Oregon Nail Technician Practice Test

Oregon writes its own nail technology exam; these 60 questions follow the six domains and twelve parts of its bulletin.

A client's nail has turned blue. Intake of which metal does MedlinePlus name as a cause?

Pick an answer, then press Check answer. Then you see Correct or Not quite, with the reason. Keys: A to D pick, Enter checks.

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Exam mode: 60 questions, 54 minutes, 45 right to pass (75%).

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Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with the Oregon Health Licensing Office and its Board of Cosmetology. Bank checked October 12, 2026.

Next step Next: the Oregon Laws and Rules practice testNail technician tests for other states

All 60 questions

Anatomy and physiology 15

  • A client has lost a toenail. About how long does a toenail need to regrow completely? Wikipedia, Nail (anatomy)
  • A client's hands show uneven white patches with no pigment, though the skin feels normal. What happens in vitiligo? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Vitiligo
  • A client's nail has turned blue. Intake of which metal does MedlinePlus name as a cause? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Nail abnormalities
  • An older pedicure client's toenails are hard and thick. What does MedlinePlus say of this change? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Aging changes in hair and nails
  • Cellulitis is a common bacterial skin infection that a nail technician may see as spreading redness on a lower leg. Which layer of the skin does it affect? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Cellulitis
  • The eight carpal bones of the wrist lie in two rows. Which bones make up the proximal row? Wikipedia, Carpal bones
  • The lunula is the whitish crescent at the base of the visible nail. What gives it that white appearance? Wikipedia, Nail (anatomy)
  • The nail bed is skin. Of which two types of tissue is it made? Wikipedia, Nail (anatomy)
  • The nail plate is not waterproof. About what share of the nail's composition is water? Wikipedia, Nail (anatomy)
Show all 60 questions (51 more)

Anatomy and physiology, continued

  • On which digit can the lunula best be seen? Wikipedia, Nail (anatomy)
  • Onychocryptosis is the medical word for which common nail disorder? Wikipedia, Nail (anatomy)
  • What determines whether a nail plate is flat, arched or hooked? Wikipedia, Nail (anatomy)
  • What is the onychodermal band? Wikipedia, Nail (anatomy)
  • Which bone of the foot is the ankle bone, joined above to the tibia and fibula? Wikipedia, Tarsus (skeleton)
  • Which of these is a function of a healthy fingernail? Wikipedia, Nail (anatomy)

Microbiology 2

  • HIV is a lipid, or enveloped, virus. How does the CDC's glossary describe such a virus's resistance to disinfectants? CDC, Disinfection and Sterilization Guideline, Glossary
  • Why are mycobacteria more resistant to chemical germicides than other vegetative bacteria? CDC, Disinfection and Sterilization Guideline, Glossary

Nail services 17

  • A client asks the technician to nip off a wart beside her nail. What does MedlinePlus say about removing a wart by cutting or picking? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Warts
  • A client asks whether a drugstore cream will clear her fungal toenail. What does MedlinePlus say about creams and ointments sold over the counter? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Fungal nail infection
  • A loose hangnail stands up beside a client's nail. With what is the loose piece of skin clipped? Wikipedia, Hangnail
  • About how long do nail wraps last? Wikipedia, Artificial nails
  • Besides soap and water, which products does OAR 817-010-0008(1) accept for washing the hands before and after serving each client? OAR 817-010-0008(1)
  • During nail analysis a technician sees new pits, ridges and lines in a client's nails. What does MedlinePlus advise for such changes? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Aging changes in hair and nails
  • Fingernail damage and deformity were reported with methyl methacrylate monomer in the early 1970s. What does the FDA say of ethyl methacrylate polymers? FDA, Nail Care Products
  • Gel polish may hold for up to two weeks. How long does regular nail polish typically last without chipping? Wikipedia, Nail polish
  • How far up the leg may an Oregon nail technician massage, cleanse or beautify during a pedicure, under ORS 690.005(14)(b)? ORS 690.005(14)(b)
  • In an acrylic service, the liquid monomer is usually ethyl methacrylate. With what is it mixed in the bottle? Wikipedia, Artificial nails
  • Under ORS 690.005(14), for which purposes are the manicuring and pedicuring practices of nail technology performed? ORS 690.005(14)
  • What may frequent touch-ups of artificial nails do to the natural nails? Wikipedia, Artificial nails
  • What often happens to the natural nails when acrylic nails are removed improperly? Wikipedia, Artificial nails
  • Which artificial nail work does ORS 690.005(14)(c) place within nail technology? ORS 690.005(14)(c)
  • Which nail products does OAR 817-010-0055(2) name among the substances that must be applied so that what remains in the container is not contaminated? OAR 817-010-0055(2)
  • Which products can be applied to give acrylic nails color? Wikipedia, Artificial nails
  • Why can a pedicure that is performed too aggressively raise the client's risk of infection? Wikipedia, Pedicure

Implements, tools and equipment 10

  • A metal cuticle pusher has been cleaned with detergent and rinsed in an Oregon facility. Because it counts as a tool with a sharp edge or point, in what is it then completely immersed? OAR 817-010-0068(7)
  • A nail clipper has been cleaned with soap or detergent and water. What is the next step before it goes into the disinfectant, under OAR 817-010-0068(5)? OAR 817-010-0068(5)(c)
  • An orangewood stick and the sanding band of an electric file have been used on an Oregon client. What does OAR 817-010-0068(11) require? OAR 817-010-0068(11)
  • An Oregon nail technician wore disposable protective gloves for a pedicure. What does OAR 817-010-0068(12) say is done with them? OAR 817-010-0068(12)
  • The EPA's foot spa page notes that some states require a weekly flush of the whirlpool mechanism. With what, and for how long? EPA, Recommended Cleaning and Disinfection Procedures for Foot Spa Basins in Salons
  • The handpiece of an electric nail file is an electrical tool. Once all foreign material is removed, how is it disinfected before each use in Oregon? OAR 817-010-0069(1)(b)
  • In the Oregon Board's definitions, to which class of tools do cuticle nippers, cuticle pushers, nail clippers and metal nail files belong? OAR 817-005-0005(38)
  • Some metal nail files are coated with a hard abrasive. Which one? Wikipedia, Nail file
  • Under which heading do the Oregon Board's definitions place pedicure bowls, whirlpool foot spas, paraffin wax containers and nail technology tables? OAR 817-005-0005(14)
  • What are the two common varieties of nail clipper? Wikipedia, Nail clipper

Product knowledge and chemistry 11

  • A client's old lacquer is taken off with an organic solvent. Which solvent is the most common remover? Wikipedia, Nail polish
  • Acetone is the most common polish remover. How does it behave with water? Wikipedia, Acetone
  • An alternative polish remover is ethyl acetate. What does it often also contain? Wikipedia, Nail polish
  • In the EPA nail salon guide's ingredients table, camphor is listed as an ingredient of which product? EPA, Protecting the Health of Nail Salon Workers (EPA 744-F-07-001), ingredients table
  • Liquid glue removers that hold more than how much acetonitrile in a single container must have child-resistant packaging? FDA, Nail Care Products
  • Many topcoats are sold as quick to dry. What can a topcoat do for the colored polish under it? Wikipedia, Nail polish
  • Methacrylic acid is used in some nail primers. How does it relate to the methacrylate monomers of acrylic liquid, by the FDA? FDA, Nail Care Products
  • Phthalates are plasticizers. Which one does the FDA say has been the most commonly used in nail polishes? FDA, Nail Care Products
  • Up to what concentration did the Cosmetic Ingredient Review find toluene safe for use in nail products in 1987, as the FDA reports? FDA, Nail Care Products
  • Water with more free hydrogen ions than hydroxyl ions is described how? U.S. Geological Survey, pH and Water
  • What must a solution contain in order to have a pH at all? U.S. Geological Survey, pH and Water

Safety and infection control 5

  • The disinfectant used on an Oregon foot spa carries a federal registration number. With which agency is a surface disinfectant registered, and as what? EPA, What's the difference between products that disinfect, sanitize, and clean surfaces?
  • Do nail products need Food and Drug Administration approval before they go on the market? FDA, Nail Care Products
  • What does adequate ventilation remove or exhaust, in the Oregon Board's definition? OAR 817-005-0005(1)
  • When an employee has occupational exposure to blood, who pays for the gloves and other personal protective equipment under OSHA's 29 CFR 1910.1030? 29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(3)(i)
  • Which cosmetic products are Oregon authorization holders prohibited from using, under OAR 817-060-0030(3)(a)? OAR 817-060-0030(3)(a)

How this list was compiled: Outline: the Nail Technology Examination Information Bulletin of the Oregon Health Licensing Office, Board of Cosmetology (examination implemented January 1, 2016; https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/HLO/Documents/COS_Nail_Examination_Information_Bulletin-07-01-18.pdf): 100 questions, 90 minutes, at least 75 percent, six domains of 26, 4, 27, 17, 18 and 8 percent. Facts: Oregon Administrative Rules chapter 817 in the Health Licensing Office's own copy of the Board of Cosmetology rules, marked unofficial, permanent rules effective July 1, 2024 (https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/HLO/Rules/COS-Rules.pdf), ORS 690.005 on the Oregon Legislature's site, 29 CFR 1910.1030, and public pages of the CDC, the EPA, the FDA, the U.S. Geological Survey, MedlinePlus and Wikipedia. Each question names its rule 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, a testing vendor, a textbook or a prep course.

How it works

This unofficial Oregon nail technician practice test is divided like the Health Licensing Office's Nail Technology examination bulletin. It is not affiliated with the Oregon Health Licensing Office or its Board of Cosmetology, and no question comes from the examination.

Read the full guide

What the Oregon nail technology examination asks

The Office's Nail Technology Examination Information Bulletin, opened on October 12, 2026, sets out six domains: anatomy and physiology 26 questions, microbiology 4, nail services 27, implements, tools and equipment 17, product knowledge and chemistry 18, safety and infection control 8.

Oregon nail rules to know cold

Cuticle nippers, pushers, nail clippers and metal files count as sharp-edged tools and go into a high-level disinfectant (OAR 817-010-0068). Buffer blocks, pumice blocks, orangewood sticks and sanding bands are given to the client or discarded. The bulletin's two textbooks are not used here, so application steps and massage movements are not asked.

  • Oregon nail technology is cosmetic work on the nails, hands and arms below the elbow, and feet and legs below the knee (ORS 690.005(14)).
  • An electric file's handpiece is disinfected with a low-level disinfectant before each use (OAR 817-010-0069).
  • Nail powders and liquids are dispensed so that what stays in the container is never contaminated (OAR 817-010-0055).

Questions and answers

How many questions are on the Oregon nail technology exam?

The Office's bulletin lists 100 questions, a 90-minute time limit and a passing score of at least 75 percent, the mark OAR 817-006-0075 also sets.

Does this cover the Oregon Laws and Rules exam?

No. Oregon applicants also sit a separate Laws and Rules written examination; the Oregon cosmetology page on this site practices it. This page keeps to the nail technology examination and asks only the rules that bear on nail services.

Is there a practical exam for Oregon nail technicians?

Yes, but not at the Office. Its licensing page says the school sends the Office the applicant's passing score on a Board-approved practical examination, valid for five years. This page practices the written nail technology examination only.

Are these the real Oregon nail technician exam questions?

No. Every question is our own, written from Oregon's rules and statute and from public pages of federal agencies, MedlinePlus and Wikipedia, each named under its answer. None comes from the Office's examination.

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