Signed into law on February 24, 2026, Indiana HB 1131 expands esthetician scope to include microneedling and certain eyelash and eyebrow services effective July 1, 2026. The law also changes electrologist licensing and training requirements, including provisions that take effect in 2027.
HB 1131 Updates Esthetician Scope and Electrology Requirements in Indiana
As of July 1, 2026, Indiana licensed estheticians may perform microneedling, along with newly added eyelash and eyebrow services, under House Enrolled Act 1131. The law also revises electrologist licensing and training requirements, with additional provisions taking effect in 2027. The changes provide updated scope, licensing, and training requirements that may apply in Med Spa, dermatology, esthetics, and other aesthetic settings.
Microneedling Scope and Electrology Training Detailed in HB 1131
HB 1131 makes separate changes to Indiana law governing estheticians and electrologists. The esthetician provisions took effect July 1, 2026, while several electrology-related requirements are scheduled for 2027.
Microneedling
Indiana’s esthetician scope now expressly includes microneedling, along with newly added eyelash and eyebrow services. The law also sets parameters for microneedling and requires practitioners to maintain documentation of advanced training or certification that can be provided to the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency if requested.
The law expands the statutory definition of an esthetician to include:
- Microneedling
- Eyelash lifting and tinting
- Eyebrow lamination and tinting
Indiana defines microneedling as a cosmetic procedure using fine needles at a penetration depth of at least 0.3 millimeters and no greater than 2 millimeters. These provisions are part of the esthetician scope changes that became effective July 1, 2026.
Electrology
HB 1131 also revises the pathway for electrologist licensure and directs the State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners to update related training rules. Several of the changes are scheduled to take effect in 2027.
The law changes electrologist licensing and training requirements by:
- Removing the requirement that applicants first hold a cosmetologist or esthetician license before applying for an electrologist license.
- Requiring electrologist applicants, beginning July 1, 2027, to complete a combined 600 hours of education and experience under the Board’s electrology training rules.
The law also directs the State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners to amend its rules by June 30, 2027. Those amendments include allowing electrology and esthetics services to be performed in the same room at different times and updating the electrology training standard to reflect the 600-hour education and experience requirement.
Legislative Record
According to House Enrolled Act 1131, signed into law on February 24, 2026, the Indiana General Assembly amended state cosmetology and barber law to expand esthetician scope and revise electrologist licensing and training requirements. The enrolled act sets July 1, 2026, as the effective date for the esthetician provisions and establishes separate 2027 deadlines for electrology-related changes.
Compliance Considerations for Indiana Aesthetic Service Providers
HB 1131 changes Indiana’s statutory scope and licensing requirements for estheticians and electrologists. The microneedling provisions define the procedure by penetration depth and require practitioners to maintain proof of advanced training or certification that can be provided to the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency upon request. Separately, the FDA also regulates certain microneedling products as medical devices based on their intended use.
The law operates alongside other Indiana requirements for aesthetic businesses. Indiana Senate Bill 282 establishes separate Med Spa registration requirements beginning January 1, 2027, including oversight provisions tied to prescription-drug services. Other states also use profession-specific rules to define scope and training requirements for aesthetic procedures. The Kentucky Board of Nursing revised guidance in June 2026 addresses nurse roles in cosmetic and dermatological procedures, including microneedling scope tied to procedure depth.
HB 1131 adds to Indiana’s existing licensing and practice requirements by defining microneedling within the esthetician scope and revising qualification standards for electrologists. For Med Spa and aesthetic operators, applicable scope, training, and education standards exist alongside other state-specific and federal requirements governing aesthetic and cosmetic services.
HB 1131 defines microneedling within the esthetician scope while establishing separate licensing and training requirements for electrologists.
Practical Implications for Indiana Med Spa and Aesthetic Operators
- Verify that estheticians and other licensed professionals performing microneedling are properly licensed and working within appropriate procedure limits.
- Keep records of advanced microneedling training or certification for practitioners who offer the service.
- Review microneedling treatment protocols, device settings, and service offerings to confirm they align with applicable state and federal requirements.
- Confirm, for applicable services, that electrologists meet Indiana’s updated licensing and training requirements taking effect in 2027.
- Ensure that treatment menu updates and staff assignments reflect each practitioner’s appropriate scope of practice.
What to Watch Next
HB 1131 requires the State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners to amend its electrology rules by June 30, 2027, including changes to training requirements and shared treatment-room use. Beginning July 1, 2027, electrologist applicants will be subject to the new 600-hour combined education and experience requirement. Future Board updates may provide additional compliance context for electrology and other aesthetic services in Indiana.
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Image Attribution: “Indiana State Capitol, 100 North Capitol Avenue” by IU Indianapolis University Library, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
