Massachusetts Nail Technician License Practice Test
Massachusetts calls the license manicurist; half its theory test is safety and infection control, asked here from 240 CMR 3.00.
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Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering or PSI. Bank checked October 12, 2026.
A disposable glove tears during a pedicure. What does 29 CFR 1910.1030 require?29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(3)(ix)(A)
A jar's label tells the manicurist how long implements must stay in direct contact with the solution. Which term does the CDC's glossary give for that period?CDC, Disinfection and Sterilization Guideline, Glossary
A manicuring salon has a sink in its toilet room. What else does 240 CMR 3.03(18)(b) require?240 CMR 3.03(18)(b)
A manicurist handles every client's blood as if it were known to be infectious, whoever the client is. What does 29 CFR 1910.1030 call this approach to infection control?29 CFR 1910.1030(b)
A manicurist peels off her gloves after a pedicure in which the skin was nicked. What comes next under 29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(2)(v)?29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(2)(v)
A manicurist scrubs a metal pusher with detergent and water to take off visible debris before it goes into the disinfectant jar. Which step is this?CDC, Disinfection and Sterilization Guideline, Glossary
A manicurist wants to know which gloves and what ventilation a new primer calls for. Which of the sixteen sections of its safety data sheet covers that?29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(2)
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Safety and infection control, continued
A Massachusetts salon disinfects its metal pushers in 70% isopropyl alcohol. For how long, at the least, under 240 CMR 3.03(17)?240 CMR 3.03(17)(c)
A nipper breaks a client's skin and blood touches a cut on the manicurist's hand. What does 29 CFR 1910.1030 call this?29 CFR 1910.1030(b)
A product is registered as a hospital disinfectant. Against which three bacteria has it shown efficacy, by the CDC's glossary?CDC, Disinfection and Sterilization Guideline, Glossary
A salon keeps its heating and air conditioning fan running all day for ventilation. How often does OSHA say the owner should have that system cleaned and its filters replaced?OSHA, Health Hazards in Nail Salons: Chemical Hazards
A salon without an exhaust system sets up fans. How does OSHA's nail salon page say the fans should move the air?OSHA, Health Hazards in Nail Salons: Chemical Hazards
From what must fluids, powders and emulsions be applied under 240 CMR 3.03(9)?240 CMR 3.03(9)
How many patrons may one clean towel be used for in a Massachusetts salon?240 CMR 3.03(3)
Soaking nippers in a disinfectant is called less lethal than sterilizing them in an autoclave. Why, by the CDC's disinfection guideline?CDC, Disinfection and Sterilization Guideline, Glossary
To what are disinfectants applied, as the CDC's glossary uses the word?CDC, Disinfection and Sterilization Guideline, Glossary
Under 240 CMR 3.02, with what must every salon be equipped, besides being kept clean, orderly and sanitary?240 CMR 3.02(1)(d)
Under 240 CMR 3.03, what must a Massachusetts manicurist wash the hands with immediately before and after serving each patron?240 CMR 3.03(1)
What does 240 CMR 3.03(13) say about an implement that cannot be disinfected?240 CMR 3.03(13)
What does the Massachusetts salon regulation say about footwear?240 CMR 3.03(2)
What grade must the disinfectants named in 240 CMR 3.03(17)(d) be?240 CMR 3.03(17)(d)
Where do soiled towels go under 240 CMR 3.03(5)?240 CMR 3.03(5)
Where does 240 CMR 3.02(2)(b) forbid a salon to be operated or maintained?240 CMR 3.02(2)(b)
Where must equipment be kept after it has been cleaned and disinfected in a Massachusetts salon?240 CMR 3.03(14)
Which animals may be on the premises of a Massachusetts salon?240 CMR 3.02(1)(i)
Which bleach mixture does the Massachusetts salon regulation accept for disinfecting instruments?240 CMR 3.03(17)(e)
Which level of decontamination renders a product free of all forms of viable microorganisms?CDC, Disinfection and Sterilization Guideline, Glossary
Which of these does 240 CMR 3.02(2)(c) prohibit in all cosmetology salons?240 CMR 3.02(2)(c)
Which of these is on the list of accepted disinfection methods in 240 CMR 3.03(17)?240 CMR 3.03(17)(b)
Which two items must every Massachusetts manicuring salon have at least one of, under 240 CMR 3.03(18)(b)?240 CMR 3.03(18)(b)
Client consultation and nail analysis 11
A client with diabetes has a sore ingrown toenail. What does MedlinePlus tell such a person to do?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Ingrown toenail
A client with psoriasis asks whether the condition can show in the nails. Which nail changes does MedlinePlus list?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Psoriasis
A client's nails curve downward like the bowl of a spoon turned over and seem to float on a soft nail bed. What is this change called?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Clubbing of the fingers or toes
A patron's fingers show ringworm. What does 240 CMR 3.03(19) require of the manicurist?240 CMR 3.03(19)
After a contagious infection is identified and the service is stopped, what else does 240 CMR 3.03(19) require?240 CMR 3.03(19)
Blisters on a client's hand ooze a honey-colored fluid and crust over. Which infection does MedlinePlus describe this way?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Impetigo
By MedlinePlus, how long may a person tolerate a substance, such as a nail product ingredient, before an allergy to it develops?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Contact dermatitis
During nail analysis a client's fingernail beds look bluish or purple. Of what may this be a symptom?Wikipedia, Nail (anatomy)
Once a person develops a contact allergy to a substance, how long does MedlinePlus say the allergy lasts?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Contact dermatitis
Thin red to reddish-brown lines lie under a client's nail and run in the direction of nail growth. What are they?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Splinter hemorrhages
Which airborne salon exposure does MedlinePlus name as able to cause contact dermatitis?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Contact dermatitis
Skin care 6
A client has atopic dermatitis, a type of eczema. Which additives in a hand lotion can make the symptoms worse, by MedlinePlus?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Atopic dermatitis
A manicurist wants to wet paper towels in a bowl of warm water and lay them on a patron's hands. What does 240 CMR 3.03(7) say?240 CMR 3.03(7)
How must hand cream be taken from its jar in a Massachusetts salon?240 CMR 3.03(11)
Swedish massage uses five basic strokes. Effleurage, petrissage, tapotement and friction are four. Which is the fifth?Wikipedia, Massage
What do emollients or moisturizers do for skin with irritant contact dermatitis, by MedlinePlus?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Contact dermatitis
What does M.G.L. c. 112, section 87KK say about a manicurist's license and massage?M.G.L. c. 112, section 87KK
Nail care 13
A client asks the manicurist to cut out the ingrown corner of a toenail. What does MedlinePlus say about cutting out the ingrown portion?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Ingrown toenail
A client wants extra length. Which enhancement gives strength and can fix a broken nail but is not used to lengthen it?Wikipedia, Artificial nails
A jar of cuticle cream stands open on the station while nails are being filed. What does 240 CMR 3.03(12) require?240 CMR 3.03(12)
A nail clipper has convex clipping ends. Which nails is it intended to trim?Wikipedia, Nail clipper
Besides helping polish adhere, what does a base coat prevent?Wikipedia, Nail polish
Blood has pooled under a client's nail after an injury and the plate has begun to lift. What should happen to the loosened nail?Wikipedia, Subungual hematoma
Nail glue is a cyanoacrylate. What happens when it is applied to cotton, such as a cotton ball or cotton glove?Wikipedia, Cyanoacrylate
Shortening a long nail takes more strokes with one kind of file, because it is generally the less abrasive. Which kind?Wikipedia, Nail file
What should be kept off the top of a ventilated manicure table, by the EPA nail salon guide?EPA, Protecting the Health of Nail Salon Workers (EPA 744-F-07-001)
Where does the EPA nail salon guide say product should be poured from a large container into a small labeled one?EPA, Protecting the Health of Nail Salon Workers (EPA 744-F-07-001)
Which home care can a manicurist suggest to help prevent hangnails from forming?Wikipedia, Hangnail
Which odor is a sign that a salon may still be using MMA liquid?Wikipedia, Artificial nails
Which salon acts does MedlinePlus name among the injuries that lead to paronychia?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Paronychia
Massachusetts license law (extra) 8
A Massachusetts license has gone unrenewed for more than 3 years. What must its holder pass to renew it, under section 87GG?M.G.L. c. 112, section 87GG
A salon owner plans to move to a new address. How far ahead must the Board be told in writing?240 CMR 3.01(5)(b)
How does M.G.L. c. 112, section 87T define manicuring?M.G.L. c. 112, section 87T
How many hours of professional training in manicuring does 240 CMR 2.01(3) ask of an applicant for a Massachusetts manicurist license?240 CMR 2.01(3)
How much practical experience as a Massachusetts licensed manicurist does a manicuring instructor applicant need?240 CMR 2.01(9)
In which of these may a Massachusetts manicurist be employed, besides a manicuring salon?240 CMR 2.01(3)
May a manicuring student practice on a paying customer, under M.G.L. c. 112, section 87U?M.G.L. c. 112, section 87U
What must a Massachusetts manicurist have in physical possession while working, under 240 CMR 3.01(7)?240 CMR 3.01(7)
How this list was compiled: Outline: the Manicurist candidate bulletin for the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering, version 1.4, effective August 3, 2026, published by PSI Services LLC (https://test-takers.psiexams.com/api/content/bulletin/10481): Manicurist Theory, 60 scored and 5 unscored questions, 90 minutes, at least 70 percent, four topics of 50, 18, 10 and 22 percent. Facts: 240 CMR 2.00 and 3.00 (Mass. Register 1559, October 24, 2025) on mass.gov, M.G.L. chapter 112, sections 87T to 87KK, on malegislature.gov, 29 CFR 1910.1030 and 1910.1200, and public pages of the CDC, OSHA, the EPA, MedlinePlus and Wikipedia. Each question names its section or page and links to it. Read 2026-10-12. 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, the sample questions in its bulletin, a testing vendor, a textbook or a prep course.
How it works
This unofficial Massachusetts nail technician license practice test follows the candidate bulletin's Manicurist Theory outline. It is not affiliated with the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering or PSI Services LLC, and no question comes from the test.
Read the full guide
What the Massachusetts manicurist theory test covers
The Manicurist candidate bulletin (version 1.4, effective August 3, 2026) weights four topics: Safety and Infection Control 50 percent, Client Consultation and Nail Analysis 18, Skin Care 10 and Nail Care 22. Eight more questions here cover Massachusetts license law, which the outline does not list.
Massachusetts rules to know cold
240 CMR 3.03 accepts five ways to disinfect, among them 70 percent isopropyl alcohol for ten minutes and a 10 percent bleach solution, has disinfected equipment kept in airtight containers, and stops a service at once when ringworm or impetigo is seen.
A manicuring course is at least 100 hours, and the license also lets you work in a barber shop (240 CMR 2.01(3)).
Creams come out of the jar on a clean spatula, never the fingers, and jars stay covered when not in use (240 CMR 3.03).
A license left unrenewed for more than three years comes back only after a practical examination (M.G.L. c. 112, section 87GG).
Questions and answers
Is there a practice test for a nail technician license in Massachusetts?
This page is one: 68 free questions of our own in the four topics of the Manicurist Theory outline, each naming the Massachusetts regulation or public page behind its answer.
How many questions are on the Massachusetts manicurist exam?
The bulletin gives 60 scored questions and 5 unscored experimental ones, 90 minutes, and at least 70 percent to pass.
Does this cover the Massachusetts manicurist written practical exam?
Not as a test of its own. Where it is required, the outline posted for the Manicurist Written Practical lists 45 scored questions on safety and infection control, nail analysis, basic manicure and pedicure, and nail enhancements. This page follows the theory outline.
Are these the real Massachusetts manicurist test questions?
No. Every question is our own, written from 240 CMR 2.00 and 3.00, chapter 112 of the General Laws and public pages such as the CDC's and MedlinePlus. Nothing comes from the test or the bulletin's two samples.