CALIFORNIA / PSI / APRIL 2026
California Esthetician written exam
The California esthetician written exam has 75 scored questions and 10 unscored pretest questions, and you get 90 minutes. PSI gives it for the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology in English, Spanish or Vietnamese. Safety and infection control is the largest topic at 40%. There has been no practical exam since January 1, 2022.
The California written exam for this license is delivered through PSI. The Board lists English, Spanish, and Vietnamese among its available exam languages. These figures come from the Board’s examination information and April 2026 content outline.
Free download · CA Esthetician State Board
Free in the app: 30 sample questions covering every exam topic, for Quick 10, short topic sets and a 10-question, 12-minute sample mock. Full access unlocks all 1,000+ questions, 25-question topic sets and full-length timed mocks (85 questions, 90 minutes), with every explanation in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. The app works offline after installation.
On Google Play it is called “Esthetician State Board Prep”; the App Store lists it as “CA Esthetician State Board”.
Esthetician
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Published written exam format
Topics in the Board outline
The Board can change exam content, languages, and rules. Confirm the current candidate information before your exam. The topic percentages guide study time; they do not guarantee the questions you will see.
Exam format sources checked September 28, 2026 · April 2026 exam outlines ↗
Use the outline to plan your study
Safety and infection control has the largest share (40%). Consultation and skin analysis (19%), skin care (17%), and hair removal (15%) bring these four areas to 91% of the outline. Work from hygiene and affected-skin rules toward analysis and service choices, then explicitly review makeup and eyelash/eyebrow topics as well.
These are study priorities based on the published topic weights, not a prediction of your exam questions. Read the full outline and current Board rules.
California beauty exam study resources ↗Three ways to start
Turn the published objectives into decisions you can explain. These are study suggestions, not official exam questions.
Use consultation to choose a service
Practice reading an intake, analyzing skin condition, and spotting contraindications or reactions. Explain when to change or decline a service and when to recommend a medical opinion.
April 2026 exam outlines ↗Compare safe facial choices
Review product selection, facial massage, chemical versus mechanical exfoliation, tools, and hot towels as separate objectives. For each, ask what skin condition and safety concern would change the plan.
April 2026 exam outlines ↗Include removal and eye services
Work through waxing, sugaring, tweezing, and threading alongside cross-contamination and contraindications. Then review lash adhesive and remover, brow and lash tinting products, and hygienic makeup application.
April 2026 exam outlines ↗
Study safety and infection control as a core part of this exam, then use the remaining topic weights to plan practice. Always check current California rules for service procedures.
April 2026 exam outlines ↗ · Board examination information ↗
FAQ
Common questions
How many questions are on the California esthetician exam?
85 in total: 75 scored and 10 unscored pretest questions, in 90 minutes. Treat every question as if it counts.
Is there a practical exam?
No. Since January 1, 2022 California licenses cosmetologists, barbers, estheticians and manicurists with the written exam only.
Can I take it in Spanish or Vietnamese?
Yes. The Board lists English, Spanish and Vietnamese among its exam languages, and you choose the exam language on your application.
How much does it cost?
The Board’s August 2025 application form lists a $115 non-refundable application and initial license fee for estheticians. A re-examination application is $75. Check the current form before you pay.
What score do I need to pass?
PSI scores the exam against a fixed passing standard, so you are not competing with other candidates. If you pass, you receive your license at the test site. If you do not pass, the failure notice shows your score by content area and the number of correct answers needed to pass.
How can I practice for free?
Take the free 25-question practice test for this license on this site, in English, Spanish or Vietnamese. The CA Esthetician State Board app (“Esthetician State Board Prep” on Google Play) is free to download with 30 sample questions; full access unlocks more than 1,000.