Purpose

• Update and reform how barbering is regulated in Minnesota. The bill changes who sits on the Board of Barber Examiners, how barbers and barber schools are licensed, what training is required, and how exams and registrations are handled. It also clarifies what counts as barbering versus other services (like waxing) and moves some rules from the administrative rules into statute.

Key Provisions and Objectives

• Board composition and leadership
  • Creates a Board of Barber Examiners with four barber members and one public member appointed by the governor.
  • Sets qualification requirements for barber members (e.g., at least five years practicing as a barber, high school or equivalent education) and adds representation from a barber union and a professional barber organization.
• Fees
  • Establishes a comprehensive schedule of fees for examinations, registrations, renewals, and other barber-related activities.
  • Fees paid to the board are deposited in the state general fund; any fees charged by external examination providers are paid directly to those providers.
• Registration and scope of practice
  • Registration as a barber is mandatory to practice barbering in Minnesota.
  • Barber services must be performed in a registered barber shop or barber school unless the board authorizes otherwise.
  • Defines who may serve as a barber instructor and requires instructor registration; barber instruction must occur in registered barber schools.
• Definitions and scope of barbering
  • Clarifies what activities constitute barbering (e.g., shaving, trimming, coloring, scalp and hair treatments) and explicitly states that waxing the body is not barbering.
  • Adds precise definitions for straight razors and waxing as separate concepts.
• Education and training requirements
  • Establishes a 1500-hour education requirement to become a registered barber: 281 classroom hours and 1219 practical hours in a board-approved barber school.
  • Requires applicants to be at least 17 years old and have completed ten grades of education.
  • Specifies that a first-time applicant who fails the comprehensive exam and a one-time written retake must complete an additional 500 hours of barber education before retaking the exam.
• Barber school prerequisites and approval
  • Sets admission prerequisites for barber schools (e.g., 10 grades of education, prerequisite coursework) and requires a 1500-hour minimum program.
  • Adds an application review process for establishing a barber school, including public meetings, demonstration of financial resources, and denial authority if finances are insufficient to operate the school or ensure student graduation.
• Examinations
  • Requires practical and written examinations for barber registration; defines when exams occur, how often, and what documentation is needed.
  • Sets minimum passing standards (e.g., 75% for the written portion and the practical portions; specific minimums for the haircut portion).
  • Provides rules for retaking failed portions and the process to reinstate or convert requirements after failing.
• Reciprocity and nonresident eligibility
  • Allows nonresidents with equivalent credentials or foreign credentials to obtain Minnesota barber registration without examination, under specified conditions.
  • For nonresident or foreign-credentialed applicants, outlines hours requirements and verification processes.
• Credit for cosmetology training
  • Allows up to 1000 hours of cosmetology study to count toward the 1500-hour barber requirement if the hours are substantially similar or credentialed as practice in cosmetology.
  • After earning credited hours, applicants must finish the remaining hours in a board-approved barber school and then be eligible for the comprehensive exam.
• Repeal of certain rules
  • Repeals specific Minnesota Rules related to barber examinations and school approvals (moving those regulatory details into statute).
  • This includes parts of the rules about exam dates, application forms, content and grading of examinations, and related processes.

How the Changes Affect People and Entities

• Barbers and barber schools
  • Clear, published education and exam requirements, including a 1500-hour pathway with defined classroom and practical components.
  • New processes to establish barber schools (public hearings and financial qualifications) may affect who can open or operate schools.
  • New or updated fee schedule and the potential for additional hours if a candidate does not pass the exam on the first try.
• Students and applicants
  • More defined admission requirements and structured training hours.
  • Possible need to complete extra hours if initial attempts at examinations fail.
  • Potential for cosmetology hours to count toward barber training, bridging cross-training opportunities.
• Consumers
  • A more uniform standard for barber education and licensing, with emphasis on safety, sanitation, and proper supervision.
  • Clear rules about where barber services can be performed and who may perform them.

Important Definitions and Terms (Key Terms You’ll See in Public Discussion)

• Board of Barber Examiners
• Registered barber
• Barber school
• Barber shop registration
• Barber instructor / instructor registration
• Comprehensive examination
• 1500 hours (281 classroom hours + 1219 practical hours)
• Practical examination / written examination
• Home Study Course for Barbers
• Nonresident / reciprocity
• Cosmetology hours credit toward barber training
• Straight razor
• Waxing (defined separately)

Summary of Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Structural change to governance: new four-barber, one-public-member Board composition with specified representation.
• Expanded and standardized education pathway: a strict 1500-hour requirement with defined classroom and practical hour breakdown, plus a formal path for crediting cosmetology hours.
• Stronger school oversight: requires open public review for new barber schools, financial sufficiency demonstration, and potential denial for inadequate funding.
• Clarified scope of practice: explicitly separates waxing from barbering and provides clear definitions for straight razors and waxing.
• Updated licensing process: adds explicit application, examination timing, grading standards, and reciprocity rules for nonresidents and foreign credentials.
• Rule-to-law shift: repeals several administrative rules and moves related requirements into statute.

Relevant Terms - Board of Barber Examiners - Registered barber - Barber school - Barber shop registration - Barber instructor - Comprehensive examination - 1500 hours - Classroom hours - Practical hours - Home Study Course for Barbers - Nonresident / reciprocity - Cosmetology hours credit - Straight razor - Waxing - Public welfare (as a consideration in school approvals) - Public hearing (for barber school applications)