Licensed in Another State & Moving to Arizona

License Certification

If you are moving to another state and need a license certification or you need license information for another Board, please follow the below instructions.

The certificate will state your name, type of license, license number, issue date, date of expiration, disciplinary action or lack thereof, the basis of licensure, and the licensure requirements. 

Please note that certifications are emailed to the requested state and the requester will be CC'd on that email. We do not mail certifications. 

In January 2023, Congress added a new provision to the SCRA that allows servicemembers and their spouses to use their professional licenses and certificates when they relocate due to military orders, in certain circumstances.

To qualify for professional license portability under the SCRA, you must:

1. Have moved to a location outside the jurisdiction of the licensing authority that issued the covered license or certificate because of orders for military service.
2. Provide a copy of the military orders to the licensing authority in the new jurisdiction.
3. Have actively used the license or certificate during the two years immediately preceding the move.
4. Remain in good standing with:
   1. the licensing authority that issued the covered license or certificate; and
   2. every other licensing authority that issued a license or certificate valid for a similar scope of practice and in the discipline applied for in the new jurisdiction.
5. Submit to the authority of the licensing authority in the new jurisdiction for the purposes of standards of practice, discipline, and fulfillment of any continuing education requirements.

If these five criteria are met, the servicemember’s or spouse’s covered license or certificate shall be considered valid at a similar scope of practice and in the discipline applied for in the new jurisdiction for the duration of the military orders.

Apply for Military Reciprocity

A.R.S. § 32-513. Reciprocity
Notwithstanding sections 32-510, 32-511, 32-512, 32-512.01, and 32-512.02, a person is entitled to receive a barber, cosmetologist, aesthetician, nail technician, or hairstylist license if the person does all of the following:

1. Submits to the board an application for a barber, cosmetologist, aesthetician, nail technician, or hairstylist license on a form supplied by the board.
2. Submits to the board satisfactory evidence that the person is licensed in another state or country.
3. Takes and completes a class relating to infection protection and law review that is provided by the board or its designee.  The board shall determine the amount of the fees for the class. The applicant shall pay the fees directly to the board or its designee.
4. Pays the prescribed reciprocity license fees.

Arizona does not accept the following registrations from Florida: Facial Specialist, Full-Service Specialist or Manicurist. Reciprocity is a license for license process and registrations and certifications do not qualify.

Instructor: 

A.R.S. § 32-532:

Notwithstanding section 32-531, a person is entitled to receive a license to teach barbering, cosmetology, aesthetics, nail technology or hairstyling in a school if the person submits to the board an application for an instructor license on a form prescribed by the board, pays the prescribed fees and meets one of the following:

1. 1. Is a current licensed barbering instructor, cosmetology instructor, aesthetics instructor, nail technology instructor or hairstyling instructor in another state or country.
2. 2. Is a current licensed barber, cosmetologist, aesthetician, nail technician or hairstylist in another state or country and has at least one year of instructor experience in the other state or country in barbering, cosmetology, aesthetics, nail technology or hairstyling, or any combination of these practices.
3. 3. Meets all of the following:

(a) Either:

(i) Submits to the board satisfactory evidence that the person is at least eighteen years of age.

(ii) Holds a diploma from a high school or its equivalent as prescribed by the board in its rules and submits to the board satisfactory evidence that the person is at least sixteen years of age.

(b) Is a licensed barber, cosmetologist, aesthetician, nail technician or hairstylist in another state or country.

(c) Completes instructor training in another state or country that has instructor education requirements that are at least substantially equivalent to those of this state.

(d) Passes a written examination and a practical examination for an instructor license.

(e) Has five years of licensed industry experience within the ten years preceding application.

(f) Meets requirements as prescribed by the board in its rules.

(g) Completes an infection prevention, sanitation and law review class provided by the board.

Out of Country

Licensed in another state of the United States or a foreign country means:

a. A governmental regulatory agency in the state or country is authorized to examine the competency of individuals who graduate from a licensed cosmetology, hairstyling, nail technology, aesthetics, or barbering school, or instructors for these disciplines; and

b. The governmental regulatory agency issues licenses over which the state or country has regulatory and disciplinary jurisdiction.

For your license or certificate to qualify for reciprocity, your school hours must be substantially equivalent to Arizona's, you had to take and pass exams, and you must be licensed by an agency that can impose discipline if necessary.

A.R.S. § 32-4302: Universal Recognition

• The person is currently licensed or certified in at least one other state in the discipline applied for and at the same practice level as determined by the regulating entity
• License or certification is in good standing in all states in which the person holds a license or certification.
• Has delcared residency in Arizona
• The person has been licensed or certified by another state for at least one year.
• When the person was licensed or certified by another state there were minimum education requirements and, if applicable, work experience and clinical supervision requirements in effect and the other state verifies that the person met those requirements in order to be licensed or certified in that state.
• The person previously passed an examination required for the license or certification if required by the other state.
• The person has not had a license or certificate revoked and has not voluntarily surrendered a license or certificate in any other state or country while under investigation for unprofessional conduct.
• The person has not had discipline imposed by any other regulating entity. If another jurisdiction has taken disciplinary action against the person, the regulating entity shall determine if the cause for the action was corrected and the matter resolved. If the matter has not been resolved by that jurisdiction, the regulating entity may not issue or deny a license until the matter is resolved.
• The person does not have a complaint, allegation or investigation pending before another regulating entity in another state or country that relates to unprofessional conduct. If an applicant has any complaints, allegations or investigations pending, the regulating entity in this state shall suspend the application process and may not issue or deny a license to the applicant until the complaint, allegation or investigation is resolved.
• The person does not have a disqualifying criminal history as determined by the regulating entity pursuant to section 41-1093.04.