North Carolina esthetician exam
NIC national examWhat it takes to get licensed as an esthetician in North Carolina, from the state's official board and exam vendor.
- License
- Esthetician
- Training hours
- 600
- Written exam
- NIC national exam
- Exam vendor
- Prov (current administrator per board site; previously DL Roope Administrations with theory at IQT centers)
Exam details & notes
Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners requires NIC esthetics written and practical exams, 75% to pass each. Written is ~90 min CBT. Candidates now apply/schedule through provexam.com (board site directs to Prov; Prov publishes an NC Esthetics CIB) — many third-party guides still cite DL Roope, so cite the board page. No separate state-law written exam published. No apprenticeship path for esthetics (board states apprenticeships exist only for cosmetology/barbering-adjacent trades, not esthetics). 6-month non-renewable temporary permit available after graduation ($5).
Preparing for the North Carolina exam
PrepTempo's Esthetician course covers the NIC national theory core — infection control, skin sciences, skin analysis, and treatments. That's exactly what North Carolina's NIC exam tests. Study your North Carolina law-and-rules section from the board on top of the core.
Start the Esthetician course →Official sources
Educational information only, researched July 2026 — not legal or licensing advice. Requirements change; confirm with the North Carolina board. PrepTempo is not affiliated with any state board, the National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC), or any exam vendor, and they do not endorse this product.