Maryland Barber License Requirements

Maryland barbers answer to the Maryland Board of Barbers, which is a separate board from the Maryland State Board of Cosmetologists. It regulates barbering under Business Occupations and Professions Article, Title 4 and COMAR Title 9, Subtitle 16.

New Since 1 January 2026: Domestic Violence Awareness Training

Maryland added a requirement most states do not have. House Bill 1547 is now law, and under it all applicants for initial licensure and all licence renewals with the Board of Barbers and the Board of Cosmetologists must complete a one-hour domestic violence awareness training.

It is a one-time training requirement — once completed it does not repeat at each renewal — but it now sits alongside age, education and training as a condition of getting licensed.

Three Barber Credentials

• Barber — 1,200 hours of barber student training in a barber school, or 2,250 hours as a registered apprentice in a licensed barbershop, plus the Board's examination.
• Barber-Stylist Limited — 900 hours in a barber school, or 1,650 hours as an apprentice barber-stylist limited, plus the Board's examination.
• Master Barber — 15 months of experience as a licensed barber, plus a passing grade on both the master barber exam and the barber exam.

The Master Barber Is Earned by Time, Not Hours

Maryland is unusual here. Most states that run a master tier ask for extra classroom or apprenticeship hours. Maryland asks for time in practice: hold an active barber licence for at least 15 months, then pass a 100-question theory examination.

What that buys you is real. Under COMAR 09.16.01.02, a master barber licence authorises the licensee to practise all aspects of barbering without supervision, and a master barber may provide training to one apprentice. Only a master barber can sponsor an apprentice.

Licence Period

Two years from the date of issuance.

Maryland runs school and apprenticeship routes side by side for both of its entry-level barber credentials, and the ratio between them is consistent.

• Barber — 1,200 school hours or 2,250 apprentice hours
• Barber-Stylist Limited — 900 school hours or 1,650 apprentice hours

In both cases the apprenticeship is a little under twice the school route, and in both cases you still qualify by examination given by the Board.

The Apprenticeship Needs a Master Barber's Signature

To register as an apprentice you must complete an application and sponsorship form signed by a master barber and the shop owner. For the Barber-Stylist Limited apprenticeship, the sponsorship form must be signed by a master barber.

Under COMAR 09.16.01.04, a barber apprentice registration authorises the apprentice to learn all aspects of barbering while in an authorised barber shop under the direct supervision of a master barber, and the barber-stylist apprentice registration does the same for barber styling.

Because a master barber may provide training to one apprentice at a time, finding a sponsor is a genuine constraint — every master barber in the state can host exactly one.

Reporting Your Hours

Maryland has moved apprentice hour reporting online, and the Board describes it as immediate: log in, follow the instructions, and the hours are logged immediately with an instant confirmation that they have gone through. If you are a sponsoring master barber, that is your responsibility rather than the apprentice's.

Master Barber: 15 Months, Not More Hours

The step from Barber to Master Barber is served in a shop, not a classroom. You must hold an active Barber licence for a minimum of 15 months and pass the 100-question theory examination, alongside the barber exam.

Maryland contracts its examinations to PSI, and the Board is emphatic that it has nothing to do with the testing itself.

Do Not Book an Appointment With the Board for an Exam

The Board's own warning is worth quoting: testing does not take place at State Board administrative offices. Making an appointment is NOT for exams, you will be directed to PSI.

Once registered, go to PSIEXAMS.COM to create an account and schedule. For any PSI issue — general questions, test scores, application processing, scheduling — the Board directs you to PSI on 1-800-367-1565 or 855-898-0714.

Paper Applications Are Dead

A change that still catches people out: effective 31 March 2025, PSI no longer processes applications via mail, fax or email. The application will be returned to you. You must submit the application online.

The Master Barber Examination

The master barber credential requires a passing grade on the master barber exam and the barber exam, and the Board describes the master barber test as a 100-question theory examination. Fifteen months of licensed practice makes you eligible to sit it; it does not exempt you from it.

Coming From Another State

The Board publishes a reciprocity route, and the domestic violence awareness training applies to all applicants for initial licensure — including those licensed elsewhere. The Board also operates Active Duty Military License Recognition.

Maryland barber licences run for a two-year period from the date of issuance and are renewed online through the Department of Labor's electronic licensing system.

Renewal Notices Come 60 Days Out

The Board automatically mails renewal information and instructions approximately 60 days prior to expiry. If nothing arrives, or you need a paper application, the Board asks you to call 410-230-6190 or email barbers.cos@maryland.gov no less than 30 days prior to the expiration date.

Your Licence Now Arrives as a PDF

Since 1 March 2024 the Board no longer automatically issues paper licences in the mail. Licensees receive PDF licences by email, and only if there is an email address on file. The Board warns that removing your email address means you stop receiving Board correspondence about your licence and revert to mailed notices.

One practical consequence: you need access to a printer to retrieve your licence — which matters, because Maryland requires the physical licence to be displayed.

Reinstatement Is Automatic and Costs $56

The Board states it plainly: a reinstatement fee of $56 will be automatically assessed if your licence is expired. There is no application to make — the fee simply attaches.

The Domestic Violence Training Applies to Renewals Too

HB 1547 covers initial licensure and licence renewals alike, so the one-hour domestic violence awareness training is a renewal condition as well as an entry condition. Because it is a one-time requirement, completing it once carries through subsequent cycles.

Two Rules About Displaying Your Licence

COMAR 09.16.01.01 is specific, and the Board flags non-compliance as a disciplinary matter:

• Every licensee, permit holder and registrant must display a current and valid licence in full view of the public at the licensee's individual work station — not at the door, at your chair.
• The licensee shall affix a current picture to the licence. The Board notes that failure to comply may result in disciplinary action.

You Must Be Affiliated With a Shop

Business Occupations and Professions Article Section 4-605 provides that you must be affiliated with a licensed salon or licensed barbershop to perform services. Holding the licence is not by itself enough to work.

The Maryland Board of Barbers qualifies and licenses individuals seeking licensure and issues permits to business entities through which the trade of barbering is practised, and establishes health and safety standards for the operation of barbershops and trade schools. It may issue a reprimand, suspend or revoke a licence or permit, and impose a fine.

What Each Licence Authorises

• Master barber — COMAR 09.16.01.02: authorises the licensee to practise all aspects of barbering without supervision, and to provide training to one apprentice.
• Barber — COMAR 09.16.01.03: authorises the licensee to practise all aspects of barbering.
• Barber apprentice — authorises the apprentice to learn all aspects of barbering while in an authorised barber shop under the direct supervision of a master barber.
• Barber-stylist apprentice — the same, for barber styling.

The distinguishing words in the master barber definition are without supervision and the power to train an apprentice.

Working Outside a Shop Is Tightly Controlled

COMAR 09.16.01.01(C) provides that a master barber or barber may not practise barbering anywhere other than an authorised barber shop or authorised beauty salon unless all of the following are met:

1. The services are sponsored by an authorised shop;
2. The licensee is fully supplied with sanitised and disinfected equipment by the sponsoring shop, with implements carried back and forth so they are not contaminated;
3. The sponsoring shop maintains complete records of all services performed, and the date, time, place, and charge; and
4. All tools, equipment and complete records are available for inspection.

Maryland does not simply permit house calls — it requires a shop to stand behind them and keep the paperwork.

Shop Requirements

Under COMAR 09.16.02.01, a barber shop permit application must come with certification of approval for zoning, health, fire prevention and all other applicable requirements. Minimum fixtures include one barber pole or barber sign, one barber chair in good repair, and a back bar.

A residential shop carries extra conditions: it must be completely separate and distinct from all living quarters, have a separate outside entrance for shop patrons, and have a restroom maintained for the exclusive use of shop clients.

Reporting Unlicensed Activity

The Board encourages licensees and the public to report unlicensed activity in writing, and investigates complaints against licensees as well as complaints of unlicensed practice.