District of Columbia State Board of Cosmetology

The District of Columbia Board of Barber and Cosmetology oversees the practices of barbers, cosmetologists, and body artists, including specialized disciplines such as esthetics, manicuring, braiding, and electrolysis. The board also regulates instructors, managers, and establishment owners in each of these fields. It operates under the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection's Occupational and Professional Licensing (OPL) division, which administers applications, examinations, and renewals for more than a hundred professional categories citywide, and it enforces the District's Barber and Cosmetology licensure law, in effect since May 2001.

The board is composed of 14 mayoral appointees representing barbers, cosmetologists, cosmetology specialists, body artists, and consumer members, with eight members needed for a quorum. It meets virtually on the first Monday of each month. OPL's office is at 1100 4th Street SW, 2nd Floor, Washington, DC 20024, and all licensing, renewal, and complaint activity for D.C. is handled primarily online through the Access DC licensing portal rather than by mail.

Phone support runs Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and Thursday from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM; in-person visitors are no longer accepted after 4 PM on any day. Licensees and applicants without a phone question can reach OPL by email at dlcp@dc.gov, and questions specific to the barber and cosmetology license can be directed to opla.barberandcosmetology@dc.gov.

D.C. licenses several personal disciplines under this board — Barber, Cosmetologist (Operator), Esthetician (Basic and Master/Advanced), Manicurist, Braider, and Electrologist — along with Body Artist registrations for tattooists, piercers, and micropigmentation specialists, plus Manager, Instructor, and Owner licenses. Barber licenses run on a two-year cycle expiring every odd-numbered year, while cosmetologist, cosmetology specialist, and body artist licenses run on a two-year cycle expiring every even-numbered year, and renewal generally requires continuing education.

Every D.C. barber and cosmetology license runs on a fixed two-year calendar cycle rather than a birthday-based one. All barber licenses expire on September 30 of odd-numbered years, and all cosmetologist, cosmetology specialist, and body artist licenses expire on April 15 of even-numbered years, regardless of when the individual license was originally issued.

The renewal window opens 90 days before the expiration date. Renewals are submitted online through the Access DC licensing portal by entering the license number, or by looking it up through the License Lookup option if the number isn't known. At the time of renewal or reinstatement, licensees must submit proof of six continuing education credits — two hours in a health, safety, or welfare course and four hours in general elective courses — completed through a board-approved CE provider. This CE requirement is waived for a licensee's first renewal and for owner license renewals.

Renewal and reinstatement fees are separate from the CE requirement and from the standard application fee charged for a first-time license. Operators and owners renew for $110, while managers and instructors renew for $155; a late renewal adds a $50 fee on top of the standard renewal amount.

A license that has lapsed for more than 60 days past its renewal date must be formally reinstated rather than simply renewed. Reinstatement totals $210, made up of a $155 reinstatement license fee and a $50 reinstatement fee, and D.C. Code § 47-2853.10 makes all licensing fees non-refundable, even if an application is withdrawn or denied.

The District of Columbia Board of Barber and Cosmetology, through DLCP's Occupational and Professional Licensing division, investigates complaints against licensed barbers, cosmetologists, cosmetology specialists, body artists, managers, instructors, and salon or shop owners operating in the District. The board acts on issues such as unlicensed practice, health and safety violations, and other conduct that violates the District's barber and cosmetology licensing law.

Complaints are filed online through DLCP's consumer complaint form rather than by phone or mail. A complainant selects the appropriate complaint category from the form and provides details about the licensee, business, and incident. DLCP also promotes verifying a professional's license status before hiring through its "Hire Licensed!" campaign, using the same online license lookup that supports the complaint process.

Once submitted, DLCP's enforcement staff review the complaint and may investigate further, request documentation, or refer the matter to the board for disciplinary action, which can range from corrective requirements to fines or license suspension or revocation.