Guides for lash, brow and threading studios
New Jersey: licenses for lash, brow and threading work
Updated: November 15, 2026
Which New Jersey licenses studios use for lash extensions, tints and waxing, why threading and lash extensions are not spelled out, and what to ask the Board.
General information, not legal advice. Rules change and each board reads them its own way, so check with the agency named here before you rely on it.
The short answer
- Most New Jersey lash and brow studios work under a skin care specialist license or a cosmetologist-hairstylist license.
- The Board’s published pages do not name eyelash extensions or threading, so ask the Board in writing before you decide who can do them.
- The studio needs a shop license from the Board.
The skin care specialist license
The New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling, part of the Division of Consumer Affairs, licenses skin care specialists. The rules call for a 600-hour course in skin care specialty, a high school diploma or its equivalent, an age of at least 17, and the state exams.
The cosmetologist-hairstylist license is the broader license and covers skin care as well.
Threading
Bills to create a limited threading license were introduced in 2012 and 2014. We could not confirm that either became law. Threading is hair removal from the face, which many studios treat as skin care work; get the Board’s answer for your case.
Before you open
- Apply for the shop license; the Board inspects the space.
- Your town will usually want a certificate of occupancy, zoning approval and a fire inspection.
- Keep each person’s license and the shop license on display.
Questions
Do I need a separate license for lash extensions in New Jersey?
New Jersey has no separate eyelash license that we could find. Studios use a skin care specialist or cosmetologist-hairstylist license; confirm with the Board.