Illinois Nail Technician License Exam Practice Test
Illinois spells out pedicure equipment cleaning step by step: after each client, every night and once a week.
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Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, CTS or PSI. Bank checked October 16, 2026.
A client asks an Illinois nail technician what medicine would clear up a diseased nail. What does the Act's definition of a nail technician say?225 ILCS 410/3C-1
A towel has been used on an Illinois client. What must hold it after use?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
An Illinois client's skin is inflamed where the massage would go. What do the sanitary standards say?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
An Illinois hospital grade disinfectant is registered with the EPA and performs three functions. Which three?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
An Illinois nail technician clears the table after a manicure. Which of these items must be thrown away, not disinfected?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
An Illinois salon keeps unused tools and tools that have been through the disinfectant. Where do they go in relation to the rest?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
An Illinois technician wants to keep a few other things in the drawer that holds the clean tools. What do the sanitary standards allow there?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
Besides soap and water, what may an Illinois licensee use on the hands before and after serving each client?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
Show all 66 questions (58 more)
Health and safety, continued
Continued practice while knowingly having an infectious or contagious disease: how does the Illinois Act treat it?225 ILCS 410/4-7
In Illinois a tool, implement or item has touched a client. What do the sanitary standards require before the next client?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
Lotion in a multi-use container becomes contaminated during an Illinois service. What is done with that product?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
Two hazards of one salon product call for the same pictogram. How many times may that pictogram appear on the label?OSHA: Hazard Communication Standard Pictogram
Under Illinois's sanitary standards, whose requirements set the ventilation a salon must provide?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
Under the Illinois sanitary standards, which of these towels counts as clean?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
When must disinfecting agents be available for immediate use in an Illinois salon?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
Which animal may be inside an Illinois salon?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
Which sink does NOT qualify as an Illinois salon's source of hot and cold running water?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
Whom may the owner or manager of an Illinois salon not knowingly permit to work on the premises?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
With what are non-disposable manicure tools disinfected after each client in Illinois?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
Nail care 11
A client's nail plate, not the nail bed, is stained. With what are such stains associated?Wikipedia: Nail disease
A client's nails are unusually thick. With what is unusual thickness of the nails associated?Wikipedia: Nail disease
Beau's lines are deep grooves that run from side to side across a nail. What is believed to happen in the nail matrix to cause them?Wikipedia: Beau's lines
Leukonychia takes several forms. Which one shows as small white spots and is the commonest?Wikipedia: Leukonychia
Most of a nail is not living tissue. Which part is?Wikipedia: Nail (anatomy)
On some healthy nails no lunula can be seen. Which fold of skin may be covering it, partly or completely?Wikipedia: Lunula (anatomy)
What is onychophosis?Wikipedia: Nail disease
What is the nail wall?Wikipedia: Nail (anatomy)
Where is the nail root?Wikipedia: Nail (anatomy)
Which term names red bands in the nail that come from some inflammatory conditions?Wikipedia: Nail disease
Why does a healthy nail plate look pink?Wikipedia: Nail (anatomy)
Nail technology services 30
A client believes that acrylics take the place of her own nails. What are artificial nails, in fact?Wikipedia: Artificial nails
A manicure or pedicure in Illinois may include massage. Which parts of the body does the Act let a nail technician massage?225 ILCS 410/3C-1
A nail has been buffed before gel polish goes on. What should the technician remove for the best adhesion?Wikipedia: Nail buffing
A natural nail is broken, damaged or too short for the look a client wants. What can an acrylic nail do for it?Wikipedia: Artificial nails
An Illinois licensee uses a device that the FDA has classified. What must the licensee be able to do about its documentation?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
An Illinois licensee uses a product in a way that is contrary to the manufacturer's indication for use. How do the rules class that?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.120
An Illinois technician has used an electric file on a client. Which parts of it are on the list of items disposed of after each use?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
Artificial nails are made by reacting an acrylic monomer, such as ethyl methacrylate, with an acrylic polymer. Which polymer is the usual example?FDA: Nail Care Products
At the end of every day, what is taken out of an Illinois whirlpool pedicure basin so that the debris trapped behind it can be removed?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
At what temperature is paraffin kept for hand and foot treatments in an Illinois salon?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
Besides an EPA-registered disinfectant, what may be sprayed on the interior of an Illinois pedicure basin to disinfect it after each client?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
Compared with regular nail polish, how does a gel nail cured under ultraviolet light hold up?Wikipedia: Artificial nails
Drain, clean and rinse, disinfect: which step then finishes the Illinois procedure for a pedicure basin between clients?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
During the look-over before a pedicure, one toe is bent at its middle joint in a hammer toe. Which toe does hammer toe most often affect?MedlinePlus: Hammer toe
For how many days back must the record of an Illinois salon's weekly pedicure equipment cleaning be readily available to a client or an inspector?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
How does Illinois keep the wax left in a paraffin bath from being contaminated?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
How is a natural nail polished to a shine without nail polish?Wikipedia: Nail buffing
How long does the nightly soap flush of an Illinois pedicure system last?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
Illinois's once-a-week soak of a pedicure basin uses cold water and 5.25% household bleach. What measure of bleach per gallon?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
Nail products that contain the monomer methyl methacrylate (MMA): what is the Illinois rule?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
Soap and water or a waterless hand sanitizer: at which point of an Illinois nail service must the hands or feet of the client be washed with one of them?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
The weekly bleach solution has been circulated through an Illinois foot spa. How long is it then left to sit in the basin?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
What gives some nail polishes a glittery, shimmering look?Wikipedia: Nail polish
What is an orange stick?Wikipedia: Nail art
When may an Illinois licensee use a manual or mechanical device, such as an electric file, on a client?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115
Which is the most common type of nail art?Wikipedia: Nail art
Which nail art method uses a pre-cut shape to create the design on the nail?Wikipedia: Nail art
Which nail shape is very similar to square, but with tapered edges?Wikipedia: Nail art
Which of these are embellishments used to add to an artificial nail's design?Wikipedia: Artificial nails
Which techniques, products and practices does the Illinois definition of a nail technician prohibit?225 ILCS 410/3C-1
Illinois license law (extra) 6
How many hours of continuing education does an Illinois nail technician certify when renewing, after the first renewal?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.1025
The Illinois Act asks for a nail technology program of how many hours, spread over at least how many weeks?225 ILCS 410/3C-2
The Illinois Act names the spot for a license in a salon or shop. Which spot?225 ILCS 410/1-10
Illinois sets one expiration date for every nail technician license. Which?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.1025
What is the minimum age in the Illinois Act for a nail technician license?225 ILCS 410/3C-2
What is the passing score on the Illinois nail technician examination?68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.1010
How this list was compiled: Outline: the Candidate Study Guide for the Illinois Nail Technician Examination (effective 8/5/2022), published by Continental Testing Services for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (https://www.continentaltesting.net/downloads/514.pdf): 65 questions, 90 minutes, a score of 75 to pass, three content areas of 30 to 35, 15 to 20 and 48 to 52 percent. Facts: 68 Ill. Adm. Code Part 1175 and the Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding, and Nail Technology Act of 1985, 225 ILCS 410, both on the Illinois General Assembly's site (https://www.ilga.gov), OSHA's Hazard Communication pictogram card, the FDA's Nail Care Products page, MedlinePlus and Wikipedia articles. Each question names its section or page and links to it. Read 2026-10-16. Licence: Own work. Every question, wrong choice and explanation was written for this site from the public texts named. Nothing comes from the real examination, a testing vendor, a textbook or a prep course.
How it works
This unofficial Illinois nail technician license exam practice test follows the content areas of the candidate study guide. It is not affiliated with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Continental Testing Services or PSI.
Read the full guide
What the Illinois nail technician exam covers
The Candidate Study Guide (effective August 5, 2022), opened October 16, 2026, lists three content areas: health and safety 30 to 35 percent, nail care 15 to 20, nail technology services 48 to 52. Six extra questions here cover license law.
Illinois rules to know cold
68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115 prohibits nail products with MMA, makes emery boards, buffer blocks, pumice stones and sanding bands single-use, has manicure tools disinfected with a hospital grade disinfectant after each client, and asks a 90-day record of the weekly foot spa cleaning.
A nail technician may massage hands, arms, elbows, feet, lower legs and knees, and may not affect living layers of skin (225 ILCS 410/3C-1).
Restroom sinks do not count as a salon's source of hot and cold running water (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115).
Licenses expire on October 31 of even-numbered years, and renewal after the first takes 10 hours of continuing education (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.1025).
Questions and answers
Is there a free practice test for the Illinois nail technician's license exam?
This page is one: 66 questions of our own, each naming the Illinois rule or public page behind its answer. None is taken from the examination or from the study guide's ten sample questions.
How many questions are on the Illinois nail tech exam, and what score passes?
The study guide gives 65 multiple-choice questions and 90 minutes. A score of 75 or higher passes (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.1010), and an unofficial score report is handed out at the test center.
Where is the official Illinois nail technician study guide?
Continental Testing Services publishes the Candidate Study Guide for the Illinois Nail Technician Examination on its site. It has the content outline, ten sample questions and the four textbooks the questions are drawn from.
Is there an IL nail tech study guide for the state rules?
The rules themselves: 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.115 holds the sanitary standards and Article IIIC of the Act the license. Forty-one questions here are written from them and link to the text.