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If you spent years honing your skills as a working nail technician, you may have decided at some point to share your knowledge and experience with students by becoming a licensed instructor. This meant completing at least 500 hours of instructor courses to obtain proper credentialing from the Louisiana State Board of Cosmetology.

As with any cosmetology license in Louisiana, your instructor license requires periodic renewal if you want to keep it active and continue practicing. What is required for license renewal, and what happens if your license expires?

What Is Required for License Renewal?

Manicurist instructor licenses are active for up to two years, expiring on your date of birth in a renewal year. To renew your license, you must complete 16 hours of board-approved continuing education (CE).

The state maintains a list of approved institutions offering suitable CE. As a manicurist instructor, your CE curriculum must include content directly related to your field, and a minimum of three hours of CE must focus on teaching methodology.

When you complete your CE, you should receive a certificate that includes your name, the title of the course or seminar, the date and hours completed, and the sponsor's name and board approval number.

You are responsible for submitting this certificate with your renewal application. Sponsors are required to maintain certification records for at least three years and provide them to the board upon request, but it's wise to keep a copy for your records.

After teaching for five consecutive years and completing approved CE during that time, you will receive a master instructor license and official title. To maintain this advanced license, you must complete 16 hours of approved CE annually.

What Happens if a License Expires?

According to Louisiana's Professional and Occupational Standards (Title 46 §505), instructors are prohibited from teaching any course required for licensure without holding an active instructor's license for the specific curricula being taught. In other words, it's illegal to teach without a valid license.

If you fail to provide proof of approved CE completed within the 24 months prior to license renewal or you fail to submit your application on time, your license will become inactive. You have up to three years to reinstate your license by proving that you have completed the required CE and paying applicable fees, including late fees.

Master instructors with an inactive license may reinstate instructor licenses by completing 16 hours of approved CE. However, they must do this for two consecutive years to reinstate their master instructor license.

If your license has been inactive for three or more years, you may be required to take exams to obtain a license.

Because it is illegal to practice without an active instructor license, you may be subject to legal penalties if you do.

Continuing Education Designed for Professionals

Finding the right CE program will streamline your renewal process. RocketCert is a board-approved continuing education sponsor for cosmetology industry instructors, offering convenient 24/7 online access designed to accommodate working professionals.

If it's time to renew your manicurist instructor license in Louisiana, contact us today to get started.