Nail Technician (Manicurist) in New York

New York is unusual: the state Department of State (Division of Licensing Services) runs its OWN Nail Specialty exam rather than using a national vendor — and it is one of the most language-accessible exams in the country. The official DOS page confirms the WRITTEN exam is schedulable in 12 translations on top of English: Bengali, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Nepali, Russian, Spanish, Tibetan, Turkish, and Vietnamese — so a Chinese-, Korean-, or Vietnamese-speaking candidate can sit the real written test in their language. You need 250 training hours and must pass both a written and a practical exam; results are reported pass/fail (no numeric score), with 2.5 hours for the written test.

Testing agency

New York State (state-administered)

Written-test languages

English · Spanish · Chinese · Korean · Vietnamese · Bengali · Haitian Creole · Italian · Japanese · Nepali · Russian · Tibetan · Turkish

To pass

Pass/Fail only (no numeric score); 2.5 hours; NY written + practical exams both required

Fee

$40 application + $15 written + $15 practical

Retake policy

Reschedule via MY NY.gov Online Services (no stated wait or attempt cap)

Training hours

250 hours (nail specialty)

Exam structure

State written exam + practical exam

State rules and fees change often. This table shows only facts confirmed from an official board or vendor source on the date noted; anything unconfirmed is marked “to confirm.” Always verify current requirements with your state board or its testing vendor before you register. Our practice questions are a study aid and never imply your state offers the exam in a language it does not.