How to Become a Nail Tech in Richmond: Schools, Costs and Next Steps
We list 5 DPOR-licensed schools in Richmond, Midlothian and North Chesterfield that publish a price for their nail technician program, with schedules from evening and alternate-Sunday classes to weekday-daytime and hybrid formats. Prov gives the hands-on practical exam in nearby Mechanicsville.
The route, in short
- Complete a Nail Technician program of at least 150 clock hours at a DPOR-licensed school. A registered apprenticeship through Virginia Works is another route; see our Virginia license guide.
- Apply online through Prov with DPOR’s combined exam-and-license application; once your school or the Board approves it, Prov emails you to schedule.
- Pass Prov’s written (theory) exam and the practical within one year of your first exam date. Take the written in Mechanicsville, at GIT Services in Richmond or from home; the practical is in person at Prov’s Mechanicsville center. Once DPOR finds you eligible for the exams, it can issue a one-time, 90-day temporary license (no fee) so you can work under the direct supervision of a licensed nail technician or cosmetologist.
Illustrative photo.
The Sublime Professional Online Program
Gel, acrylic and Russian manicure, step by step, with Darya correcting photos of your own work. Access opens as soon as you pay.
Online and self-paced. Not a DPOR-licensed school, so it doesn’t count toward Virginia’s training hours.
See the Online Program: $597 Try the Free Theory Class FirstRichmond at a Glance
- Written + practical at Prov’s Mechanicsville center; the written also at GIT Services in Richmond or from home
- We list 5 DPOR-licensed schools around Richmond with a nail technician program; each publishes a price on its own site (see below)
- Virginia sets a minimum of 150 clock hours, 75 of them in nail procedures (manicures, pedicures and extensions)
- $194 in exam fees: Prov $99 written and $95 practical
Nail Tech Schools in Richmond
| School | Area | Notes (from the school’s site) | Price (as published) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATiR AcademyHours not stated | Richmond | 5–8 months (per the school). Tuition payment plan through PayPal Pay Later. | $3,000 (tuition; exam fees not included) |
| CC's Beauty Institute150 hours | Richmond | Mondays 5–10 pm, alternate Sundays 9 am–5:30 pm, Tuesdays 7–8 pm on Zoom; about three months (per the school). No federal financial aid; balance in three installments. DPOR’s roster lists a Nail Hybrid Program. | $4,975 (total: registration, tuition, kit and CIMA Technology) |
| Kalina Nail School150 hours (70 theory, 80 practical) | Midlothian | Hybrid program; ask for the schedule. English, Russian and Ukrainian, with Spanish on request (per the school). | $4,500 (tuition; includes supplies, online training and a practical-exam kit) |
| LB Beauty Academy150 hours | Richmond | Day and evening classes; interest-free payment plans (per the school). | $4,500 (Nail Care Technician Certificate) |
| Naturally Yours Barber & Beauty Salon & School150 hours | North Chesterfield | Tuesday to Thursday, 10 am–4 pm (per the school). | $5,700 (tuition; books, kits, supplies, tools and registration fee extra) |
Exam fees: $194 (Prov $99 written and $95 practical)
Schools on DPOR’s school rosters that describe a nail technician program on their own site, checked September 30, 2026; prices as published. Not ranked, recommended or complete. Confirm DPOR program approval and full price in writing. Not listed: Empire Beauty School’s Richmond and Midlothian campuses (its site says the nail tech program isn’t currently offered) and Da Nail Trap Nail Academy in Henrico (its site says enrollment awaits final licensing and regulatory approval).
Where online practice fits
Some Virginia schools, such as Kalina Nail School in Midlothian, run licensed hybrid programs: some theory online, the hands-on hours in their building, and those hours count toward your license. Sublime is different. It’s a private online program with a certificate of completion, not a license, and none of its hours count. What it gives you is practice, with Darya correcting photos of your work, before or alongside school.
For costs elsewhere, see our national cost guide →
Your License Comes From School. Your Skill Can Start Today.
A private online program, not a DPOR-licensed school. Use it before or alongside school, not instead of it.
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.
Darya Shevchenko
Founder and lead educator. Owns her own salon; has won nail competitions in Russia, Spain and Dubai.
“I work during the day, so being able to study online and go through the lessons when I had time was a big advantage. I could replay the techniques until I understood them without feeling rushed.”— Ashley J.
3,500+ graduates across North America and 12 countries
What Nail Techs Earn in Richmond
In the Richmond, VA metro, manicurists and pedicurists earned this median pay as of May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. BLS estimates about 740 manicurists and pedicurists work there as employees (May 2025).
That's what people already working in the area are paid, not what any school's graduates, ours included, can expect. Both figures cover employees only, not self-employed or booth-rental technicians. Our graduates still need a Virginia license before they can work on clients.
For pay across other metros, see our full salary guide →
Where You Take the Exams in Richmond
Around Richmond you can sit Prov’s written (theory) exam at two test centers or remotely from home; the hands-on practical is in person at the Mechanicsville center. Fees, rules and the full site list are in Prov’s Virginia bulletin.
Source: Prov’s Virginia Candidate Information Bulletin, edition 2026.03.05.
Richmond Nail Tech — FAQ
How much does nail tech school cost in Richmond?
It depends on the school and on what its price covers. As published on September 30, 2026: ATiR Academy lists $3,000 tuition, with exam fees not included; LB Beauty Academy lists its Nail Care Technician Certificate at $4,500; Kalina Nail School’s $4,500 tuition includes supplies, online training and a practical-exam kit; CC’s Beauty Institute publishes a $4,975 total (registration, tuition and processing, kit and CIMA Technology); and Naturally Yours lists $5,700 tuition, with books, kits, supplies, tools and a registration fee extra. Separately, the Prov exams cost $99 written and $95 practical; ask whether a school’s price includes any of them, and get the full price in writing.
How many nail tech schools are in the Richmond area, and how are classes scheduled?
We list 5: ATiR Academy, CC’s Beauty Institute, Kalina Nail School, LB Beauty Academy and Naturally Yours Barber & Beauty Salon & School. Each was on one of DPOR’s school rosters (nail technician schools or cosmetology schools, updated September 10, 2026) and described a nail technician program on its own website when we checked on September 30, 2026. Their timetables differ: CC’s meets Monday evenings and every other Sunday, Naturally Yours runs Tuesday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and LB advertises day and evening classes. CC’s says its program can be completed in three months; ATiR lists 5 to 8 months. There may be others, so check DPOR’s school rosters or the DPOR License Lookup yourself before you choose.
What do nail techs earn in the Richmond area?
BLS’s May 2025 figures for the Richmond, VA metro put the median for manicurists and pedicurists at $17.60 an hour, about $36,610 a year, and estimate that about 740 of them work there as employees. Self-employed and booth-rental techs aren’t in those numbers. They show what people already in the job earn, not what any school’s graduates, ours included, can expect.
Where do I take the nail tech exams near Richmond?
Prov gives both NIC exams for DPOR, and Virginia doesn’t set an order: you need to pass the written (theory) exam and the practical within one year of your first exam date. For the written, go to Prov’s Mechanicsville center at 9502 Chamberlayne Road, to GIT Services on High Point Avenue in Richmond, or take it from home with Prov’s remote option. The practical is hands-on and in person; for Richmond candidates it’s at the Mechanicsville center. Results come by email about 24 hours after each exam, and a retake costs the same fee. DPOR, which issues the license, has its office in the Richmond area too, at 9960 Mayland Drive.
How do people pay for nail tech school in Richmond?
Each school sets its own terms. CC’s Beauty Institute says it doesn’t offer federal financial aid and lets you split the remaining balance into three installments; LB Beauty Academy advertises interest-free payment plans; ATiR Academy offers a tuition payment plan through PayPal Pay Later. For Kalina Nail School and Naturally Yours, ask about payment options directly. Ask your local American Job Center whether a school is on Virginia’s approved training list (WIOA).
Start Practicing Before School Starts
Sublime Professional is a private online academy, not approved by Virginia or any other state. Our diploma is a certificate of completion, not a state license, and our hours don't count toward the training hours Virginia requires.
