Minnesota Cosmetology Laws & Rules State Board Exam
Study Guide (Pass on First Try!)
Boost your score and ace your Minnesota State Board Exam with this condensed,
high-yield study guide. It specifically targets the most frequently tested concepts from
MN Statutes 155A and Rules Chapters 2105/2110, including license durations, board
composition, and strict salon sanitation rules. Designed for quick memorization, this
document cuts through the confusing legal jargon to deliver clear, exam-ready fast facts
that guarantee you will feel confident on test day.
Question 1
Which of the following is the exact number of training hours required to qualify for a
Minnesota Cosmetology license?
A) 1,200 hours
B) 1,500 hours
C) 1,550 hours
D) 1,600 hours
Correct Answer: C) 1,550 hours
Rationale: According to Minnesota Board of Cosmetologist Examiners regulations, an
applicant for a cosmetologist license must provide proof of completing 1,550 hours of
training in an approved cosmetology school.
Question 2
How often must a Minnesota cosmetology practitioner or salon license be renewed?
A) Every year
B) Every 2 years
C) Every 3 years
D) Every 5 years
Correct Answer: C) Every 3 years
,Rationale: Minnesota cosmetology licenses expire on a 3-year cycle, specifically on the
last day of the birth month of the licensee or the anniversary month of the salon license.
Question 3
Which item is completely prohibited for use in a licensed Minnesota cosmetology salon?
A) Autoclaves
B) Pumice stones
C) Styptic pencils
D) EPA-registered disinfectants
Correct Answer: C) Styptic pencils
Rationale: Multi-use styptic pencils are prohibited because they cannot be sanitized
between clients and pose a severe cross-contamination hazard. Liquid or powder
astringents must be used instead.
Question 4
If a salon or practitioner changes their legal name or physical address, within how many
days must they notify the Board?
A) 10 days
B) 30 days
C) 45 days
D) 60 days
Correct Answer: B) 30 days
Rationale: Minnesota state rules dictate that licensees must notify the Board in writing
within 30 days of any legal name change or change of physical business or residential
address.
Question 5
When an instructor is teaching students in a licensed school, what is the minimum age
requirement they must meet?
A) 17 years old
B) 18 years old
C) 21 years old
D) There is no age limit
Correct Answer: B) 18 years old
,Rationale: While an operator license can be obtained at age 17, a licensed instructor or
salon manager in Minnesota must be at least 18 years of age and hold a high school
diploma or equivalent.
Question 6
During a routine salon inspection by the Board, where must the current practitioner and
salon licenses be visibly displayed?
A) Inside the salon manager's private office
B) In the employee break room near the safety posters
C) At the reception desk or the primary entrance of the salon
D) Tucked safely inside the practitioner's personal station drawer
Correct Answer: C) At the reception desk or the primary entrance of the salon
Rationale: Minnesota Board rules mandate that all valid salon and individual practitioner
licenses must be conspicuously posted at the reception desk or in the public entryway
so consumers can easily verify active credentials.
Question 7
If a practitioner is exposed to a blood spill or fluid injury during a service, what is the
very first step required under infection control laws?
A) Put on protective gloves
B) Apply an antiseptic to the wound
C) Immediately stop the service and excuse yourself
D) Clean the contaminated tools with an EPA-registered disinfectant
Correct Answer: C) Immediately stop the service and excuse yourself
Rationale: The safety protocol states that a practitioner must instantly pause the
procedure the moment blood or body fluid is observed. This stops further exposure
before clean-up steps begin.
Question 8
How many total hours of Continuing Education (CE) must a Minnesota Cosmetology
practitioner complete to successfully renew their license every cycle?
A) 4 hours
B) 8 hours
, C) 12 hours
D) 16 hours
Correct Answer: B) 8 hours
Rationale: To renew a 3-year license, practitioners must complete 8 hours of continuing
education: 4 hours covering core health, safety, and infection control laws, and 4 hours
covering professional practice topics.
Question 9
Which of the following describes a single-use item that must be discarded immediately
into a closed trash container after serving a single client?
A) A plastic hair roller
B) A stainless steel cuticle nipper
C) A wooden waxing spatula
D) A glass high-frequency electrode
Correct Answer: C) A wooden waxing spatula
Rationale: Porous materials like wood, paper, or cotton cannot be properly disinfected
according to state safety criteria. They must be thrown away immediately after touching
a client.
Question 10
What type of chemical disinfectant is legally required for cleaning non-porous tools and
surfaces that have not come into contact with blood?
A) Any over-the-counter antibacterial soap
B) An EPA-registered, hospital-grade disinfectant
C) A commercial-grade isopropyl alcohol spray
D) A household chlorine bleach solution mixed with hot water
Correct Answer: B) An EPA-registered, hospital-grade disinfectant
Rationale: Minnesota cosmetology regulations specify that non-porous implements must
be thoroughly washed and submerged in an EPA-registered disinfectant that is
bactericidal, virucidal, and fungicidal.
Question 11
Under what strict operational condition may a cosmetologist perform services outside of
Study Guide (Pass on First Try!)
Boost your score and ace your Minnesota State Board Exam with this condensed,
high-yield study guide. It specifically targets the most frequently tested concepts from
MN Statutes 155A and Rules Chapters 2105/2110, including license durations, board
composition, and strict salon sanitation rules. Designed for quick memorization, this
document cuts through the confusing legal jargon to deliver clear, exam-ready fast facts
that guarantee you will feel confident on test day.
Question 1
Which of the following is the exact number of training hours required to qualify for a
Minnesota Cosmetology license?
A) 1,200 hours
B) 1,500 hours
C) 1,550 hours
D) 1,600 hours
Correct Answer: C) 1,550 hours
Rationale: According to Minnesota Board of Cosmetologist Examiners regulations, an
applicant for a cosmetologist license must provide proof of completing 1,550 hours of
training in an approved cosmetology school.
Question 2
How often must a Minnesota cosmetology practitioner or salon license be renewed?
A) Every year
B) Every 2 years
C) Every 3 years
D) Every 5 years
Correct Answer: C) Every 3 years
,Rationale: Minnesota cosmetology licenses expire on a 3-year cycle, specifically on the
last day of the birth month of the licensee or the anniversary month of the salon license.
Question 3
Which item is completely prohibited for use in a licensed Minnesota cosmetology salon?
A) Autoclaves
B) Pumice stones
C) Styptic pencils
D) EPA-registered disinfectants
Correct Answer: C) Styptic pencils
Rationale: Multi-use styptic pencils are prohibited because they cannot be sanitized
between clients and pose a severe cross-contamination hazard. Liquid or powder
astringents must be used instead.
Question 4
If a salon or practitioner changes their legal name or physical address, within how many
days must they notify the Board?
A) 10 days
B) 30 days
C) 45 days
D) 60 days
Correct Answer: B) 30 days
Rationale: Minnesota state rules dictate that licensees must notify the Board in writing
within 30 days of any legal name change or change of physical business or residential
address.
Question 5
When an instructor is teaching students in a licensed school, what is the minimum age
requirement they must meet?
A) 17 years old
B) 18 years old
C) 21 years old
D) There is no age limit
Correct Answer: B) 18 years old
,Rationale: While an operator license can be obtained at age 17, a licensed instructor or
salon manager in Minnesota must be at least 18 years of age and hold a high school
diploma or equivalent.
Question 6
During a routine salon inspection by the Board, where must the current practitioner and
salon licenses be visibly displayed?
A) Inside the salon manager's private office
B) In the employee break room near the safety posters
C) At the reception desk or the primary entrance of the salon
D) Tucked safely inside the practitioner's personal station drawer
Correct Answer: C) At the reception desk or the primary entrance of the salon
Rationale: Minnesota Board rules mandate that all valid salon and individual practitioner
licenses must be conspicuously posted at the reception desk or in the public entryway
so consumers can easily verify active credentials.
Question 7
If a practitioner is exposed to a blood spill or fluid injury during a service, what is the
very first step required under infection control laws?
A) Put on protective gloves
B) Apply an antiseptic to the wound
C) Immediately stop the service and excuse yourself
D) Clean the contaminated tools with an EPA-registered disinfectant
Correct Answer: C) Immediately stop the service and excuse yourself
Rationale: The safety protocol states that a practitioner must instantly pause the
procedure the moment blood or body fluid is observed. This stops further exposure
before clean-up steps begin.
Question 8
How many total hours of Continuing Education (CE) must a Minnesota Cosmetology
practitioner complete to successfully renew their license every cycle?
A) 4 hours
B) 8 hours
, C) 12 hours
D) 16 hours
Correct Answer: B) 8 hours
Rationale: To renew a 3-year license, practitioners must complete 8 hours of continuing
education: 4 hours covering core health, safety, and infection control laws, and 4 hours
covering professional practice topics.
Question 9
Which of the following describes a single-use item that must be discarded immediately
into a closed trash container after serving a single client?
A) A plastic hair roller
B) A stainless steel cuticle nipper
C) A wooden waxing spatula
D) A glass high-frequency electrode
Correct Answer: C) A wooden waxing spatula
Rationale: Porous materials like wood, paper, or cotton cannot be properly disinfected
according to state safety criteria. They must be thrown away immediately after touching
a client.
Question 10
What type of chemical disinfectant is legally required for cleaning non-porous tools and
surfaces that have not come into contact with blood?
A) Any over-the-counter antibacterial soap
B) An EPA-registered, hospital-grade disinfectant
C) A commercial-grade isopropyl alcohol spray
D) A household chlorine bleach solution mixed with hot water
Correct Answer: B) An EPA-registered, hospital-grade disinfectant
Rationale: Minnesota cosmetology regulations specify that non-porous implements must
be thoroughly washed and submerged in an EPA-registered disinfectant that is
bactericidal, virucidal, and fungicidal.
Question 11
Under what strict operational condition may a cosmetologist perform services outside of
