Delaware State Board of Cosmetology

The Delaware Board of Cosmetology and Barbering regulates the practice of cosmetology, barbering, aesthetics, electrology, and nail technology statewide. It issues licenses and permits to apprentices, practitioners, and instructors in each of these areas, along with permits for shops and salons, mobile salons, and schools that teach these trades. The board's statutory authority comes from 24 Del. C., Chapter 51, and it operates under Delaware's Division of Professional Regulation (DPR) rather than as a freestanding agency. Board members meet the last Monday of each month at 9:00 a.m., except August and December, in the Cannon Building in Dover, and meetings are open to the public.

The board's office is in the Cannon Building, Suite 203, at 861 Silver Lake Blvd. in Dover. Customer service phone lines are staffed Monday through Friday from 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and again from 1:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m., with the office closed for lunch and on state holidays. Applicants and licensees can also reach DPR by email at customerservice.dpr@delaware.gov or by fax at (302) 739-2711. Nearly all licensing activity — applications, renewals, service requests, and complaints — is handled through DELPROS (Delaware Professional Regulation Online Services), the division's online licensing portal, rather than in person or by mail.

Delaware licenses five personal disciplines: Cosmetologist, Barber, Master Barber, Aesthetician, and Nail Technician, plus Electrologist, each with its own classroom-hour or apprenticeship-hour training requirement. The board also issues Instructor licenses across these disciplines, along with permits for Cosmetology/Barbering Establishments (shops and salons), Mobile Salons, and Schools. A Barber license covers cutting, shaving, and scalp treatments, while a Master Barber license adds chemical services such as coloring, perming, and straightening.

Personal licenses run on a two-year cycle, but the expiration date depends on license type rather than a birthday: Barbers, Master Barbers, Nail Technicians, Aestheticians, Electrologists, and all Instructor types expire March 31 of even-numbered years, while Cosmetologist licenses expire October 31 of even-numbered years. Establishment, Mobile Salon, and School permits run on a separate two-year cycle expiring June 30 of odd-numbered years. Delaware does not require continuing education for renewal of any cosmetology or barbering license.

Delaware's cosmetology and barbering licenses renew every two years, but the exact expiration date depends on the license type rather than the licensee's birthday. Barbers, Master Barbers, Nail Technicians, Aestheticians, Electrologists, and Instructors all expire March 31 of even-numbered years, Cosmetologists expire October 31 of even-numbered years, and Establishment, Mobile Salon, and School permits expire June 30 of odd-numbered years.

A few months before a license expires, DPR sends a renewal notice to the email address on file — the board does not mail paper renewal notices, so licensees must keep their contact information current in DELPROS. To renew, a licensee logs into their DELPROS account, answers the renewal questions, and pays the renewal fee by credit card. The board does not publish a flat renewal fee amount; licensees are notified of the exact fee at the time they renew.

A personal license that has lapsed can still be renewed online through DELPROS for up to five years after the expiration date, but a late fee equal to 50% of the renewal fee is added on top of the regular renewal fee. Establishment, Mobile Salon, and School permits have a much shorter late window — only 45 days past expiration — after which the business must reapply as a new applicant rather than renew. In every case, it is illegal to keep practicing or operating on an expired license, even while a late renewal application is pending.

If a personal license has been expired for more than five years, the licensee can no longer renew and must instead apply for reinstatement through DELPROS. Reinstatement requires retaking and passing the practical licensing exam again; the board sends exam registration information once the reinstatement application has been reviewed.

The Delaware Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, through DPR's Investigative Unit, investigates complaints against licensed cosmetologists, barbers, master barbers, aestheticians, electrologists, nail technicians, instructors, and licensed shops, salons, and schools. DPR looks into matters such as violations of licensing law and unlicensed practice, but it does not have jurisdiction over general consumer disputes, billing complaints, or issues better handled by other state agencies, such as the Consumer Protection Division or the Department of Labor.

Complaints are filed online through DELPROS by selecting "File a Complaint." Each complaint must include the name and contact information of the complainant along with the name and location of the person or business being complained about. Delaware does not require anonymous complaints to go unnamed by default, but DPR may keep a complainant's identity confidential from the respondent when appropriate, based on the details submitted. Anyone who wants to discuss a complaint with an investigator before filing can call (302) 744-4500 and ask to speak with one directly.

Once a complaint is received, DPR sends an acknowledgment letter to the complainant and forwards the complaint details to the respondent within 15 days. The respondent then has 20 calendar days to respond, and DPR updates the complainant on progress at least every 90 days until the matter is resolved. Complainants can also check status by calling DPR, emailing investigations.dpr@delaware.gov, or contacting the assigned investigator directly.