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Barber Occupational Licensing

License required in 51 states

30th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations

Average Fee for License:$167

What They Do

Barbers or stylists provide barbering services, such as cutting, trimming, shampooing and styling hair, trimming beards, or giving shaves.

Barber Licensing Overview

All 50 states and D.C. require a licence to work as a Barber. On average, these laws require $167 in fees, 319 days of education and about 2 exam. Barber Licenses have the 30th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied.

Where is a Barber the most regulated?

Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Barber has the highest burden in Nevada. Nevada requires $165 in fees, 4 exams, 18 months experience, and 1500 clock hours education.

Where is a Barber the least regulated?

Out of the 51 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Barber has the lowest burden in New York. New York requires $75 in fees, 2 exams, no experience, and 291 clock hours education.

Where is a Barber license the most expensive?

An occupational license for a Barber costs the most in Kentucky. Kentucky requires $500 in fees, 2 exams, 6 months experience, and 1500 clock hours education.

Where is a Barber license the least expensive?

An occupational license for a Barber costs the least in Washington. Washington requires $25 in fees, 2 exams, no experience, and 1000 clock hours education.

Where does it take the longest to obtain a Barber license?

An occupational license for a Barber takes the longest to obtain in Nevada. It takes 896 days (2 years and 16 days). Nevada requires $165 in fees, 4 exams, 18 months experience, and 1500 clock hours education.

Where is it fastest to obtain a Barber license?

An occupational license for a Barber takes the least time to obtain in New York. It takes 68 days. New York requires $75 in fees, 2 exams, no experience, and 291 clock hours education.

What states require exams for a Barber license?

To obtain an occupational license for a Barber there is at least one exam required in: Nevada, North Carolina, Kentucky, Iowa, Nebraska, Michigan, Ohio, Alaska, North Dakota, District of Columbia, Arkansas, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Louisiana, Minnesota, Georgia, Illinois, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Tennessee, South Dakota, Colorado, Indiana, Hawaii, Maine, Kansas, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Arizona, New Mexico, West Virginia, Montana, Alabama, Maryland, Wyoming, Missouri, Wisconsin, Virginia, California, Idaho, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Texas, Washington, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Utah, Vermont, Oregon, Florida, New York. Nevada requires 4 exams.

All 50 states and D.C. require a license to work as a barber. On average, these laws require $154 in fees, over a year (368 days) of education and experience, and about two exams—the 34th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied. And because barbers are licensed so widely, the occupation ranks as the fifth most widely and onerously licensed.

License requirements vary widely across states. Nevada is the most burdensome state, requiring four exams, $165 in fees, and nearly 900 days of education and experience (1,500 hours of barber school and an 18-month apprenticeship). At the other end of the spectrum, New York requires three exams, $70 in fees and about 54 days of education (231 hours of coursework).

States Ranked by Average Licensing Burden for 102 Lower-Income Occupations

More Burdensome Less Burdensome
Based on data released in November 2022

State Licensing Requirements

Select a chart to view:
Burden Rank State Occupations Licensed Fees Estimated Calendar Days Lost Education Experience Exams Minimum Grade Minimum Age
1 Nevada 75 $165 896 1500 clock hours 18 months 4 0 18
2 North Carolina 66 $355 721 1528 clock hours 12 months 3 0 0
3 Kentucky 38 $500 532 1500 clock hours 6 months 2 12 18
4 Iowa 71 $135 490 2100 clock hours None 2 10 16
5 Nebraska 61 $200 420 1800 clock hours None 2 12 17
6 Michigan 48 $247 420 1800 clock hours None 2 10 17
7 Ohio 40 $120 420 1800 clock hours None 2 8 18
8 Alaska 64 $390 385 1650 clock hours None 2 0 0
9 North Dakota 65 $100 362 1550 clock hours None 2 12 18
10 District of Columbia 61 $230 350 1500 clock hours None 2 10 18
11 Arkansas 72 $125 350 1500 clock hours None 3 8 17
12 Rhode Island 70 $100 350 1500 clock hours None 2 12 18
13 South Carolina 60 $175 350 1500 clock hours None 2 9 17
14 Louisiana 77 $72 350 1500 clock hours None 2 12 18
15 Minnesota 35 $160 350 1500 clock hours None 3 10 0
16 Georgia 41 $30 350 1500 clock hours None 2 12 16
17 Illinois 41 $156 350 1500 clock hours None 1 12 16
18 Oklahoma 42 $60 350 1500 clock hours None 2 8 16
19 Mississippi 65 $100 350 1500 clock hours None 2 12 0
20 Tennessee 69 $200 350 1501 clock hours None 2 0 16
21 South Dakota 32 $150 350 1500 clock hours None 2 0 18
22 Colorado 34 $152 350 1500 clock hours None 2 0 16
23 Indiana 37 $84 350 1500 clock hours None 2 0 18
24 Hawaii 64 $45 350 1500 clock hours None 1 0 17
25 Maine 46 $41 350 1500 clock hours None 2 0 0
26 Kansas 35 $180 280 1200 clock hours None 3 12 16
27 Delaware 42 $218 292 1250 clock hours None 2 10 16
28 Pennsylvania 50 $200 292 1250 clock hours None 2 8 16
29 Arizona 68 $300 280 1200 clock hours None 2 10 16
30 New Mexico 66 $325 280 1200 clock hours None 3 0 17
31 West Virginia 67 $134 280 1200 clock hours None 2 12 18
32 Montana 32 $129 257 1100 clock hours None 2 12 18
33 Alabama 63 $255 233 1000 clock hours None 2 10 16
34 Maryland 58 $50 280 1200 clock hours None 2 0 0
35 Wyoming 26 $200 233 1000 clock hours None 2 10 17
36 Missouri 33 $158 233 1000 clock hours None 2 10 17
37 Wisconsin 42 $378 233 1000 clock hours None 2 0 18
38 Virginia 72 $277 257 1100 clock hours None 2 0 0
39 California 75 $125 233 1000 clock hours None 1 10 17
40 Idaho 66 $60 210 900 clock hours None 3 10 17
41 Massachusetts 50 $164 233 1000 clock hours None 2 0 16
42 New Jersey 54 $95 210 900 clock hours None 2 12 17
43 Texas 38 $50 233 1000 clock hours None 2 0 16
44 Washington 76 $25 233 1000 clock hours None 2 0 17
45 Connecticut 65 $100 233 1000 clock hours None 1 8 0
46 New Hampshire 37 $233 187 800 clock hours None 2 12 16
47 Utah 64 $230 233 1000 clock hours None 1 0 0
48 Vermont 31 $160 175 750 clock hours None 3 12 0
49 Oregon 69 $120 181 786 clock hours None 3 0 0
50 Florida 55 $174 140 602 clock hours None 1 0 16
51 New York 41 $75 68 291 clock hours None 2 0 17

License to Work

The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.

View Report