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Career Insights On How To Become A Lash Tech In NY

How to become a lash tech in NY and develop your successful lash career? Follow us for instructions on the requirements and ways to license the application.


How to become a lash tech in NY and grow your successful career in this state? This guide will shed light on the state’s requirements and ways you can earn an official certificate for performing lash extensions. It also unveils the exams you need to take to gain these licenses.

Understanding The License Needed To Perform Lash Extensions Legally In New York

To meet the NYS eyelash extension requirements and become a lash artist in this state, you must have a legal lash license, either a cosmetology license or an esthetics one. Although both licenses qualify you to do eyelash extension services in New York, they have some differences to consider when choosing your path. That’s why we provide a detailed comparison of these licenses in the part below.

What Are The Main Similarities Between These Licenses

These official documents share some similarities as follows.

  • First, both cosmetologist and esthetician licenses follow a similar application process. Both licenses involve applying to the New York Department of State along with required fees and documents like a training certificate to pass the relevant New York State licensing exam to obtain the license.
  • Second, both licenses require you to be 17 or older to enroll in the exam. Moreover, you must participate in and complete a state-approved training program and submit a health certification to apply for the license. Furthermore, both licenses require passing written and practical exams.
  • Third, the application fee for both state certificates is a non-refundable $50 fee, which includes a $40 initial application fee and a $10 temporary license fee. Besides, you also need to pay $15 for the theory and $15 for practical exams.
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Similarities between the state licenses for applying lash extensions

Overall, your journey to how to become a lash tech in NY starts with getting state permissions on cosmetology/ esthetics. Both follow a similar application process and share similar requirements, such as a state-approved training certification or a confirmation of passing both NYS theory and practical exams.

What Are The Main Differences Between These Licenses

While both licenses enable you to apply lash extensions in NYS, they cater to different career paths in the beauty industry. Let us show you their main differences so you can decide the suitable license for your career path.

  • First, although both state certificates can help you on your journey on how to become a lash tech in NY, the cosmetology license offers a broader career path. It enables you to perform hair, skin, and nail services. Meanwhile, the esthetics license focuses primarily on skincare, meaning you can only offer a few services for skin, such as facials, waxing, or lash extensions.
  • Another distinction is the investment level for these legal documents. The cosmetology state certificate caters to a broader aspect, it requires a significantly more prolonged and in-depth program – 1500 hours compared to 600 hours for that of esthetics. This translates to a greater investment for a cosmetology state certificate.

You will have broader job opportunities with the cosmetology license as it allows you to perform skin, hair, and nail services rather than skincare only.

How To Become A Lash Tech In NY By Applying For A Legal License

Here are several ways to become a licensed eyelash technician in New York, regardless of the license you choose.

How To Become A Lash Tech In New York By Joining State Education And Exams

For the amateur lash techs looking to work in NYS, you’ll need to complete a NY-approved training course, pass examinations, and join an additional course as follows.

  • Step 1: Join a state-approved training program of 600 hours for becoming a cosmetologist or 1,000 hours for becoming a cosmetologist and gain a certificate. This certificate is required to participate in exams on how to become a lash tech in NY.
  • Step 2: Join the state’s a 1- hour online course on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Awareness.
  • Step 3: Take the NYS health examinations and gain a certification, showing you meet all the health requirements.
  • Step 4: Submit your lash extension certification NYC, health certification, and other documents and apply for the exam. You’ll obtain the license once you pass the written and practical examinations.
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Gain an esthetics/ cosmetology license without prior training certificate

Lash artists with no prior experience must complete the state-approved training program, meet the health requirements, and pass the examinations to earn a legal lash license and be able to work at lash businesses in New York.

How To Become A Lash Tech In NY With Education Outside NY

What if you’ve already had a lash certificate outside New York State? How to become a lash tech in NY in that case? As a certified lash tech, you only need to submit the documents showing your equivalent of education and pass the state exams with details below.

  • Step 1: Submit the documents showing an equivalent level of education from another state or country, including a training certificate, a transcript detailing completed subjects and hours, and a current licensure certificate (if you already had another state’s license). If you’re not licensed elsewhere, you’ll need a verification document from your state board confirming your training hours.
  • Step 2: Apply and pass the New York State written and practical examinations to earn either an esthetics or cosmetology license.

For certificated lash techs, you only need to submit proof of training from your state/ country and pass the NY licensing exams to become licensed lash techs in this state.

How To Be A Lash Tech In New York With Over 5 Years-Experiences Outside Of The NYS

Professional lash techs with over five years of experience as an esthetician/ cosmetologist can skip the NYS exams and apply for the equivalent license by submitting evidence of education and experience.

  • For applicants with US experience: If you have over 5 years of applying lash extension within the US, your way of how to become a lash tech in NY will be pretty simple. You only need to submit prior license, employer statements (dates, location, services), tax returns showing esthetics/ cosmetology work.
  • For applicants with international experience: You’ll need to submit official certification or verification (no license needed), detailed employer and client letters (dates, location, services), a passport copy, copies of course materials, and tax returns showing esthetics/ cosmetology work.
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Get the state license with over 5 years of relevant experience outside of the NYS

Once your license application is accepted, you may obtain an esthetics/ cosmetology license in New York State without examination or further education.

How To Become A Lash Tech In NY By Transferring Their Esthetics Or Cosmetology License

Another way of how to become a lash tech in NY for those having a prior lash license is by transferring their cosmetology or esthetician license. You can check if you are able to transfer your license through the New York endorsement system. If you’re qualified for a license transfer, you must submit your original certification and wait for verification to get your equivalent license in NYS.

Diving Into The Exams To Obtain The License On How To Become A Lash Tech In NY

The mandatory requirement to become an esthetician or a cosmetologist is to pass both theory and practical exams. Here’s a brief guide by Vinlash manufacturer on the examinations you’re going to earn your preferred license.

  • Both theory exams are available for how to become a lash tech in NY in a multiple-choice format based on the pre-licensing curriculum. The allotted time for the exams is two and half hours, starting after instructions. Both exams are available online, and you’ll take the exams using your NY.gov ID account.
  • The practice test for a cosmetology state certificate will take longer testing as it consists of more tasks to complete. The practice test lasts about 2 hours for esthetics and 3 hours for cosmetology.
  • Here are the tasks required in the esthetics practice test and their time limits: preparing your workspace and a mannequin head (15 minutes), removing unwanted hair (10 minutes), performing facial treatments (60 minutes), applying makeup on your model (20 minutes), and removing makeup (10 minutes).
  • Here are the tasks required in the cosmetology practice test and their time limits: setting up your workspace, and preparing a mannequin (10 minutes); hair cutting (50 minutes); blow drying styling (15 minutes); showing thermal curling techniques (15 minutes); performing hair styling techniques (50 minutes); and applying chemical services (50 minutes). Once you complete the test, clean up your workspace.

The above are highlights of the theory and practical exams you must pass to become a cosmetologist or an esthetician in New York. Both licenses come with a similar multiple-choice format for theory exams and include a series of tasks for practical exams. The cosmetology practical exam takes longer due to a longer list of tasks.

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Conclusion

How to become a lash tech in NY? – The brief answer is to take an esthetics or a cosmetology license which you can gain through various ways depending on your prior experience and current certificate/ license. For instance, if you are an amateur lash tech, you must join the state-approved training course and pass both exams to get your license.

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Anh Nguyen Hoang

Anh Nguyen Hoang

As a Eyelashes Expert and Blogger with more than 7 years of intensive work experience in the Eyelashes industry, I hope my knowledge and experience will help and bring a lot of value to lash businesses around the world.

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