How to look up a license in Ohio
To confirm an Ohio license, search the board that issued it: Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board, Ohio Board of Nursing, ODI and 4 more for the cosmetologists, registered nurses, nursing assistants and insurance agents, among others, we cover.
On this page
Official license searches in Ohio
8 official searches from 7 boards cover the Ohio licenses on this site. One row also links a complaint page.
| Board | Licenses it covers | Search | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board | cosmetologists | License search1 | – |
| Ohio Board of Nursing | registered nurses and nursing assistants | License search2 | – |
| Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI) | insurance agents | License search3 | – |
| Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) | plumbers and electricians | License search4 | File a complaint5 |
| Ohio Department of Health (ODH) | nursing assistants | License search6 | – |
| Private Investigator Security Guard Services (PISGS) | security guards | License search7 | – |
| Private Investigator Security Guard Services (PISGS) | security guards | License search8 | – |
| State Medical Board of Ohio | massage therapists | License search9 | – |
What each search covers
A board's search lists only its own licenses:
- Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board: the 3 credentials it issues for cosmetologists, including Cosmetologist (practicing license), Advanced license to practice cosmetology and Cosmetology instructor license.
- Ohio Board of Nursing: the 3 credentials it issues for registered nurses and nursing assistants, including Registered Nurse (RN) — single state license, Registered Nurse (RN) — multistate license (MSL) and Certified Medication Aide (CMA) certificate.
- Ohio Department of Insurance: the 3 credentials it issues for insurance agents, including Resident insurance agent license, Nonresident insurance agent license and Business entity insurance agent license.
- Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board: the 2 credentials it issues for plumbers and electricians, including Plumbing contractor (Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board state license) and Electrical contractor (Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board state license).
- Ohio Department of Health: the Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) listed on the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry.
- Private Investigator Security Guard Services: the Security guard employee registration (registration identification card).
- Private Investigator Security Guard Services: the 2 credentials it issues for security guards, including Class A – Private Investigation & Security Services and Class C – Security Services.
- State Medical Board of Ohio: the Massage Therapist (MT).
Occupations without a state search here
- Notaries: the Secretary of State pages we cite do not link a public search; ask the board to confirm a license.
- General contractors: Ohio issues no state license, so there is no state search. The page lists what Cleveland and Toledo require; check with that city or county.
How to check a license
Search the board for the work you are hiring for, then check the status, the license type and the expiration date (what to check in the result).
The occupation pages explain what each license level allows: cosmetologists, registered nurses, nursing assistants, insurance agents, plumbers, electricians, security guards, massage therapists.
Sources
Every number and rule above links to one of these official pages. Select a footnote number to read the board's own words.
- elicense.ohio.goveLicense Ohio (Ohio Department of Administrative Services)Checked November 7, 2026
- RN - Registered NursesOhio Board of NursingChecked November 7, 2026
- Resident AgentOhio Department of InsuranceChecked November 7, 2026
- OCILB Contractors & Contracting CompaniesOhio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance, Ohio Construction Industry Licensing BoardChecked November 7, 2026
- Ohio Construction Industry Licensing BoardOhio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial ComplianceChecked November 7, 2026
- ODH Nurse Aide RegistryOhio Department of HealthChecked November 7, 2026
- Skip to Main ContentPrivate Investigator Security Guard ServicesChecked November 7, 2026
- Skip to Main ContentPrivate Investigator Security Guard ServicesChecked November 7, 2026
- Skip to Main ContentState Medical Board of OhioChecked November 7, 2026