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Shampooer Occupational Licensing

License required in 33 states

47th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations

Average Fee for License:$124

What They Do

Shampooers shampoo and rinse customers’ hair.

Shampooer Licensing Overview

Thirty-three states (more than half of states) require a licence to work as a Shampooer. On average, these laws require $124 in fees, 207 days of education and about 2 exam. Shampooer Licenses have the 47th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied.

Where is a Shampooer the most regulated?

Out of the 33 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Shampooer has the highest burden in Iowa. Iowa requires $118 in fees, 1 exams, no experience, and 2100 clock hours education.

Where is a Shampooer the least regulated?

Out of the 33 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Shampooer has the lowest burden in Arkansas. Arkansas requires $10 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.

Where is a Shampooer license the most expensive?

An occupational license for a Shampooer costs the most in Wisconsin. Wisconsin requires $354 in fees, 2 exams, no experience, and 1000 clock hours education.

Where is a Shampooer license the least expensive?

An occupational license for a Shampooer costs the least in Ohio, Louisiana where the license costs $0.

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

An occupational license for a Shampooer takes the longest to obtain in Iowa. It takes 490 days (1 years and 5 days). Iowa requires $118 in fees, 1 exams, no experience, and 2100 clock hours education.

Where is it fastest to obtain a Shampooer license?

An occupational license for a Shampooer takes the least time to obtain in Ohio, Oregon, Alabama, Arkansas (0 days).

What states require exams for a Shampooer license?

To obtain an occupational license for a Shampooer there is at least one exam required in: Iowa, Nebraska, Kentucky, Michigan, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Mississippi, South Dakota, Delaware, Kansas, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Montana, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Wisconsin, Idaho, New Jersey, Washington, Massachusetts, Vermont, California, Texas, New York, South Carolina, Nevada, Utah, Oregon. North Dakota, Kansas, New Mexico, Vermont require 3 exams.

Thirty-seven states license shampooers. Seven of these states—Alabama, Louisiana, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia—issue a license specific to shampooers. In the other 30 states, shampooing is interpreted as falling under the scope of other licenses administered by barbering and cosmetology boards (see Appendix B for details). On average, aspiring shampooers must pay $130 in fees, complete 248 days of education and experience, and pass about two exams—the 45th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied here. Because many states license shampooers, the occupation ranks as the 32nd most widely and onerously licensed.

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 Iowa 71 $118 490 2100 clock hours None 1 12 0
2 Nebraska 61 $78 420 1800 clock hours None 1 12 17
3 Kentucky 38 $200 350 1500 clock hours None 2 12 18
4 Michigan 48 $200 350 1500 clock hours None 2 9 17
5 North Dakota 65 $145 350 1500 clock hours None 3 12 0
6 Oklahoma 42 $60 350 1500 clock hours None 2 8 16
7 Mississippi 65 $100 350 1500 clock hours None 2 12 0
8 South Dakota 32 $100 350 1500 clock hours None 2 0 18
9 Delaware 42 $218 292 1250 clock hours None 2 10 16
10 Kansas 35 $180 280 1200 clock hours None 3 12 16
11 Hawaii 64 $182 292 1250 clock hours None 1 12 16
12 Rhode Island 70 $100 280 1200 clock hours None 2 12 18
13 Montana 32 $269 257 1100 clock hours None 2 12 18
14 New Mexico 66 $150 280 1200 clock hours None 3 0 17
15 Colorado 34 $177 280 1200 clock hours None 2 0 16
16 Wyoming 26 $200 233 1000 clock hours None 2 10 17
17 Wisconsin 42 $354 233 1000 clock hours None 2 0 18
18 Idaho 66 $186 210 900 clock hours None 2 10 17
19 New Jersey 54 $90 210 900 clock hours None 2 12 17
20 Washington 76 $25 233 1000 clock hours None 2 0 17
21 Massachusetts 50 $170 233 1000 clock hours None 2 0 0
22 Vermont 31 $100 175 750 clock hours None 3 12 0
23 California 75 $50 140 600 clock hours None 1 10 17
24 Texas 38 $172 70 300 clock hours None 2 7 16
25 New York 41 $60 68 291 clock hours None 2 0 17
26 South Carolina 60 $90 42 None 6 weeks 1 0 16
27 Nevada 75 $115 12 50 clock hours None 1 10 16
28 Ohio 40 $0 0 None None 0 10 16
29 Utah 64 $68 0.3 2 clock hours None 1 0 0
30 Oregon 69 $65 0 None None 1 0 0
31 Louisiana 77 $0 9 40 clock hours None 0 0 0
32 Alabama 63 $75 0 None None 0 0 0
33 Arkansas 72 $10 0 None None 0 0 0

License to Work

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

View Report