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Oregon Nail Technology Examination
Find the current format, timing, scoring, fees, eligibility, and testing options for Oregon Nail Technologist Exams, with direct links to official sources.
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QuestionsTwo written examinations: the Nail Technology field-of-practice exam has 100 questions and the companion Oregon Laws and Rules exam has 90 questions; a Board-sanctioned practical examination (administered by the candidate's school) completes the three-exam certification requirement
Testing time90-minute time limit for each written examination (both bulletins specify 90 minutes; candidates taking three field-of-practice exams plus Laws and Rules with ESL extra time may be scheduled across two testing days)
ScoringEach written examination is scored individually and requires a score of at least 75% to pass
Exam feeUSD 45.00 per written examination (USD 90.00 total for the Nail Technology and Oregon Laws and Rules exams, each paid again on retake); certificate application USD 30.00 per field of practice and original certification USD 35.00 (valid two years); no separate state examination fee for the school-administered practical
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Study resources for Oregon Nail Technologist Exams
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Exam overview
What to know before choosing your prep
- Who runs it
- Oregon BOC
- Category
- Nail Technology
- Current version
- Nail Technology Examination Information Bulletin implemented January 1, 2016 (current bulletin file posted by HLO); Oregon Laws and Rules bulletin revised March 1, 2014; governing rules OAR 817-006 as amended effective 07/01/2024
- Where it applies
- US-OR, United States
- Exam languages
- English, Spanish, Vietnamese
- Score scale
- Percentage score per examination; 75% minimum to pass each
- Testing provider
- Oregon Health Licensing Office (HLO), the state office that houses the Board of Cosmetology — written exams in person at the HLO Salem office; the practical examination is administered by Board-approved Oregon schools
- Format
- Closed-book written multiple-choice examinations taken in person at the Health Licensing Office in Salem on a walk-in basis (no appointment necessary) during testing hours of 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday; no notes, textbooks, or electronic devices allowed and candidates may be electronically monitored; two forms of government-issued original ID (one photographic) required; offered in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese with additional time for candidates testing outside their primary language
- Availability
- Walk-in written testing at the HLO Salem office, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (no appointment necessary); practical examination scheduled through the candidate's Board-approved school
- Results
- Same-day certification — after passing the required examinations and paying all fees, applicants receive their Oregon certification the same day
- Score validity
- Written examinations must be passed within two years of the date of application; a passing practical examination score is valid for five years from the date it was completed and passed; the certificate itself is valid two years (renewable)
- Remote testing
- Not available
Exam structure
Nail Technology written exam — six domains by question count: Anatomy and Physiology 26 (Histology of the Skin 4, Histology of the Nails 18, Anatomy of the Hands and Feet 4), Microbiology 4 (Bacteriology), Nail Services 27 (Treatment of the Nails 6, Nail Care Procedures 8, Artificial Nail Procedures 13), Implements/Tools and Equipment 17 (Items 17), Product Knowledge and Chemistry 18 (Products 13, Chemistry 5), Safety and Infection Control 8 (Safe Usage and Devices 4, Federal Regulations and Standards 4). Companion Oregon Laws and Rules exam — seven domains: Definitions 21, Facility Standards 35, Practice Standards 6, Facility Operations 6, Examinations 5, Licensing and Certification 9, Chemicals 8 (total 90).
Where rules vary
Oregon practitioner certification examinations required under ORS 690 to practice nail technology in Oregon; certification is issued per field of practice by the Board of Cosmetology through the Health Licensing Office and is valid for two years. Oregon does not offer an umbrella cosmetology certification.
Eligibility
Pathway 1: graduate from a Board-approved Oregon school — nail technology requires 241 hours and 70 practical operations, plus (once, for any number of fields) 20 hours of career development and 20 hours of Oregon laws and rules; reciprocity (active out-of-state license, USD 100 application) and non-credentialed (school skills assessment) pathways can waive parts and lead to the written exams
Retake policy
A failed written examination may be retaken the next business day, up through the 10th failed attempt (full USD 45.00 fee each time); after the 10th failed attempt the Board may determine qualifications first, including additional school hours and practical operations; all required written exams must be passed within two years of the application date or the applicant must reapply and pay all fees again