Barber License Requirements by State
Every state licenses barbers through its barbering or cosmetology board, each with its own training hours, exams, and fees. Compare barber license requirements for the states covered below, with links to each state's full guide.
Jump to your state ↓What You Need to Get a Barber License
Every state requires barbers to meet education, examination, and application requirements before practicing professionally. While specifics vary, the core process is consistent across the states covered below.
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1
Complete Barber Training
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2
Pass the State Exam
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3
Submit Your Application
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4
Renew on Schedule
Complete Barber Training
Training hour requirements vary by state, ranging from 746–1,800 hrs at a state-approved school.
Pass the State Exam
Most states require a written exam, and many also require a hands-on practical exam, administered by providers such as PSI, NIC-affiliated testing services, or a state-specific provider.
Submit Your Application
Apply to your state board with proof of training completion, exam results, and applicable fees. Processing times vary by state.
Renew on Schedule
Most Barber licenses renew every 1–2 years, and some states require continuing education hours before each cycle.
What to Expect Across the States Covered
746–1,800 hrs
Required Training Hours
State requirements for Barber licensure vary widely, from 746–1,800 hrs at a Board-approved school.
33/51 States
Require a Practical Exam
Alongside a written exam, 33 of the states covered below also require a hands-on practical component.
1–2 Years
Typical Renewal Cycle
Most Barber licenses renew every 1–2 years, though the exact cycle and fees vary by state.
Barber Requirements — State by State
| State | Training Hours | Application Fee | Renewal Fee | Renewal Period | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1,000 hrs | $50 | $100 | 2 years | View → |
| Alaska | 1,650 hrs | $330 | $180 | 2 years | View → |
| Arizona | 1,200 hrs | $40 | $80 | 2 years | View → |
| Arkansas | 1,500 hrs | $84 | $34 | 1 year | View → |
| California | 1,000 hrs | $125 | $50 | 2 years | View → |
| Colorado | 1,500 hrs | $32 | — | 2 years | View → |
| Connecticut | 1,000 hrs | $100 | $100 | 2 years | View → |
| Delaware | 1,250 hrs | $128 | — | 2 years | View → |
| District of Columbia | 1,500 hrs | $175 | $110 | 2 years | View → |
| Florida | 900 hrs | $250 | $70 | 2 years | View → |
| Georgia | 1,500 hrs | $30 | $50 | 2 years | View → |
| Hawaii | 1,500 hrs | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| Idaho | 900 hrs | $90 | $60 | 2 years | View → |
| Illinois | 1,500 hrs | $30 | $50 | 2 years | View → |
| Indiana | 1,500 hrs | $40 | $40 | 2 years | View → |
| Iowa | 1,550 hrs | $60 | $60 | 2 years | View → |
| Kansas | 1,200 hrs | $230 | — | 2 years | View → |
| Kentucky | 1,500 hrs | — | — | 1 year | View → |
| Louisiana | 1,500 hrs | $40 | $50 | 1 year | View → |
| Maine | — | — | $20 | 1 year | View → |
| Maryland | 1,200 hrs | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| Massachusetts | 1,000 hrs | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| Michigan | 1,800 hrs | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| Minnesota | 1,500 hrs | $160 | $80 | — | View → |
| Mississippi | 1,500 hrs | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| Missouri | 1,000 hrs | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| Montana | 1,100 hrs | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| Nebraska | 1,800 hrs | $300 | $150 | 2 years | View → |
| Nevada | — | — | $60 | 2 years | View → |
| New Hampshire | 800 hrs | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| New Jersey | 900 hrs | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| New Mexico | 1,200 hrs | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| New York | — | $40 | $40 | — | View → |
| North Carolina | 1,528 hrs | $50 | — | 1 year | View → |
| North Dakota | 1,100 hrs | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| Ohio | 1,800 hrs | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| Oklahoma | 1,500 hrs | $50 | — | 2 years | View → |
| Oregon | 746 hrs | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| Pennsylvania | 1,250 hrs | $173 | $184 | 2 years | View → |
| Rhode Island | 1,000 hrs | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| South Carolina | 1,500 hrs | $35 | — | 2 years | View → |
| South Dakota | — | — | — | 1 year | View → |
| Tennessee | 1,500 hrs | $60 | — | 2 years | View → |
| Texas | 1,000 hrs | $50 | — | 2 years | View → |
| Utah | — | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| Vermont | 750 hrs | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| Virginia | 750 hrs | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| Washington | 1,000 hrs | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| West Virginia | 1,200 hrs | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| Wisconsin | 1,000 hrs | — | — | 2 years | View → |
| Wyoming | — | — | — | 2 years | View → |
Alabama
- Training Hours
- 1,000 hrs
- Application Fee
- $50
- Renewal Fee
- $100
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Alaska
- Training Hours
- 1,650 hrs
- Application Fee
- $330
- Renewal Fee
- $180
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Arizona
- Training Hours
- 1,200 hrs
- Application Fee
- $40
- Renewal Fee
- $80
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Arkansas
- Training Hours
- 1,500 hrs
- Application Fee
- $84
- Renewal Fee
- $34
- Renewal Period
- 1 year
California
- Training Hours
- 1,000 hrs
- Application Fee
- $125
- Renewal Fee
- $50
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Colorado
- Training Hours
- 1,500 hrs
- Application Fee
- $32
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Connecticut
- Training Hours
- 1,000 hrs
- Application Fee
- $100
- Renewal Fee
- $100
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Delaware
- Training Hours
- 1,250 hrs
- Application Fee
- $128
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
District of Columbia
- Training Hours
- 1,500 hrs
- Application Fee
- $175
- Renewal Fee
- $110
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Florida
- Training Hours
- 900 hrs
- Application Fee
- $250
- Renewal Fee
- $70
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Georgia
- Training Hours
- 1,500 hrs
- Application Fee
- $30
- Renewal Fee
- $50
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Hawaii
- Training Hours
- 1,500 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Idaho
- Training Hours
- 900 hrs
- Application Fee
- $90
- Renewal Fee
- $60
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Illinois
- Training Hours
- 1,500 hrs
- Application Fee
- $30
- Renewal Fee
- $50
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Indiana
- Training Hours
- 1,500 hrs
- Application Fee
- $40
- Renewal Fee
- $40
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Iowa
- Training Hours
- 1,550 hrs
- Application Fee
- $60
- Renewal Fee
- $60
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Kansas
- Training Hours
- 1,200 hrs
- Application Fee
- $230
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Kentucky
- Training Hours
- 1,500 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 1 year
Louisiana
- Training Hours
- 1,500 hrs
- Application Fee
- $40
- Renewal Fee
- $50
- Renewal Period
- 1 year
Maine
- Training Hours
- —
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- $20
- Renewal Period
- 1 year
Maryland
- Training Hours
- 1,200 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Massachusetts
- Training Hours
- 1,000 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Michigan
- Training Hours
- 1,800 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Minnesota
- Training Hours
- 1,500 hrs
- Application Fee
- $160
- Renewal Fee
- $80
- Renewal Period
- —
Mississippi
- Training Hours
- 1,500 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Missouri
- Training Hours
- 1,000 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Montana
- Training Hours
- 1,100 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Nebraska
- Training Hours
- 1,800 hrs
- Application Fee
- $300
- Renewal Fee
- $150
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Nevada
- Training Hours
- —
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- $60
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
New Hampshire
- Training Hours
- 800 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
New Jersey
- Training Hours
- 900 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
New Mexico
- Training Hours
- 1,200 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
New York
- Training Hours
- —
- Application Fee
- $40
- Renewal Fee
- $40
- Renewal Period
- —
North Carolina
- Training Hours
- 1,528 hrs
- Application Fee
- $50
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 1 year
North Dakota
- Training Hours
- 1,100 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Ohio
- Training Hours
- 1,800 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Oklahoma
- Training Hours
- 1,500 hrs
- Application Fee
- $50
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Oregon
- Training Hours
- 746 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Pennsylvania
- Training Hours
- 1,250 hrs
- Application Fee
- $173
- Renewal Fee
- $184
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Rhode Island
- Training Hours
- 1,000 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
South Carolina
- Training Hours
- 1,500 hrs
- Application Fee
- $35
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
South Dakota
- Training Hours
- —
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 1 year
Tennessee
- Training Hours
- 1,500 hrs
- Application Fee
- $60
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Texas
- Training Hours
- 1,000 hrs
- Application Fee
- $50
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Utah
- Training Hours
- —
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Vermont
- Training Hours
- 750 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Virginia
- Training Hours
- 750 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Washington
- Training Hours
- 1,000 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
West Virginia
- Training Hours
- 1,200 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Wisconsin
- Training Hours
- 1,000 hrs
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
Wyoming
- Training Hours
- —
- Application Fee
- —
- Renewal Fee
- —
- Renewal Period
- 2 years
No states match your search.
Helpful Resources
Cosmetology License Requirements
Training hours, exam providers, fees, and renewal periods for cosmetology licenses in every state.
Learn more →License Lookup
Verify any license using the official state board lookup tools.
Learn more →License Reciprocity
Moving states? See how endorsement and reciprocity work and what documents you need.
Learn more →License Renewal
Renewal fees, deadlines, and CE requirements for every state.
Learn more →Getting licensed is only the first step
Meeting the requirements above gets you licensed as a barber, but it doesn't keep you licensed. Many states require continuing education before every renewal, and a lapsed license can mean starting the process over. If you already hold a license and are relocating, reciprocity or endorsement rules — not the requirements above — determine what you'll need to practice in your new state.