Ohio · State board practical exam
Ohio Cosmetology Practical Exam Kit List
Ohio's cosmetology practical spans hair, skin and nails in one sitting — a 30-minute haircut, chemical wave, colour retouch, four foil packets, a virgin relaxer, a cleansing and facial massage, then a complete manicure on a mannequin hand. These are the 53 items those sections require.
Ohio writes and runs its own exam. There is no PSI bulletin and no NIC bulletin here — the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board issues a Testing Information Packet, and that is the only document that governs this exam. The Texas, Maryland and Virginia kit lists on this site come from different vendors entirely and do not transfer.
Ohio publishes no supply list. The packet names eight items and then says: “Refer to the task’s lines in each subject area to determine your supply list.” The first group below is what the Board named. Every group after it was assembled by reading the graded tasks, and each one says which exam section it came from so you can check the working against your own copy.
Do not take this page into the exam room. Ohio prohibits printed materials, handwritten notes and itemised supply or procedure lists in the examination room, and numbering your supplies to remember their order is prohibited too. Use this to pack the night before, then leave it in the car.
Interactive kit checklist
Tick items as you pack — your progress is saved on this device. Print or save it as a PDF to check your bag the night before.
Named outright by the Board
These eight are named in the packet itself.
Set up and client protection
Derived from: Set Up and Client Protection — 15 minutes
Haircutting
Derived from: Haircutting — 30 minutes
Chemical wave
Derived from: Chemical wave — 20 minutes
Hair colour retouch
Derived from: Hair Color Retouch — 10 minutes, right front section
Foil highlighting
Derived from: Foil Highlighting — 10 minutes, right back section
Chemical virgin relaxer
Derived from: Chemical Virgin Relaxer
Cleansing and facial massage
Derived from: Cleansing / Facial Massage — 5 minutes cleansing, then graded manipulations
Basic manicure
Derived from: Basic Manicure — 20 minutes
Blood exposure procedure
Derived from: Blood Exposure Procedure — not timed
Ask about your own situation
Our AI is grounded in real licensing documents, school records and shop data — ask it something this page doesn't cover.
Rules that get you dismissed
These are not etiquette. The packet attaches dismissal and rescheduling to several of them, and a dismissal bars you from rebooking for 30 days.
- Disinfectant must meet BOTH standards the TIP lists: EPA-registered hospital disinfectant that is bactericidal, virucidal and fungicidal, AND registered effective against mycobacterium tuberculosis, human HIV-1 and hepatitis B. One product should satisfy both.
- Manufacturer's labels are required on all disinfectants and hand sanitizers. Labels must be original or photocopied originals — handwritten or typed labels are NOT acceptable.
- Simulated product must be used for every chemical procedure, labelled with what it stands in for (the TIP's own examples: Color Product, Relaxer Product).
- Mannequins must have at least 2½ inches of hair. Heads and hands are checked before the exam starts, and a mannequin that fails means dismissal and rescheduling.
- Printed materials, handwritten notes and itemised supply or procedure lists are NOT permitted in the examination room.
- Numbering your products or supplies to remind you of the order to use them is prohibited.
- Dress code (OAC 4713-5-28): no sleeveless attire, nothing showing excessive skin, no offensive language, nothing torn, dirty or tattered. A clean smock or apron may be worn over your clothes.
- Dismissal for any guideline breach bars you from rescheduling for at least 30 days, and the examination fee is non-refundable.
Sources
Read from the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board — Testing Information Packet, Cosmetology Practical (Revised 03/2026) on 2026-08-14. The Board's own vanity domains do not currently resolve, so the links below go to the Ohio Administrative Code the packet cites by rule number, and to eLicense.