By the Empower Health and Aesthetic Institute Editorial Team · Updated September 2026
If you are researching how to get laser hair removal certification in Texas, the process runs through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), which issues four individual certificates in sequence: Apprentice-in-Training, Technician, Senior Technician, and Professional. The entry point is a 40-hour training course from a TDLR-approved provider, followed by a state application and a criminal history background check. Empower Health and Aesthetic Institute, accredited by the Texas Workforce Commission, offers courses aligned to each of the four levels at its Dallas and Fort Worth campuses.
Key Takeaways
- No one may perform laser hair removal in Texas without the appropriate TDLR certificate, apart from limited exemptions for physicians, physician delegates, and certain licensed health professionals.
- The Apprentice-in-Training certificate requires a TDLR-approved 40-hour course, an application to TDLR, and a criminal history background check.
- Moving up to Technician requires 100 laser hair removal procedures within 12 months under the direct supervision of a Senior Technician or Professional.
- Every TDLR laser hair removal certificate is valid for two years.
Step 1: Confirm the Training Provider Is TDLR-Approved
TDLR publishes a list of approved 40-hour training programs for the Apprentice-in-Training certificate. Confirm a school appears on that list before paying tuition. Approved programs must hold a Texas Workforce Commission certificate of approval or exemption; Empower is accredited by the Texas Workforce Commission, which accredits all state universities and career schools.
Step 2: Complete the 40-Hour Course
Texas requires an Apprentice-in-Training to complete 40 hours of training in the topics listed in Texas Administrative Code 118.26. Empower’s Level 1: Laser Hair Removal Apprentice Didactic is that 40-hour course. Total cost is $1,000, including the course reader, all materials, and CPR certification. Individual subjects from Level 1 can also be taken on their own for Laser Safety Officer designation.
The course covers laser, intense pulsed light, and radio frequency as used for hair removal, along with anatomy and physiology of hair and skin, laser biophysics and tissue interaction, skin reactions and burns, treatment and post-treatment protocols, eye protection, emergency handling, assessment of pre-existing conditions and medications, proper signage, evaluating clients on the Fitzpatrick scale, and anesthesia used with laser hair removal. Laser safety, medical considerations, state and federal regulations, hazards, and sanitation round out the 40 hours. The curriculum also integrates exposure to laser equipment representatives, product representatives, and professionals currently working in the industry.
Empower describes Level 1 as suited to three kinds of students: those who can obtain their 100 hands-on treatments independently, those who only need the 40 hours and CPR to finish requirements they already have, and those already working in the industry who were trained on site and want formal didactic training.
Finishing the course does not by itself authorize anyone to treat clients. After completing the 40 hours, submit an application to TDLR, pay the application fee, and pass the criminal history background check, which applies to every applicant for an individual laser hair removal certificate. TDLR publishes guidelines describing how it evaluates applicants with criminal convictions. Once issued, the Apprentice-in-Training certificate is valid for two years.
The full requirements for each certificate are on the TDLR individual certificate page.
Step 4: Complete 100 Supervised Procedures
An Apprentice-in-Training must perform 100 laser hair removal procedures within 12 months under the direct supervision of a Senior Laser Hair Removal Technician or Laser Hair Removal Professional. The Apprentice-in-Training certificate must be issued before those procedures begin; TDLR does not accept procedures performed earlier. When the 100 are complete, the supervising Senior Technician or Professional signs an affidavit that is submitted with the Technician application.
Empower’s Level 2: Laser Hair Removal Technician 100 Treatment Practicum provides these treatments. Students work in small groups with their instructor, treating models provided by Empower, supervised by a Certified Senior Laser Technician or Laser Professional as the State of Texas requires. Hands-on courses take place in a state-of-the-art medical spa, and students also have the opportunity to treat patients who have booked appointments at the facility. Before each treatment, instructors prepare students and review charts for contraindications.
Step 5: Apply for the Technician Certificate
An individual may not perform laser hair removal procedures unsupervised until the 100 supervised procedures are complete and TDLR has issued the Technician certificate. The Technician certificate is valid for two years.
Beyond Technician: Senior Technician and Professional
A Senior Technician applicant must hold a current Technician certificate and directly supervise at least 100 laser hair removal procedures within 12 months, audited by a Laser Hair Removal Professional and documented on TDLR’s procedures log sheet. TDLR specifies who must supervise the procedures at this stage: when an Apprentice-in-Training performs them, supervision must come from a Technician and a Senior Technician or Professional for every procedure, and all procedures must be audited by a licensed Professional, who may also perform procedures. The Professional certificate is the fourth in the sequence. Empower’s Level 3: Senior Laser Hair Removal Technician and Level 4: Professional Laser Hair Removal Exam courses correspond to these two certificates, and the full course and pricing list shows how the levels fit together.
Students who want to go beyond hair removal can take the combined Level 1–4 Plus Advanced Aesthetics course, which adds IPL photofacial, skin rejuvenation, microneedling, Hydrafacial, fractional skin resurfacing, toenail fungus and vein therapies, laser tattoo removal, chemical peels, fibroblast therapy, and body contouring.
Why Train With Empower?
Empower employs faculty and staff who have demonstrated proficiency in all areas of medical aesthetics and who have extensive professional experience in the aesthetics industry. Beyond laser hair removal, the school offers certifications in cosmetic injectables and skin care aesthetics, including chemical peels, microneedling, IPL photofacial, Hydrafacial, and body contouring. Training is available at two Dallas-Fort Worth campuses: 5445 La Sierra Dr., Suite 400, Dallas, TX 75231, and 411 Alta Mere Dr., Fort Worth, TX 76114. Financing options are available.
Mistakes That Delay Certification
- Enrolling in a program that is not on TDLR’s approved training list
- Performing supervised procedures before the Apprentice-in-Training certificate is issued, since TDLR does not count them
- Letting the 12-month window for the 100 supervised procedures lapse
- Losing the procedures log sheet or supervisor affidavit needed for the application
- Forgetting that each certificate is valid for only two years
FAQ
How do you get laser hair removal certification in Texas if you have no medical license?
Through the TDLR certificate pathway: complete an approved 40-hour course, apply to TDLR and pass the background check for the Apprentice-in-Training certificate, then complete 100 supervised procedures within 12 months to apply for the Technician certificate.
Who is exempt from needing a TDLR laser hair removal certificate?
Physicians licensed in Texas, individuals delegated tasks by a Texas-licensed physician, and health professionals licensed under another law where laser hair removal falls within their scope of practice as determined by their licensing board.
How long is a Texas laser hair removal certificate valid?
Two years, at every level: Apprentice-in-Training, Technician, Senior Technician, and Professional.
Get Started
Upcoming Level 1 dates at the Dallas and Fort Worth campuses are on the course calendar. Request information or call 214-272-0026.
