Cosmetologists and barbers; board may allow license renewal after expiration date without taking the exam if licensee meets certain conditions.

HB 1552 would have allowed Mississippi cosmetologists and barbers whose licenses expired to renew without retaking the licensing exam under specific conditions. Licensees could qualify if their license expired within five years, they submitted a written explanation for the late renewal, completed required continuing education, and paid delinquent fees for each year overdue. The bill applied only to those who didn’t renew within three years of expiration but had not let their license lapse for more than five years total. However, the bill died in committee on February 3, 2026, and never became law.