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Licensed cosmetologists and barbers in the state of Georgia must complete continuing education to maintain licensure. This is a standard requirement in most states. 

In Georgia, the cosmetology and barber license renewal period is two years. This means that within each two-year period, you must complete the required amount of continuing education (CE) hours. Your CE hours must be in the approved format required by the Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers. 

Not sure where to go from here? Explore what you need to do to renew your license!

Which Professionals Must Meet the Georgia CE Requirements?

In Georgia, the CE requirements apply to all of the following professionals:

• Master cosmetologists
• Master barbers
• Barber IIs
• Estheticians
• Nail technicians
• Hair designers

Cosmetology and barber instructors follow a different set of requirements, so if you're an instructor, these don't apply to you. 

Required CE Hours for License Renewal

The Georgia State Board requires five total CE hours within each two-year renewal period. You can complete your CE courses at any time before your license renewal date. 

The First-Time Renewal Exception

The one exception is if you're on your first license renewal, you don't have to complete CE hours. The five-hour CE requirement begins before your second license renewal. 

A Breakdown of Required CE Topics

You must follow the required topics and programs to meet the CE requirements. This means you can't just count any five hours of continuing education to renew your license.

3 Hours in Health and Safety 

Three of your five CE hours must be from a board-approved health and safety course. The board itself develops some health and safety courses that you can take. 

Otherwise, you can meet this requirement if the health and safety hours are from:

• A college or university
• A division of the Department of Education
• The Technical College System of Georgia
• The Board of Regents
• The American Red Cross

All health and safety courses from these facilitators count without prior approval from the board. 

2 Hours in Board-Approved Courses

The remaining two CE hours must fall into one or more of these topics:

• Industry or trade show
• Computer skills
• Business management
• Industry trends
• Health and safety
• Your specific area of practice (ex., hair design)

Your course(s) in these areas must be registered with the Georgia State Board to count toward your hours. 

Who Can Get CE Requirements Waived?

Besides licensees who are renewing for the first time, there are a few other exceptions to the CE requirements. 

If you've held your license for 25 years or more, you can get the CE requirements waived. 

If you've had unforeseen life circumstances or hardships preventing you from completing your CE requirements, you may request a waiver from the board. 

All other cosmetology and barber professionals must complete the five required CE hours before renewing their license every two years. If you've moved out of the state of Georgia but wish to maintain your Georgia licensure, you can take approved virtual courses to meet your CE requirements. 

Meet Your Georgia CE Requirements for Cosmetology With RocketCert

Keeping your license current is essential for qualified, passionate cosmetology and barber professionals. Meet the Georgia CE requirements for your cosmetology license with the help of RocketCert!