If you want to apply eyelash extensions for pay in Texas, you need a license from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). The good news: there is a dedicated, shorter path just for lashes, and two broader licenses that also cover them. This guide explains each option, the steps to get licensed, and what to think about when you are ready to work on your own.
Everything below comes from TDLR’s own pages. Fees and forms change, so confirm the current details on TDLR’s Eyelash Extension Specialist page before you apply.
Texas lash extension license at a glance
- License: Eyelash Extension Specialist, issued by TDLR.
- Age: at least 17 years old.
- Training: a 320-hour Eyelash Extension Specialist course at a Texas-licensed school.
- Exams: a written exam and a practical exam, both administered by PSI.
- Application: submitted to TDLR, with a non-refundable application fee (check TDLR for the current amount).
- License term: two years from the date of issue.
Three licenses that let you do lashes in Texas
TDLR’s scope-of-practice guides list eyelash extensions under three licenses:
- Eyelash Extension Specialist — the lash-only license. The 320-hour course is the fastest route if lashes are the only service you plan to offer.
- Esthetician — a 750-hour license that covers lashes plus facials, waxing and other skin services. See our guide to the Texas esthetician license.
- Cosmetology Operator — the full cosmetology license, which also includes eyelash extensions along with hair, nails and skin services.
Which one is right depends on the business you want. If you only ever want to do lashes, the specialist license gets you working sooner. If you want to add brow services, waxing or facials to your menu, the esthetician license gives you room to grow without going back to school later.
Step 1: Complete 320 hours at a TDLR-licensed school
Your hours must come from a school licensed in Texas, so check a school’s TDLR license before you enroll. Ask each school how its schedule works, how much hands-on practice you get on live models, and how its students do on the state exams. Trained outside Texas? TDLR handles that through its license by equivalence process instead.
Step 2: Pass the written and practical exams
When your school reports your hours, TDLR’s testing vendor, PSI, emails you instructions to schedule your exams. The written exam covers theory, safety and sanitation and Texas rules; the practical exam has you perform procedures in front of an examiner. Most practical-exam mistakes are sanitation and procedure order, so rehearse your full setup, isolation and cleanup until it is automatic.
Step 3: Apply to TDLR
You can apply any time after you are notified that you are eligible for the written exam. After you pass the practical exam, TDLR can issue a temporary license valid for 60 days while your two-year license is mailed. Keep your school records and exam results until your license shows on TDLR’s license search.
What the Eyelash Extension Specialist license covers
According to TDLR’s scope of practice, the specialist license covers one service: applying semi-permanent, single-fiber eyelash extensions. It does not cover hair services, facials or other skin treatments, massage, nail services, body hair removal (including waxing), shaving or hair weaving.
That matters for your menu. Lash lifts, brow tints and waxing are popular add-ons, but if they fall outside your license you cannot offer them. Check TDLR’s scope guide for any service before you put it on your price list, or consider the esthetician license if you want a broader menu.
Keeping your license
Your license is valid for two years. Renewal includes TDLR-approved continuing education; the required topics have changed in recent years, so check TDLR’s renewal page before each cycle rather than relying on what a classmate did last time.
Where to work after you’re licensed
New lash artists usually start in one of three places:
- A lash studio or salon on commission. Steady clients and training while you build speed, but the business sets your prices and your share.
- Renting a chair or station. More control, but usually an open floor, which is hard for long, still appointments.
- Your own private suite. Lash appointments are long and detail-heavy, and clients lie still with their eyes closed for most of them, so a quiet, private room is a real advantage. You set your hours, your prices and your brand.
If you are on commission now, run your numbers through our commission vs. lease comparison to see what you would keep in your own room.
Licensing your own suite
When you work from an enclosed suite of your own, the suite also needs to be licensed by TDLR in addition to your personal license. We explain how that works in Do you need a license to rent a salon suite in Texas? Confirm the current requirements with TDLR before you sign a lease.
Image Salon Studios offers lash suites for rent in Houston at Royal Oaks on Westheimer, plus suites at our Sugar Land locations. Every suite is private and lockable, with utilities, Wi-Fi and 24/7 access included. Schedule a tour to see which rooms suit a lash setup.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a license to do lash extensions in Texas?
Yes. Applying eyelash extensions for compensation requires a TDLR license: the Eyelash Extension Specialist license, an esthetician license or a cosmetology operator license.
How many hours is the Texas eyelash extension course?
320 hours of instruction at a Texas-licensed school.
Can an eyelash extension specialist do waxing or brow tinting?
No. The specialist license covers eyelash extensions only. Body hair removal and other beautifying treatments fall outside its scope; check TDLR’s scope guide for any add-on service.
How long is the license valid?
Two years from the date of issue, then you renew with TDLR.
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