Salon licenses become eligible for renewal 10 weeks before the expiration date and can be renewed up to six months after the expiration date. You may renew using the online application or by completing the Salon License Renewal Application and submitting it by mail or in person to the Board office with your $225.00 fee payment.
Please bear in mind that it may take up to 15 business days to process a paper application once it is received in the Board office. Incomplete applications are returned for corrections, which will delay renewal and possibly result in a late renewal penalty.
There is a $50.00 late renewal penalty for renewing after the expiration date. After six months, your salon license cannot be renewed and you will need to reapply for a new license using the Salon License Application. Fees to reapply due to late renewal total $350.00 with standard application processing.
Be reminded that if you are found to be operational after your license expires, you may face penalties of up to $2,000.00 per violation. Licenses are expired effective the day after the expiration date.
• You are not entering the correct license number. It should be the eight numerical digits printed on your certificate, with no spaces or dashes. Use the License Lookup if your certificate is not at hand.
• The tax ID number you are entering as your password does not match the tax ID number on file.
• You are including spaces or dashes in your password. Try using numerical digits only.
• You are not using your entire tax ID number. This should be nine digits if your ID is your SSN or a Federal ID, or seven digits if it is a MN tax ID.
• Your license is not eligible for online renewal. A salon license can be renewed online up to 10 weeks prior to the expiration date, or up to six months after the expiration date.
• You clicked the “back” button on your browser during your renewal. Backtracking to previous screens is not recommended. If you move backward during your renewal, try closing your browser and starting over.
• Your credit card information could not be verified with our bank.
• You are using a mobile device (phone or tablet) to renew online. Use of a laptop or desktop is strongly recommended, as not all mobile devices are compatible with online processing.
If you are unable to renew your license online, you must print out and complete the appropriate application and submit it to the Board office by mail or in person with fee payment by check or money order.
• If your salon license is within 10 weeks prior to the expiration date or less than six months expired, complete and submit the Salon License Renewal Application.
• If your salon license is more than six months expired, the license cannot be renewed. You must complete and submit the Salon License Application.
Exact cash is accepted when you submit an application in person. Credit card payments can only be accepted for online renewals.
Tax ID verifications or updates cannot be handled by phone. If your tax ID number needs to be updated with the Board, you may submit the Revenue document issuing the ID number to you by fax to 651-649-5702 or by email to cosmetology@state.mn.us. Include your salon’s legal and DBA names and your salon’s license number with your submission. Self-prepared documents such as tax returns will not be accepted.
After you provide your credit card information, it takes a short amount of time for the system to verify your payment. Once the information is verified, you will receive a message on the screen to confirm this. Please note your license number changes when you renew, so the license number you see is your new license number. When your renewal is complete, you will be brought back to the login screen.
If your online renewal was successful, you will receive a confirmation email within a few minutes that contains a confirmation number. The information on your Licensee Profile Page will update when your license is renewed.
If you are uncertain whether or not your online renewal was successful, or if your Licensee Profile Page has not updated, please wait a day and check with your bank or credit card company to see if your card was charged.
No. If you are unable to renew your license online, you must print out and complete the appropriate application and submit it to the Board office by mail or in person with fee payment by check or money order.
• If your salon license is within 10 weeks prior to the expiration date or less than six months expired, complete and submit the Salon License Renewal Application.
• If your salon license is more than six months expired, the license cannot be renewed. You must complete and submit the Salon License Application.
Exact cash is accepted when you submit an application in person. Credit card payments can only be accepted for online renewals.
No. Salon licenses are expired as of the day after the expiration date. The $50.00 late renewal penalty is owed effective that same date, whether you renew online or use the paper application. A salon license can be renewed up to six months after its expiration date either online or using the paper application. Operating on an expired license is unlawful. If you are found to be operational after your expiration date, you may face penalties of up to $2,000.00 per violation.
Renewal reminders are sent by email to the email address on file at least 10 weeks before the license expires. If your salon did not receive a reminder, it could be due to the following:
• You have not registered a valid salon email address with the Board.
• The email address in your salon’s file is incorrect or out of date.
• Your salon’s “junk mail” settings do not exclude addresses ending in "@state.mn.us".
Log in to your Account Management page to verify or update your salon email address, and make sure to add the Board to your contact list.
The BCE has not sent reminders by mail since December 2013. If you choose not to register a valid salon email address with the Board, your salon will not be sent a renewal reminder or other important BCE communications. Per MN Rule 2105.0330, Subpart 2, it is the salon owner and/or DLSM’s responsibility to renew a salon license on time. Not receiving a reminder is not a valid excuse for letting your salon license expire.
• Your application arrived in the Board office after your license expiration date. The Board acknowledges the date an application is received, not the postmark date. Postmark dates are not taken into account.
• Your application was received before your expiration date, but it was incomplete and returned for corrections. If it is returned after your license expiration date, or if it is received back in the Board office after your license expiration date, you will owe a late fee.
Late renewal penalties are owed effective the day after the license expires. If a complete application is received in the Board office on or before your license expiration date, you will not owe a late fee, even if the application is processed after the expiration date. Be reminded you will be ineligible to offer services while your license is expired.
No. Expediting is available only for initial license applications, not renewals. Your renewal will be processed most quickly if you are able to renew online, as your license will be renewed almost immediately upon payment processing.