What can an esthetician do in Florida?
In Florida, an esthetician works under a Facial Specialist registration, which takes at least 220 hours of training. It covers facials, skin care, exfoliation, makeup and lash lifts. It does not cover anything that pierces the skin, lasers, ultrasound, injections, or what the state rule calls "FDA approved medical devices." That rule has been in force since October 20, 2021.
Published · Written by Kay Woodson · Results vary.Florida does not license "estheticians" by that name
Esthetician is the everyday word. In Florida law, the registration is called a facial specialist, one of the specialties under the Board of Cosmetology. Florida statute defines facials as massaging or treating the face or scalp with oils, creams, lotions or other preparations, plus skin care services.
Getting registered takes at least 220 hours at a licensed school or approved program, according to section 477.0201 of the Florida Statutes. The state licensing agency, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), notes that no state exam is required for this registration, and that a licensed cosmetologist can do facials without a separate one.
Can a Florida esthetician do this?
From the Florida Statutes, rule 61G5-18.00015 of the Florida Administrative Code, and DBPR's FAQ.
| Service | Within a facial specialist's scope? | What the source says |
|---|---|---|
| Facials with cleansers, creams, masks | Yes | This is the statutory definition of facials |
| Skin care on the body, below the head | Yes, with limits | In a licensed salon, and it may not involve massage therapy |
| Chemical exfoliation, such as alpha hydroxy acids | Yes | Defined in the rule. No peel depth is set there |
| Dermaplaning | Yes | Listed as manual exfoliation with a #10 blade, disposed of in a sharps container |
| Microdermabrasion | Yes | Listed as mechanical exfoliation, with a closed vacuum and crystals |
| Massage | Head, face, scalp and neck only | Other massage needs a massage therapy license, per DBPR |
| Lash lift | Yes, with one product type | Only with a gel form of ammonium thioglycolate |
| Makeup | No license needed | The rule says so directly |
| Microneedling, 0.25 to 2.5 mm | No | Piercing the skin is beyond the scope |
| Microblading, permanent makeup | No | ASCP notes these need a tattoo license |
| Laser, IPL, ultrasound, HIFU, plasma pen | No | Named as bodily intrusion |
| Injections of any kind | No | Named as bodily intrusion |
| "FDA approved medical devices" | No | The rule's own words |
Rule text read on October 29, 2026. Not legal advice: rules change, so check the current text before relying on it.
Where the line sits: "medical purposes"
Florida cosmetology is defined as treatment for aesthetic rather than medical purposes. The 2021 rule draws the line with one phrase: any form of bodily intrusion into the skin, muscles or other tissues. It then names examples, from skin perforation by any means to lasers, radiation, injections and medical devices.
So when a spa menu offers microneedling or a laser facial, the question to ask is who performs it and under what license. A facial specialist registration alone does not cover it.
See an esthetician for
Regular facials, exfoliation, hydration, help with a home routine, and skin that looks dull, dry or rough. An esthetician does not diagnose or treat disease.
See a dermatologist for
Acne that scars or hurts, a rash, a changing mole, melasma, rosacea or anything that needs a diagnosis or prescription. The AAD says board-certified dermatologists are trained to diagnose and treat more than 3,000 conditions of the skin, hair and nails.
How to check an esthetician's license
Every Florida registration is public. Search by name or license number on DBPR's online verification portal at myfloridalicense.com, use the DBPR mobile app, or call the DBPR customer contact center at (850) 487-1395.
Check that the status is current and that the license type matches what the person offers. A training certificate from a device maker or a course is not a state license, and it does not widen what the license allows.
Kay Woodson and Karisma Esthetics
Kay Woodson is the founder and esthetician at Karisma Esthetics in Melbourne. Her Florida Facial Specialist license is FB9806290, listed under her legal name, Kina Woodson, and was current and active when checked on myfloridalicense.com on November 5, 2026.
Her facials sit inside the license. The Signature Facial, $125, centers on hydration, radiance and calm skin. The Advanced Facial, $225, adds microdermabrasion and a superficial peel. Karisma does not offer microneedling, injections or lasers.
Questions about Florida estheticians
What can an esthetician do?
In Florida: facials, skin care, chemical and mechanical exfoliation including microdermabrasion and dermaplaning, makeup, lash lifts with an approved product, and massage of the head, face, scalp and neck.
Can an esthetician do microneedling in Florida?
No. Rule 61G5-18.00015 says microneedling at 0.25 to 2.5 mm pierces the skin and is beyond the scope of a cosmetologist or facial specialist.
Is an esthetician the same as a dermatologist?
No. A dermatologist is a medical doctor. The AAD lists four years of college, four of medical school, a one-year internship and three years of dermatology residency. A Florida facial specialist trains for at least 220 hours.
Esthetician or med spa: who can do what in Florida?
"Med spa" is a business label, not one of the registrations in Florida's cosmetology law. What counts is who performs each service and under which license. Rule 61G5-18.00015 places lasers, injections, microneedling and "FDA approved medical devices" outside a facial specialist's registration, so at any med spa, ask who does that service and look up their license. Karisma Esthetics is an esthetics studio, not a med spa.
Do Florida estheticians take a state exam?
Not for the facial specialist registration, according to DBPR's application checklist. Training at a licensed school is the requirement. Cosmetologists, who can also do facials, take the cosmetology exam.
- Section 477.013, Florida Statutes, definitions, 2025 statutes, read October 29, 2026
- Section 477.0201, Florida Statutes, specialty registration, 2025 statutes, read October 29, 2026
- Rule 61G5-18.00015, Florida Administrative Code, effective October 20, 2021
- Rule 61G5-18.00015, full text, Cornell Legal Information Institute, read October 29, 2026
- Cosmetology FAQ, Florida DBPR, checked October 29, 2026
- Facial Specialist Registration checklist (COSMO 1), Florida DBPR, checked October 29, 2026
- How to verify a license, Florida DBPR, checked October 29, 2026
- New Florida Rules Affecting Estheticians, ASCP, August 25, 2025
- Why choose a board-certified dermatologist, American Academy of Dermatology, checked October 29, 2026