A salon hires a pedicurist whose duties bring exposure to blood. By which deadline does 29 CFR 1910.1030(f) have the employer offer the hepatitis B vaccine?29 CFR 1910.1030(f)(2)(i)
A South Carolina nail technician wipes her metal pusher with rubbing alcohol between clients. What does Regulation 35-20(I) say of alcohol?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(I)(1)(b)
A South Carolina salon uses a bleach product to disinfect. What must that product have?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(I)(1)(b)
A South Carolina salon wants to use an autoclave. What does Regulation 35-20(P)(9) require first?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(P)(9)
Before serving each patron, how must a person performing nail services in South Carolina clean the hands?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(G)
For what may an ultraviolet (UV) light box be used in a South Carolina salon?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(P)(8)
How often must the disinfectant solution in a South Carolina salon's immersion container be changed?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(I)(3)(b)
Raising a client's hand so the technician need not bend over, and padding the hard edge of the table, are ergonomic fixes. What is ergonomics?OSHA, Health Hazards in Nail Salons: Awkward Positions and Repetitive Motions
Which four kinds of activity must the EPA-registered disinfectant in a South Carolina salon have demonstrated?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(I)(1)(b)
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Anatomy and physiology 9
A client's thumb, index finger and middle finger tingle from carpal tunnel syndrome. Which nerve gives feeling to that side of the hand?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Carpal tunnel syndrome
A pedicure client has a bump on the inside edge of the foot at the base of the big toe. What has the big toe done when a bunion forms?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Bunions
A pedicure client mentions heel pain from plantar fasciitis. What is the plantar fascia?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Plantar fasciitis
Between which two groups of bones do the metacarpals, or palm bones, lie?Wikipedia, Metacarpal bones
The five metatarsal bones of the foot have no names of their own. From which side are they numbered?Wikipedia, Metatarsal bones
South Carolina's Regulation 35-20(P)(6) says exfoliation must not remove cells beyond the basal layer of the epidermis. By what other name does it call that layer?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(P)(6)
To which fingers is the ulnar nerve directly connected?Wikipedia, Ulnar nerve
What are the prominent, knobby ends of the phalanges of the hand commonly called?Wikipedia, Phalanx bone
Which is the largest bone of the tarsus, the bone inside the heel that bears the body's weight?Wikipedia, Tarsus (skeleton)
Chemistry of nail products 6
A gel product holds a photoinitiator. What does a photoinitiator do when it is exposed to UV or visible radiation?Wikipedia, Photoinitiator
A label describes a water-based solution as a base. On the scale that runs from 0 to 14, where must its pH lie?U.S. Geological Survey, pH and Water
One product has a pH of 4 and another a pH of 5. How much does each whole number on the pH scale represent?U.S. Geological Survey, pH and Water
Ordinary nail polish is a polymer that forms a film, dissolved in an organic solvent that evaporates readily. Which solvents are commonly used?Wikipedia, Nail polish
What is polymerization?Wikipedia, Polymerization
Which artificial nail liquid may a South Carolina licensee not use, under Regulation 35-20(P)(1)?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(P)(1)
Pre-service process 3
A patron arrives with a known infestation of parasites. What does South Carolina's Regulation 35-20(F)(3) say?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(F)(3)
During the look-over before a pedicure, the skin between a client's toes is cracked and peeling from athlete's foot. How does MedlinePlus say the infection is passed on?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Athlete's foot
While setting up the station, how must bottles and containers in use be labeled in a South Carolina salon?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(N)
Nail service tools 8
A buffer has touched a patron and cannot be disinfected. Where does it go, under South Carolina's Regulation 35-20(H)?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(H)
A South Carolina nail salon uses a towel warmer for hot towel services. How often must the warmer be disinfected?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(J)(3)
How large must a South Carolina salon's wet disinfectant container be?S.C. Code Regs. 35-16(A)(1)
What is the first step in disinfecting an electrical implement before each use in a South Carolina salon?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(J)(1)
Where are disinfected non-electrical implements stored in a South Carolina salon?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(I)(2)
Which callus tool is on South Carolina's list of prohibited implements?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(P)(2)
Which container does South Carolina's Regulation 35-16 put on a salon's minimum equipment list for used or contaminated implements?S.C. Code Regs. 35-16(A)(2)
Which electric files or drills does South Carolina's Regulation 35-20(P)(10) prohibit?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(P)(10)
Manicure and pedicure services 11
A cloth towel has been used once during a South Carolina manicure. Where is it put?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(M)(1)
A nipper draws a drop of blood at the cuticle. In which form may alum or another astringent not be used in South Carolina?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(P)(3)
After each pedicure client in South Carolina the tub is drained completely. What is it cleaned with next, to remove all film from the bowl?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(J)(4)(a)(ii)
The disinfectant in a South Carolina pedicure tub has stood for its contact time. What is done before the tub is filled for the next client?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(J)(4)(a)(vi)
Hot towels are being prepared for the towel warmer before a day of South Carolina manicures. What must the practitioner do first?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(J)(3)(b)
In a circulating pedicure tub in South Carolina, what must the disinfectant do for the contact time listed on the label?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(J)(4)(a)(v)
Only part of a jar of massage cream will be used on a South Carolina patron. How must it be taken out?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(K)(2)
Paraffin has been taken from the warmer for one South Carolina patron's hands. What may not be done with it afterward?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(K)(3)
What does South Carolina's end-of-day pedicure tub procedure add to the steps done after each client?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(J)(4)(b)(ii)
Which organism is a known cause of foot spa infections?Wikipedia, Pedicure
Which pedicure offering is on South Carolina's list of prohibited procedures?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(P)(5)
Nail enhancement services 12
A glued-on tip has to come off. Which widely available solvent can soften cured cyanoacrylate?Wikipedia, Cyanoacrylate
A South Carolina salon keeps a bottle of MMA liquid monomer in its storeroom and says it is never used on a patron. What does Regulation 35-20(P)(11) say?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(P)(11)
About how long do dip powder nails tend to last?Wikipedia, Artificial nails
An artificial nail is bumped hard against a counter. What can such minor trauma cause?Wikipedia, Artificial nails
An electric file used for acrylic fills has been disinfected in a South Carolina salon. Which of these does Regulation 35-20(J)(2) accept for storing it until the next patron?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(J)(2)
How is a nail wrap taken off correctly?Wikipedia, Artificial nails
Most U.S. states have banned methyl methacrylate in cosmetology. Which effects can exposure to it cause?Wikipedia, Artificial nails
Nail glue is a cyanoacrylate adhesive. How long is its shelf life once the bottle has been opened?Wikipedia, Cyanoacrylate
What are the two main ways to build artificial nails?Wikipedia, Artificial nails
What did the FDA do in the early 1970s about artificial nail products made of 100 percent methyl methacrylate monomer?FDA, Nail Care Products
What happens when liquid MMA monomer is mixed with powdered acrylic, by the EPA nail salon guide's fact sheet?EPA, Protecting the Health of Nail Salon Workers (EPA 744-F-07-001), fact sheet on liquid MMA monomer
Why are soft gel tips made clear?Wikipedia, Artificial nails
Post-service procedures 2
A client asks how to protect her nails while washing dishes at home. Which gloves does MedlinePlus call best?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Paronychia
The service is over and the implements have been used on a South Carolina patron. Where do they wait until they can be disinfected?S.C. Code Regs. 35-20(I)(4)
South Carolina license law (extra) 8
A South Carolina applicant passes the theory examination and fails the practical. What must be retaken, under Regulation 35-5?S.C. Code Regs. 35-5(E)
A South Carolina license has been expired for more than three years. What does S.C. Code 40-13-250(C) require before a new one is issued?S.C. Code Ann. 40-13-250(C)
An applicant licensed in another state applies to South Carolina by comity. Which examination does Regulation 35-5(G) add?S.C. Code Regs. 35-5(G)
How many contact hours of Board-approved continuing education does Regulation 35-23 ask of a nail technician for license renewal?S.C. Code Regs. 35-23(A)
How many hours of classes in an approved nail technician school does South Carolina's statute ask of a license applicant?S.C. Code Ann. 40-13-230(C)(2)
How often does the holder of an individual South Carolina license renew it?S.C. Code Ann. 40-13-250(A)
S.C. Code 40-13-280 fixes the spot where a license issued under the cosmetology chapter is shown to the public. Which spot?S.C. Code Ann. 40-13-280
What age and schooling does S.C. Code 40-13-230 set for a nail technician license?S.C. Code Ann. 40-13-230(C)(1)
How this list was compiled: Outline: the National Nail Technology Theory Examination Candidate Information Bulletin of the National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC), effective September 1, 2025 (https://prov-testing.github.io/nic_cib/nail_technology_national_theory_english_2025.html): 110 items, of which 100 are weighted, 90 minutes, in eight domains of 15, 15, 10, 5, 13, 18, 20 and 4 percent. The South Carolina Board of Cosmetology names the NIC theory and practical examinations and a passing score of 75 on its examination page (https://llr.sc.gov/cosmo/examins.aspx) and in Regulation 35-5. Facts: S.C. Code of Regulations Chapter 35 and S.C. Code of Laws Title 40, Chapter 13, on scstatehouse.gov, 29 CFR 1910.1030, and public pages of OSHA, the EPA, the FDA, the U.S. Geological Survey, 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 South Carolina nail tech practice test follows the national theory outline South Carolina uses. It is not affiliated with the South Carolina Board of Cosmetology, the National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) or the test administrator.
Read the full guide
What the South Carolina nail technician theory exam covers
South Carolina gives NIC's National Nail Technology Theory Examination. NIC's bulletin (effective September 1, 2025) lists eight domains: infection control and safety 15 percent, anatomy and physiology 15, chemistry of nail products 10, pre-service 5, nail service tools 13, manicure and pedicure services 18, nail enhancement services 20 and post-service 4. Eight extra questions cover South Carolina license law.
South Carolina rules to know cold
Regulation 35-20 bans MMA liquid, credo blades, stick alum and fish pedicures, makes possession of a banned item a violation in itself, and sets out pedicure tub steps for after each client and for the end of the day.
Immersion disinfectant stays covered and is changed daily, or sooner if it turns cloudy or shows debris (Regulation 35-20(I)(3)).
An autoclave may be used only with spore tests by a contracted laboratory at least once a month (Regulation 35-20(P)(9)).
The license takes 300 school hours, age sixteen and a tenth grade education (S.C. Code 40-13-230).
Questions and answers
Is there a practice test for the nail tech exam in South Carolina?
This page is one: 68 free questions of our own, 60 on the eight domains of the national theory outline and 8 on South Carolina license law, each naming the regulation or public page behind its answer.
How many questions are on the South Carolina nail tech exam, and what score passes?
The candidate bulletin for South Carolina gives Nail Technology 110 questions in 90 minutes, 10 of them unscored, and a passing score of 75, the mark Regulation 35-5 also sets.
Does this cover the South Carolina nail tech practical exam?
No. South Carolina's examination has a theory part and a practical part, and a candidate who fails one retakes only that part (Regulation 35-5). This page practices the theory part only.
Are these the real South Carolina nail tech exam questions?
No. Every question is our own, written from Regulation 35-20, Title 40, Chapter 13 and public pages such as MedlinePlus and Wikipedia. Nothing comes from the examination or the nine sample questions in NIC's bulletin.