Mississippi is one trendy, Southern state. Sure, it’s the birthplace of Elvis Presley, but it also boasts the beautiful Delta region, which is now considered one of the top casino destinations between Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Not to mention the stunning Coastal region, which is home to not only the world’s largest manmade beach, but also fantastic shopping destinations. So it comes as little surprise that exploring a career as a nail technician in Mississippi, where you have plenty of amazing places to delve into the art of the manicure, can certainly be a worthwhile endeavor.
According to NAILS magazine, there are currently about 400 nail technicians working out of Missouri’s 1,700 nail salons.
If you want to be a part of the exciting nail salon industry in Mississippi, you must be prepared to complete the required steps to licensure, which are set forth by the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology:
Step 1. Complete a Nail Technician Program Approved by the Board
The first, required step to licensure as a nail technician in Mississippi is to enroll in a training program of at least 350 hours. The nail technician program must include practice and related theory in manicuring and pedicuring over a period of no less than 9 weeks. The Board maintains a list of approved cosmetology and nail technician schools here.
The requirement for the theory component of a nail technician program must total at least 85 clock hours and be conducted at a rate of at least 7 hours per week throughout the entire 9-week period. The skills/practical component must total at least 265 clock hours.
Approved programs in nail technology are recognized as consisting of the following areas of study:
- General sciences
- Mississippi Board of Cosmetology laws, rules, and regulations
- Professional image, ethics, and conduct
- Infection control, prevention, and safety precautions
- Anatomy and physiology
- Basic chemistry and electricity
- Business skills
- Personal/individual business skills
- Salon planning and design, management, and marketing
- Nail sciences
- Nail treatments/services
- Basic and specialty manicures, pedicures
- Nail enhancements
- Nail tips, nail wraps
- Monomer liquid, polymer powder
- UV gels
- Electric nail file
- Nail polish/art/airbrushing/embellishments
Step 2. Complete and Submit an Examination Approval Form
You must be at least 17 years old and possess a high school diploma (or its equivalent) to be eligible for licensure as a manicurist in Mississippi. Upon the successful completion of a Board-approved nail technician program, you must complete an Application of Intent and Affidavit/Certification of Training, which shows that you meet the examination requirements in Mississippi.
Once the Board has received the completed application and affidavit, you will be scheduled for an interview, at which time you must bring two, passport-size photographs and an application fee of $50. Upon approval of your application, you will be required to schedule and take both a written and practical examination for licensure as a nail technician in Mississippi.
Step 3. Schedule and Take the Required Nail Technician Examinations
The Board has contracted with Pearson VUE to administer both the practical and theory examinations required for licensure as a nail technician in Mississippi. You must pass both of these examinations to be considered for a nail technician license.
The practical examination requires you to perform a number of randomly selected manicurist skills, and you will be given 2 hours to complete these skills. Upon completing the practical examination, you will be rated by an evaluator. The cost of taking the practical examination is $95. You can schedule the examination by contacting Pearson VUE at www.pearsonvue.com or at 1-888-603-8503.
You can schedule to take the practical examination at any one of the following sites:
- Hattiesburg
- Jacksonville
- Meridian
- Tupelo
- Gulfport
- Senatobia
You must first take and pass the practical examination before you can schedule the theory examination. The manicurist theory examination consists of 75 multiple-choice questions. You will have one hour and 45 minutes to take this examination.
You can take this examination at any one of the following locations:
- Hattiesburg
- Summit
- Jackson
- Tupelo
- Meridian
- Mobile
Upon the successful completion of both examinations, the Board will issue you a manicurist license in Mississippi.
Step 4. Explore your Career Options as a Manicurist in Mississippi
Your career as a manicurist in Mississippi may include working as an employee of a nail salon, spa, or full-service salon.
You may also decide to take courses in areas such as marketing and business management and explore your options for starting your own nail salon business in Mississippi. Your career may lead to renting booth or salon space and working as an independent contractor, or even starting your own mobile salon business.
The following list shows just a small sampling of the salons in Mississippi that support nail technician jobs in the state:
- Watercolor Nail Salon, Ridgeland
- Azalea Spa and Salon, Gulfport
- Beau Rivage Salon & Spa, Biloxi
- Bellissimo Salon and Spa, Biloxi
- Grand Getaway Day Spa and Salon, Ocean Springs
- Salon Mirabella, Long Beach
- Zen Nails & Spa, Ocean Springs
Step 5. Renew your Manicurist License in Mississippi
All manicurist licenses in Mississippi are renewed on a biennial basis upon the completion of a renewal application and the payment of a $50 renewal fee.
If you have been licensed as a manicurist in Mississippi for at least one year and have completed at least 16 hours of Board-approved continuing education courses, you may apply to become a master manicurist at the time of your renewal by completing a Master Manicurist Application and submitting a fee of $70.