licensees and registrants of the following 29 professional and occupational licensing boards & commissions regulated by the Department's Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs. If you believe the practice or the service provided by a licensee or registrant of the above-named boards or commissions to be unethical, immoral, below an acceptable standard of practice or out of the scope of the profession, you are urged to file a Statement of Complaint Form with the Department of State. Also, if you suspect someone of unlicensed practice, please file a complaint. Please note the following guidelines before completing and submitting the Statement of Complaint Form:

  • The Department will not involve itself in a monetary dispute unless it involves an allegation that services were billed for, but were not rendered. Or if there is evidence of other billing or insurance fraud
  • The Department cannot act as a court of law to impose prison sentences or to order a person to make monetary restitution. This can only be achieved through the services of an attorney in a civil or criminal court proceeding
  • Decisions about whether or not to prosecute cases are constrained by the applicable licensing laws, rules and regulations, which set forth specifically enumerated offenses for which the licensing boards and commissions may impose discipline on a licensee. If offensive conduct or activity does not fit within any specifically enumerated offense, disciplinary action cannot be filed against the licensee because the activity is not within the applicable board or commission's jurisdiction
  • If you file a complaint, you may be required to attend a formal hearing and provide testimony in support of your complaint should a decision be made to file formal charges against a licensee.

There are different ways you can file your complaint. The first way is to manually download a copy of the Statement of Complaint Form. Once you fill out this form you then can mail it to the following address:

Department of State, Professional Compliance Office
PO Box 69522
2601 North Third Street
Harrisburg, PA 17106-9522

Be sure to include any attachments and supporting documents (legible copies, no originals) that you wish to provide in support of your complaint. Or if you prefer, you can request a Statement of Complaint Form by mail. You can do this by calling the Professional Compliance Office Hotline at 800-822-2113 (Inside Pennsylvania) or at 717-783-4854 (Outside Pennsylvania). Return the completed Complaint Form to the Professional Compliance Office at:

Department of State, Professional Compliance Office
PO Box 69522
2601 North Third Street
Harrisburg, PA 17106-9522

Be sure to include any attachments and supporting documents (legible copies, no originals) that you wish to provide in support of your complaint. If you require special accommodation in downloading or viewing the form, please e-mail them at RA-BPOA@pa.gov or call the Complaint's Hotline.

You can also submit your complaint using the online form. To file your complaint online, click here. When you get to this webpage, click the big blue button that says "Professional Licensing". From there they will take you to the complaint form where you can begin filling it out.

Upon receipt of your Statement of Complaint form, it will be reviewed to ensure that the complaint is within the Department’s jurisdiction. A written acknowledgment of having received your complaint will be mailed to you using the name and address provided on your submittal. Unfortunately, due to the large number of cases that they handle, they are unable to provide regular status reports or updates. You will be notified of the final disposition of your complaint. Do note, if you submit your complaint anonymously, the Department will not be able to share any information pertaining to the complaint with anyone, including you.

Here are some tips on preparing your complaint. Make a list of things you want to say. Try your best to separate your feelings from the facts. Present the events in the order of which they happened, use dates and times if possible. When submitting your complaint, please make sure to provide copies of documents, for example contracts, letters, advertisements, sakes slips, cancelled checks, warranties and any other documentation that can support your claim. Only provide copies, keep the original copies for your own record. Please remember, the complaint should describe the event or practice which misled you. If you can, please also state why the practice was misleading.

If you still have questions or issues about your complaint or about cosmetology, then use the contact information listed below. We provide the Pennsylvania Board Of Cosmetology phone number, office address and how to access their departments website.

  • State Board Office Location
  • Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology
    One Penn Center 2601 N. 3rd Street
    Harrisburg, PA 17110

  • State Board Office Phone
  • You can reach the office by calling the Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology phone number 717-783-7130. Their fax number is 717-705-5540.

  • State Board Website
  • You can acccess the Pennsylvania state board online by going to www.dos.pa.gov.