South Carolina S 539: Advanced estheticians

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 539 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 03, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 539

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING 
SECTIONS 40-13-20, 40-13-110, 40-13-230, AND 40-13-240, ALL RELATING TO THE 
LICENSURE OF COSMETOLOGISTS, SO AS TO ADD REFERENCES TO ADVANCED ESTHETICIANS.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 40-13-20 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 (11) "Advanced esthetician" means a 
person including, but not limited to, an independent contractor, who is 
licensed to practice the following:

 (a) 
anything a licensed esthetician can perform pursuant to this chapter;

 (b) 
high frequency;

 (c) 
microcurrent, galvanic;

 (d) 
microneedling, dermaplaning; and

 (e) 
chemical peels with a pH between two and three.

SECTION 2. Section 40-13-110(A)(2) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (2) permitted a person in one's employ 
or under one's supervision or control to practice as a cosmetologist, 
esthetician, advanced esthetician, or nail 
technician without that person being licensed as a cosmetologist, esthetician, advanced esthetician, or nail technician;

SECTION 3. Section 40-13-230 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
40-13-230. (A) A license as a 
cosmetologist must be issued by the board to a person who:

 (1) 
is at least sixteen years of age and possesses at least a tenth grade education 
or the equivalent as established by tests used in the public schools or tests 
approved by the board;

 (2) 
has completed at least one thousand five hundred hours in classes in 
cosmetology in a reliable school approved by the board or is a registered 
master hair care specialist pursuant to Chapter 7 who has satisfied educational 
requirements established by the board in regulation; and

 (3) 
has passed the examination prescribed by the board and pays the required fee.

 (B) 
A license as an esthetician must be issued by the board to a person who:

 (1) 
is at least sixteen years of age and possesses at least a tenth grade education 
or the equivalent as established by tests used in the public schools or tests 
approved by the board;

 (2) 
has completed at least four hundred fifty hours in classes in skin care in a 
reliable school approved by the board or comparable training approved by the 
board; and

 (3) 
has passed the examination prescribed by the board and pays the required fee.

 (C) A license as an advanced esthetician must be issued by the board 
to a person who:

 (1) is at least sixteen years of age 
and possesses at least a tenth grade education or the equivalent as established 
by tests used in the public schools or tests approved by the board;

 (2) has completed at least six hundred 
hours in classes in skin care in a reliable school approved by the board or 
comparable training approved by the board; and

 (3) has passed the examination 
prescribed by the board and pays the required fee.

 (D) A license as a nail 
technician must be issued by the board to a person who:

 (1) 
is at least sixteen years of age and possesses at least a tenth grade education 
or the equivalent as established by tests used in the public schools or tests 
approved by the board;

 (2) 
has completed at least three hundred hours in classes in a reliable nail 
technician school approved by the board or comparable training approved by the 
board; and

 (3) 
has passed the examination prescribed by the board and pays the required fee.

 (D)(E) Temporary permits to practice as a cosmetologist, 
esthetician, advanced esthetician, or nail 
technician may be issued in accordance with regulations promulgated by the 
board.

SECTION 4. Section 40-13-240(B) of the S.C. Code is amended to 
read:

 (B) The board shall conduct 
examinations of applicants for licenses to practice as cosmetologists, 
estheticians, advanced esthetician, or nail 
technicians not less than three times each year, at times and places as the 
board may determine. The examination of applicants for any license under this 
chapter must be conducted pursuant to regulations promulgated by the board and 
shall include both practical demonstrations and written tests on subjects the 
board determines to be necessary. Examinations must be consistent with the 
prescribed curriculum and the practical and theoretical requirements of the 
profession of cosmetology as prescribed in this chapter.

SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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