Procedures For Licensure

To become licensed to practice as an electrologist or electrology instructor in Tennessee a person must comply with the following procedures and requirements. (1) An applicant shall obtain an application form from the Registry’s administrative office. (2) An applicant shall respond truthfully and completely to every question or request for information contained in the form and submit it along with all documentation and fees required by the form and this rule to the Registry’s administrative office. It is the intent of this rule that all steps necessary to accomplish the filing of the required documentation be completed prior to filing an application and that all documentation be filed simultaneously. (3) Applications for licensure will be accepted throughout the year and files which are completed on or before the thirtieth (30th) day prior to an examination date will be processed and if eligible the individual will be scheduled for the next examination (4) An applicant shall pay, at the time of application, the non-refundable application, examination fees and state regulatory fee as provided in Rule 0540-01-.06. Reciprocity (licensed in another state) applicants and applicants for licensure without examination and without licensure in another state shall also pay at the time of application the reciprocity fee as provided in Rule 0540-01-.06. (5) An applicant shall submit with his application a signed passport photograph taken within the preceding 12 months. (The photograph must be signed by the applicant on the back). (6) An applicant must submit evidence of good moral character and competence. Such evidence shall be two original and recent (within the preceding 12 months) letters attesting to the applicant’s character on the signatory’s letterhead. The letters can not be from a relative, his electrology instructor, or the dermatologist who provided the limited license training. GENERAL RULES GOVERNING ELECTROLOGY, ELECTROLOGISTS, CHAPTER 0540-01 AND ELECTROLOGY INSTRUCTORS (7) Except for limited licensure applicants and applicants for licensure without examination and without licensure in another state, applicants shall cause to be submitted directly to the Registry’s administrative office from an accredited college or university an official transcript verifying that the general education requirements, pursuant to Rule 0540-01-.04 (1)(c)1, have been met. (8) An applicant shall submit with his application a notarized photocopy of his birth certificate, naturalization documents, or valid driver’s license. (9) Except for limited licensure applicants, electrology instructor applicants, and applicants for licensure without examination and without licensure in another state, applicants shall cause to be submitted directly from the school of electrology an original letter on the school's letterhead and signed by the program director verifying the applicant has successfully completed the school's course of study. To be acceptable, the school's course of study and curriculum must comply with or be equivalent to Tennessee's electrology school requirements pursuant to T.C.A. § 63-26-111(4)(A) and (B). If the school no longer exists, the following documentation will be reviewed by the Commissioner for acceptability: (a) A signed original letter from an instructor who was employed by the school at the time the applicant attended verifying that the applicant successfully completed the school’s course of study and that the curriculum complied with or was equivalent to T.C.A. § 63- 26-111(4)(A); and (b) A signed original letter from the state Board of Electrology, Electrologists Registry, or Department of Education where the school existed that the school’s curriculum was at least equivalent to T.C.A. § 63-26-111(4)(A) or (B): or (c) A signed original letter, on official letterhead, from the American Electrology Association or Society of Clinical and Medical Electrolysis verifying the existence of the school and that the school’s curriculum was at least equivalent to T.C.A. § 63-26- 111(4)(A) and (B). (10) An applicant, except an electrology instructor applicant, shall submit an official high school transcript, notarized photocopy of diploma, or equivalency document. (11) Except for electrology instructor applicants and applicants for licensure without examination and without licensure in another state, applicants shall request that his/her written examination scores, pursuant to Rule 0540-01-.08, be submitted directly to the Registry’s administrative office from the American Electrology Association or the Society for Clinical and Medical Hair Removal, Inc.. (12) A limited license applicant shall submit evidence of completing an electrology training program of at least 600 hours of electrology practice directed by a board certified or board eligible dermatologist, who has documented continuing education in electrology theory and practice. (13) Examination - All applicants shall pass the examination pursuant to Rule 0540-01-.08. (14) If an applicant holds or has ever held a license to practice electrology or any other profession in any other state, the applicant shall submit or cause to be submitted the equivalent of a Tennessee Certificate of Endorsement from each such licensing board or registry which indicates the applicant either holds a current active license and whether it is in good standing, or held a license which is currently inactive and whether it was in good standing at the time it became inactive. GENERAL RULES GOVERNING ELECTROLOGY, ELECTROLOGISTS, CHAPTER 0540-01 AND ELECTROLOGY INSTRUCTORS (15) An applicant for electrology instructor must provide a photocopy of his current Tennessee electrology license. (16) An applicant for electrology instructor must provide an affidavit or other proof that he has actively engaged in the practice of electrology for at least five of the last ten years prior to application. (17) An applicant for electrology instructor shall cause to be submitted directly from an accredited college or university to the Registry’s administrative office an official transcript verifying that the general education requirement, pursuant to Rule 0540-01-.04(1)(c)1, has been met. (18) An applicant shall disclose the circumstances surrounding any of the following: (a) Conviction of any criminal law violation of any country, state, or municipality, except minor traffic violations. (b) The denial of licensure application by any other state or the discipline of the licensee in any state. (c) Loss or restriction of certification or licensure privileges. (d) Any civil suit judgment or civil suit settlement in which the applicant was a party defendant including, without limitation, actions involving malpractice, breach of contract, antitrust activity or any other civil action remedy recognized under the country’s or state’s statutory, common, or case law. (e) To the extent known by the applicant, the circumstances involved in any pending investigation of licensure by any state. (19) An applicant shall cause to be submitted to the Registry’s administrative office directly from the vendor identified in the Registry’s licensure application materials, the result of a criminal background check. (20) Where necessary, all required documents shall be translated into English. Such translation and original document must be certified as to authenticity by the issuing source. (21) Application review and licensure decisions shall be governed by Rule 0540-01-.07. (22) Personal resumes are not acceptable and will not be reviewed. (23) The burden is on the applicant to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that he possesses the qualifications for licensure by examination or reciprocity. (24) The licensure fee must be received in the Registry’s administrative office on or before the thirtieth (30th) day from receipt of notification that the license fee is due. Failure to comply will result in the application file being closed. (25) A license will be issued after all requirements, including payment of a license fee pursuant to Rule 0540-01-.06, have been met. (26) Information and application for the written examination shall be obtained from the testing agency pursuant to Rule 0540-01-.08(1)(a)2.