The Department shall authorize examinations of applicants for licenses as nail technicians and teachers of nail technology at the times and places as it may determine. An applicant for licensure as a nail technician who has completed 280 hours in the study of nail technology may take the examination.
The Department shall authorize not less than 4 examinations for licenses as nail technicians, and nail technology teachers in a calendar year.
If an applicant neglects, fails without an approved excuse, or refuses to take the next available examination offered for licensure under this Act, the fee paid by the applicant shall be forfeited to the Department and the application denied. If an applicant fails to pass an examination for licensure under this Act within 3 years after filing an application, the application shall be denied. Nevertheless, the applicant may thereafter make a new application for examination, accompanied by the required fee, if he or she meets the requirements in effect at the time of reapplication. If an applicant for licensure as a nail technician or nail technology teacher is unsuccessful at 3 examinations conducted by the Department, the applicant shall, before taking a subsequent examination, furnish evidence of successfully completing (i) for a nail technician, not less than 60 hours of additional study of nail technology in a licensed school of cosmetology approved to teach nail technology or nail technology and (ii) for a nail technology teacher, not less than 80 hours of additional study in teaching methodology and educational psychology in an approved school of cosmetology or nail technology since the applicant last took the examination.
An applicant who fails the fourth examination shall not again be admitted to an examination unless: (i) in the case of an applicant for a license as a nail technician, the applicant again takes and completes a total of 350 hours in the study of nail technology in an approved school of cosmetology or nail technology extending over a period that commences after the applicant fails to pass the fourth examination and that is not less than 8 weeks nor more than 2 consecutive years in duration; or (ii) in the case of an applicant for licensure as a nail technology teacher, the applicant again takes and completes a program of 625 hours of teacher training in a licensed school of cosmetology, or nail technology, except that if the applicant had 2 years of practical experience as a licensed nail technician within 5 years preceding the initial examination taken by the applicant, the applicant must again take and complete a program of 500 hours of teacher training in a licensed school of cosmetology approved to teach nail technology, or a licensed school of nail technology.
Each applicant for licensure as a nail technician shall be given a written examination testing both theoretical and practical knowledge, which shall include, but not be limited to, questions that determine the applicant's knowledge of product chemistry, sanitary rules, sanitary procedures, hazardous chemicals and exposure minimization, this Act, and labor and compensation laws.
The examination for licensure as a nail technology teacher may include knowledge of the subject matter, teaching methodology, classroom management, record keeping, and any other subjects that the Department in its discretion may deem necessary to insure competent performance.
This Act does not prohibit the practice of nail technology by a person who has applied in writing to the Department, in form and substance satisfactory to the Department, for a license as a nail technician, or the teaching of nail technology by one who has applied in writing to the Department, in form and substance satisfactory to the Department, for a license as a nail technology teacher, if the person has complied with all the provisions of this Act in order to qualify for a license, except the passing of an examination to be eligible to receive a license, until: (a) the expiration of 6 months after the filing of the written application, or (b) the decision of the Department that the applicant has failed to pass an examination within 6 months or failed without an approved excuse to take an examination conducted within 6 months by the Department, or (c) the withdrawal of the application.
225 ILCS 410/3C-7