Anyone who wants to practice as a barber, cosmetologist, electrologist, esthetician, or manicurist in California is required to be licensed. The California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology is responsible for granting licenses, enforcing safety and hygiene standards, and handling complaints. The requirements for licensure in California are more demanding than in most other states, and the Board has been criticized for the inflexible way in which it applies the law.

Obtaining a license

General

Most barbers and cosmetologists obtain their license by attending a licensed school and completing the state’s required training. An alternative is to undertake an apprenticeship, which is a full-time two-year program of on-the-job training together with supplemental classroom instruction.

Training required

The following are the number of hours of training required for each license type:

• Cosmetologist: 1600 Hours / 3200 Apprenticeship
• Barber: 1500 Hours / 3200 Apprenticeship
• Nail technician: 400 Hours
• Esthetician: 600 hours
• Electrologist: 600 Hours / 3200 Hours Apprenticeship
• Massage therapist: 250 Hours Practitioner, 500 Hours Therapist

Examinations

Board exams comprise both written and practical components. The barber and cosmetologist exams last up to four hours.

Maintaining a license

Renewal

Licenses must be renewed every two years. No continuing education hours are required for renewal.

Disciplinary actions

The Board handles complaints from consumers, which can be submitted online. Actions taken in response to a complaint may include probation, suspension, and revocation of a license.

According to the Board, the most common violations during an inspection include failing to disinfect equipment, improperly storing and labeling cosmetics, and failing to maintain a current license and display it conspicuously in the primary place of work.

Criticism

California’s cosmetology regulations have been criticized for how demanding they are. The requirement of 1,600 hours of training is significantly more than for other occupations such as paramedics (1,142) and police officers (664). In 1999, a African American hairstylist successfully challenged the regulations, arguing that she should be allowed to practice her form of hair braiding — which was not part of the government-mandated curriculum — without obtaining a license. The court found that the regulations violated constitutional due process and equal protection.