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Electrologists and Body Art Practitioners Reciprocity Requirements

How to Obtain an Oregon License

Are you moving to Oregon and you hold an active tattooing, electrology or body piercing license from another state? To obtain, by reciprocity, an Oregon license in one of these fields, you will have to provide proof of licensure in another state and pass all relevant Oregon written examinations.

Step 1: Proof of Licensure from Your Home State

First, the Health Licensing Office must have proof that your license is current and in good standing in your home state. Your license alone is not enough; this proof must be communicated to the Health Licensing Office from the board or agency of the state in which you are licensed itself.

Your license can be verified in one of two ways:

  • Contact the licensing board of the state in which you are currently licensed and request that it send a verification or certification of licensure to us at Health Licensing Office, 1430 Tandem Ave. NE, Suite 180, Salem OR 97301.
  • Some states give us the ability to verify your license for you. To do this, fill out an Affidavit of Licensure form and mail it to the HLO or bring it with you to the Office in Salem. (Do not fax or email it.) Contact the office at hlo.info@dhsoha.state.or.us or 503-378-8667 to determine your home state's status regarding license verification.

Step 2: Preparation

Once the HLO receives proof of your licensure in another state, we will determine whether your home state's licensure is substantially equivalent to Oregon licensing requirements. If it is not, you must provide proof of having been employed or working in the profession full time for three of the past five years, typically through tax documentation.

If you use the Affidavit of Licensure to verify your license and it includes an address, the HLO will mail you the Office's findings along with additional information. You may also call us at 503-378-8667 to verify whether your affidavit has been received.

If the affidavit discloses any unresolved disciplinary actions and/or outstanding civil fines, you must resolve these issues before obtaining certification in Oregon.

Step 3: Testing

To obtain Oregon licensure, all reciprocity applicants must pass any written or practical exam(s) for each field in which they wish to obtain a license.

The fees required for licensure include:

  • Verification of licensure
  • Application fee
  • Oregon Laws and Rules examination
  • Each written examination
  • And, after you pass the exams, you will pay a licensure fee for each field of practice.

Basic information on testing at the HLO:

  • The written examinations are conducted on a walk-in basis (no appointment necessary).
  • HLO office hours to begin testing are Monday 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Tuesday 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and Wednesday through Friday 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
  • Applicants who are taking two or more examinations should arrive as early as possible (no later than noon) to complete their examinations by 4:30 p.m. at the latest.
  • Applicants who do not allow enough time to complete their exams will be turned away.

Please bring two forms of acceptable original identification issued by a federal, state or local government agency of the United States. One form of identification must be photographic, and the names on each ID must match each other and your license, or you must bring court documentation showing the name change.

After passing the required examinations and paying all fees, you will receive your Oregon license the same day.