New York has launched a mobile-friendly license renewal system for barbers and beauty professionals that state officials say cuts the average renewal process from more than 45 minutes to under four minutes.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the Click to Renew platform Nov. 12. The initial rollout serves more than 300,000 license holders, including barbers, cosmetologists, estheticians, nail specialists, natural hair stylists and waxers, according to the governor’s office.
Who can use Click to Renew?
Professionals in those license categories can access the new tool at renew.ny.gov/dos. The state plans to expand the platform to additional license types, but the announcement did not identify those categories or provide a timetable.
The Department of State removed 22 steps it considered redundant or unnecessary from the renewal process. The governor’s office said the changes save the average license holder about 40 minutes per renewal and make it possible to complete the process on a smartphone.
Nearly 5,000 license holders have used the system successfully since its soft launch in October, according to the announcement. Nearly three-quarters of renewals during that phase were completed on mobile devices.
The governor’s office reported a 91% reduction in average renewal time and a 96% user approval rating. Those figures describe the state’s reported experience with the platform.
Professionals helped shape the system
State employees built the platform in-house, incorporating feedback from licensed professionals who described problems with the previous system, tested prototypes and offered suggestions.
Hochul directed the work after the state received feedback through EXPRESS NY about time-consuming forms and outdated computer systems used for license renewals.
“New Yorkers work hard to keep their businesses running, and they deserve a government that works just as hard for them,” Hochul said in the announcement.
Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley said the platform is intended to help professionals maintain their licenses while spending less time navigating government processes. State Director of Customer Experience Abbey Kos credited the professionals who helped test and refine the tool.
State Sen. April N.M. Baskin also supported the changes, saying time spent completing renewal paperwork takes professionals away from their businesses and customers.
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Part of a broader licensing overhaul
The launch follows earlier Department of State changes that reduced license renewal application questions by 67% for more than 840,000 license holders statewide, according to the governor’s office. That broader group is separate from the more than 300,000 professionals covered by the initial Click to Renew rollout.
The state said EXPRESS NY has drawn nearly 4,000 public proposals, alongside recommendations solicited from state agencies last fall. Those recommendations have led to more than 120 actions intended to simplify government services.
The governor’s office projects that those actions collectively will save New Yorkers more than 5 million hours and tens of millions of dollars annually. Those are projected savings across the broader initiative, rather than measured savings from Click to Renew alone.
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