TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATION | MANICURIST
TEXAS MANICURIST WRITTEN
STATE BOARD TEST
2026/2027 EDITION
Official Practice Exam -- 2026/2027 Edition
Questions Minutes Passing Score Recertification
50 90 80% 2026/2027
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section: Scientific Concepts and Anatomy . . . . Questions 1 - 10
Section: Nail Services and Procedures . . . . Questions 11 - 22
Section: Safety and Infection Control . . . . Questions 23 - 34
Section: Texas Rules and Regulations . . . . Questions 35 - 42
Section: Client Consultation and Professional Ethics . . . . Questions 43 - 50
Answer Key . . . . . . . . . Last Page
INSTRUCTIONS
This practice exam contains 50 multiple-choice questions across 5 sections.
You have 90 minutes to complete the exam. A passing score of 80% (40/50) is required.
Select the single best answer for each question. No penalty for guessing.
The correct answer and rationale follow each question for immediate review.
The 2026/2027 edition reflects the latest TDLR manicurist standards and guidelines.
TEXAS MANICURIST WRITTEN STATE BOARD TEST 2026/2027 -- 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 1
,SECTION 1: SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS AND ANATOMY -- 2026/2027
Q1 Question 1 of 50
A 28-year-old manicurist student is studying the anatomy of the natural nail and learns that the nail plate is
composed primarily of a hard protein. This protein provides the nail with its strength and protective qualities.
The protein that forms the nail plate is known as which of the following?
A. Keratin, a fibrous structural protein that also forms hair and the outer skin layer
B. Collagen, a connective tissue protein found in tendons and ligaments
C. Elastin, a protein that allows tissues to resume their shape after stretching
D. Melanin, a pigment protein responsible for skin and hair coloration
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
Keratin is the fibrous structural protein that constitutes the nail plate, providing its hardness and protective barrier
function, and is the same protein that forms hair and the stratum corneum of the epidermis. Collagen and elastin
are connective tissue proteins not found in significant amounts in the nail plate, and melanin is a pigment rather
than a structural protein.
Q2 Question 2 of 50
A manicurist is examining a client's nail and notices the whitish, half-moon shaped area at the base of the
natural nail. The client asks what this area is called and what it represents. The manicurist correctly explains
that this structure is which of the following?
A. The lunula, which is the visible part of the nail matrix where nail cell production begins
B. The free edge, which is the portion of the nail that extends beyond the fingertip
C. The nail bed, which is the vascular tissue beneath the nail plate
D. The hyponychium, which is the tissue beneath the free edge at the fingertip
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
The lunula is the whitish, half-moon shaped area visible at the base of the nail, representing the visible portion of
the nail matrix where nail plate cells are actively produced and keratinized. The free edge extends beyond the
fingertip, the nail bed is the pink tissue beneath the plate, and the hyponychium is the seal beneath the free edge.
TEXAS MANICURIST WRITTEN STATE BOARD TEST 2026/2027 -- 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 2 of 0
, Q3 Question 3 of 50
A manicurist notices that a client's natural nails appear thickened and yellowish with a separate layer
forming underneath. The client reports that the condition started after a hiking trip where her hands were wet
for extended periods. The manicurist recognizes that these signs are most consistent with which of the
following conditions?
A. Onychomycosis, a fungal infection of the nail plate that causes thickening and discoloration
B. Onycholysis, the separation of the nail plate from the nail bed without fungal involvement
C. Paronychia, a bacterial infection of the skin folds surrounding the nail
D. Leukonychia, a condition causing white spots or streaks on the nail plate
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
Onychomycosis is a fungal infection characterized by nail thickening, yellowish discoloration, and subungual
debris, often triggered by prolonged moisture exposure that creates an ideal environment for dermatophytes.
Onycholysis involves separation without thickening or discoloration, paronychia affects the surrounding skin folds
rather than the nail plate itself, and leukonychia presents as white spots rather than yellow thickening.
Q4 Question 4 of 50
A new manicure student is learning about the growth cycle of natural nails and asks the instructor
approximately how long it takes for a fingernail to grow from the matrix to the free edge. The instructor
provides which of the following correct timeframes?
A. Three to six months for a fingernail to grow from matrix to free edge
B. One to two weeks for complete fingernail replacement
C. Twelve to eighteen months for a fingernail to fully replace itself
D. Two to three years for complete nail plate regeneration
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
Fingernails grow at an average rate of approximately 0.1 mm per day, and it takes roughly three to six months for
a fingernail to grow from the matrix to the free edge, which is the standard timeframe taught in manicurist
education. One to two weeks is far too short, twelve to eighteen months describes toenail growth, and two to
three years exceeds any normal nail growth cycle.
TEXAS MANICURIST WRITTEN STATE BOARD TEST 2026/2027 -- 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 3 of 0
TEXAS MANICURIST WRITTEN
STATE BOARD TEST
2026/2027 EDITION
Official Practice Exam -- 2026/2027 Edition
Questions Minutes Passing Score Recertification
50 90 80% 2026/2027
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section: Scientific Concepts and Anatomy . . . . Questions 1 - 10
Section: Nail Services and Procedures . . . . Questions 11 - 22
Section: Safety and Infection Control . . . . Questions 23 - 34
Section: Texas Rules and Regulations . . . . Questions 35 - 42
Section: Client Consultation and Professional Ethics . . . . Questions 43 - 50
Answer Key . . . . . . . . . Last Page
INSTRUCTIONS
This practice exam contains 50 multiple-choice questions across 5 sections.
You have 90 minutes to complete the exam. A passing score of 80% (40/50) is required.
Select the single best answer for each question. No penalty for guessing.
The correct answer and rationale follow each question for immediate review.
The 2026/2027 edition reflects the latest TDLR manicurist standards and guidelines.
TEXAS MANICURIST WRITTEN STATE BOARD TEST 2026/2027 -- 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 1
,SECTION 1: SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS AND ANATOMY -- 2026/2027
Q1 Question 1 of 50
A 28-year-old manicurist student is studying the anatomy of the natural nail and learns that the nail plate is
composed primarily of a hard protein. This protein provides the nail with its strength and protective qualities.
The protein that forms the nail plate is known as which of the following?
A. Keratin, a fibrous structural protein that also forms hair and the outer skin layer
B. Collagen, a connective tissue protein found in tendons and ligaments
C. Elastin, a protein that allows tissues to resume their shape after stretching
D. Melanin, a pigment protein responsible for skin and hair coloration
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
Keratin is the fibrous structural protein that constitutes the nail plate, providing its hardness and protective barrier
function, and is the same protein that forms hair and the stratum corneum of the epidermis. Collagen and elastin
are connective tissue proteins not found in significant amounts in the nail plate, and melanin is a pigment rather
than a structural protein.
Q2 Question 2 of 50
A manicurist is examining a client's nail and notices the whitish, half-moon shaped area at the base of the
natural nail. The client asks what this area is called and what it represents. The manicurist correctly explains
that this structure is which of the following?
A. The lunula, which is the visible part of the nail matrix where nail cell production begins
B. The free edge, which is the portion of the nail that extends beyond the fingertip
C. The nail bed, which is the vascular tissue beneath the nail plate
D. The hyponychium, which is the tissue beneath the free edge at the fingertip
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
The lunula is the whitish, half-moon shaped area visible at the base of the nail, representing the visible portion of
the nail matrix where nail plate cells are actively produced and keratinized. The free edge extends beyond the
fingertip, the nail bed is the pink tissue beneath the plate, and the hyponychium is the seal beneath the free edge.
TEXAS MANICURIST WRITTEN STATE BOARD TEST 2026/2027 -- 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 2 of 0
, Q3 Question 3 of 50
A manicurist notices that a client's natural nails appear thickened and yellowish with a separate layer
forming underneath. The client reports that the condition started after a hiking trip where her hands were wet
for extended periods. The manicurist recognizes that these signs are most consistent with which of the
following conditions?
A. Onychomycosis, a fungal infection of the nail plate that causes thickening and discoloration
B. Onycholysis, the separation of the nail plate from the nail bed without fungal involvement
C. Paronychia, a bacterial infection of the skin folds surrounding the nail
D. Leukonychia, a condition causing white spots or streaks on the nail plate
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
Onychomycosis is a fungal infection characterized by nail thickening, yellowish discoloration, and subungual
debris, often triggered by prolonged moisture exposure that creates an ideal environment for dermatophytes.
Onycholysis involves separation without thickening or discoloration, paronychia affects the surrounding skin folds
rather than the nail plate itself, and leukonychia presents as white spots rather than yellow thickening.
Q4 Question 4 of 50
A new manicure student is learning about the growth cycle of natural nails and asks the instructor
approximately how long it takes for a fingernail to grow from the matrix to the free edge. The instructor
provides which of the following correct timeframes?
A. Three to six months for a fingernail to grow from matrix to free edge
B. One to two weeks for complete fingernail replacement
C. Twelve to eighteen months for a fingernail to fully replace itself
D. Two to three years for complete nail plate regeneration
Correct Answer: A
Rationale:
Fingernails grow at an average rate of approximately 0.1 mm per day, and it takes roughly three to six months for
a fingernail to grow from the matrix to the free edge, which is the standard timeframe taught in manicurist
education. One to two weeks is far too short, twelve to eighteen months describes toenail growth, and two to
three years exceeds any normal nail growth cycle.
TEXAS MANICURIST WRITTEN STATE BOARD TEST 2026/2027 -- 2026/2027 | Passing Score: 80% | Page 3 of 0
