Getting a license

In many ways, it's harder to get a cosmetology license in Maine than it is to get state permission to run a day-care home. Here's a quick comparison:

To get a license in cosmetology - i.e. beauty culture and hair styling - Maine requires the applicant to:

Be at least 17 years old.

Have at least a 10th-grade education.

Complete 1,500 hours of training in a school licensed by a state board.

Pass a four-hour, national exam that tests the candidate's knowledge.

Pay an initial $25 fee for a cosmetology license that's valid for two years. Renewal licenses cost $50. A cosmetologist who runs a shop also must pay a $100 licensing fee for the building.

In addition to the training and fees, the state requires the place of business to be inspected annually.

To get a certificate to run a day-care home, the applicant must:

Be at least 18 years old and pass a criminal background check.

Submit three references.

Be certified in first aid and CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Take six hours of orientation training.

Pass a state licensing and fire inspection.

Pay a $40 fee.

In addition to those requirements, the day-care home must be inspected by state licensing and fire inspectors at least once every two years.