Texas Nail Tech Training: How to Find a School
Texas licenses nail technicians through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR): a 600-hour Manicurist course at a TDLR-licensed school, then two PSI exams. Below: how to choose a school, city guides for Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio, and where online practice fits before you enroll.
The route, in short
- Complete a 600-hour Manicurist course at a TDLR-licensed school.
- When TDLR confirms you can test, apply for your license ($50) before your written exam.
- Pass PSI’s written exam, then the practical. After you pass, a 60-day temporary license prints with your score report.
Texas City Guides
Real school prices, exam locations and local pay, city by city.
How to Choose a Texas Nail School
- Is your Manicurist course approved by TDLR? You can also check TDLR’s approved-curriculum search.
- What’s the total price in writing, not just the headline number?
- Do you run day and evening schedules? (600 hours is about 15 weeks at 40 hours a week; longer part-time.)
- Do you offer any theory hours online, and how many?
- What’s your students’ state-exam pass rate? Ask for the latest figures in writing.
- Can I sit in on a class before I enroll?
Start with TDLR’s own tools: its License Search confirms whether a school is currently licensed, and its approved-curriculum search checks whether a specific Manicurist course is approved.
Can You Do Nail Tech School Online in Texas?
Only partly, and only through a TDLR-licensed school. Under Texas's current rules, a licensed school that offers distance education can deliver up to 300 of the 600 Manicurist hours online, and only as theory; the hands-on hours are done in person with an instructor. Not every school offers it, so ask, and check with TDLR before you rely on it, because rules change.
Sublime Professional is a private online academy, not a TDLR-licensed school, so our hours don't count toward those 600. What we offer is a place to practice gel, acrylics and Russian manicure at home, with Darya correcting photos of your own work, before or during school.
Exams in Texas
PSI runs both Texas exams: the written (at a test center or online with a remote proctor), then the practical, in person at a PSI practical site; you must pass the written first.
PSI offers some Texas exams in Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean and Simplified Chinese at no extra cost; choose your language when you schedule.
For exam center addresses, fees and license renewal, see our Texas license guide →, or the Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio guides above for local test sites.
Want to find out if you love this work before you sign up for school? Sublime Professional is a self-paced online program in gel, acrylic and Russian manicure, with Darya correcting photos of your own work. It’s $597, or 3 interest-free payments of $199. It’s not a TDLR-licensed school, so it doesn’t count toward Texas’s 600 hours.
Your License Comes From School. Your Skill Can Start Today.
A private online program, not a TDLR-licensed school. Use it before or alongside school, not instead of it.
“I expected a simple online nail course, but there was a lot more depth than I thought. The explanations were clear, the techniques were broken down step by step, and I learned several things I had been doing incorrectly before.”— Lauren A.
Gel, acrylic and Russian manicure, step by step · Darya corrects photos of your work · 6 months of access · A certificate of completion, not a state license.
3,500+ graduates across North America and 12 countries
Texas Nail Tech — FAQ
How long does it take to become a nail tech in Texas?
About 15 weeks at 40 hours a week for the required 600-hour Manicurist course, longer if you study part-time. See our Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio guides for local schools and exam sites.
How much does nail tech school cost in Texas?
It depends on the school and the city; see our Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio guides for prices as each school publishes them. TDLR and PSI also charge $181 in license and exam fees (TDLR $50, PSI $55 written and $76 practical); ask whether a school's price already includes any of them, and get the full price in writing.
How can I use Sublime Professional alongside nail school in Texas?
To learn gel, acrylics and Russian manicure from home, with Darya correcting photos of your own work, before you start school or while you're there. It doesn't replace school: Sublime Professional is a private online academy, not a TDLR-licensed school, so none of our hours count toward the 600 hours TDLR requires for a manicurist license, and our diploma is a certificate of completion, not a license.
I've never done nails. How do I know if this is for me?
Start with our free theory class, a free guide to the basics. If you want to go further, the online program teaches gel, acrylics and Russian manicure step by step, with Darya correcting photos of your own practice work. It doesn't count toward Texas's 600 hours (to get licensed and work on clients you'll still need a TDLR-licensed school), but it's a practical way to find out how much you enjoy this work, and start building your skill, before you commit to school.
Start Practicing Before School Starts
Learn gel, acrylic and Russian manicure from home, with Darya correcting photos of your own work. Access opens as soon as you pay.
Sublime Professional is a private online academy, not approved by Texas or any other state. Our diploma is a certificate of completion, not a state license, and our hours don't count toward the 600 hours TDLR requires for a manicurist license.
