Barbering and cosmetology

The law sets clearer licensing and workplace rules for beauty-service businesses and creates stronger safeguards for apprentices. It also keeps the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology operating four more years.

What the law does ​

• Extends the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology through January 1, 2031.
• Requires partnerships and limited liability companies operating regulated establishments to obtain establishment licenses.
• Suspends a corporation’s or limited liability company’s establishment license if it fails to register and remain in good standing with the Secretary of State after notice.
• Requires the board to license qualifying federally recognized tribes while exempting them from Secretary of State registration and good-standing requirements.
• Requires establishments to have a qualified licensee or establishment licensee in charge whenever regulated services are performed.
• Requires cosmetology license applicants relying on school training to submit official transcripts.
• Requires board approval for apprenticeship program sponsors, trainers, and establishments employing apprentice trainers, in addition to Division of Apprenticeship Standards approval for sponsors.
• Bars apprenticeship charges beyond actual textbook and minimum-equipment costs and requires apprentices to be employees paid hourly under their apprenticeship agreements.
• Requires board approval before cosmetology, barbering, or electrology schools may operate and removes minimum full-time-student requirements.
• Requires timely completion of remedial education for first health and safety violations or imposition of the otherwise applicable penalty.

Who it affects ​

• Barbers, cosmetologists, electrologists, estheticians, hairstylists, manicurists, and apprentices.
• Salon, barbershop, and other licensed establishment owners, including partnerships, corporations, and limited liability companies.
• Barbering, cosmetology, and electrology apprenticeship sponsors, trainers, and schools.
• Federally recognized tribes applying to operate businesses regulated under the act.

Context ​

The law makes unlicensed regulated activity by partnerships and limited liability companies subject to administrative fines and possible misdemeanor penalties.

Breakdown ​

Board Extension and Establishment Licensing ​

The bill keeps the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology in place through January 1, 2031. It adds licensing and business-status rules for partnerships, limited liability companies, corporations, and federally recognized tribes that operate licensed establishments. It also specifies who must supervise an establishment while services are being performed.

Key takeaways

• The bill extends the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology through January 1, 2031.
• Partnerships and limited liability companies that want to operate a licensed establishment must apply for an establishment license.
• Corporations and limited liability companies operating licensed establishments must be registered and in good standing with the Secretary of State.
• The board may suspend an establishment license held by a corporation or limited liability company that is not in good standing with the Secretary of State.
• The board must license a federally recognized tribe that applies and otherwise meets the act’s requirements, without requiring Secretary of State registration or good standing.
• While licensed services are being performed, an establishment must be supervised by a licensed barber, cosmetologist, electrologist, esthetician, hairstylist, manicurist, or establishment licensee.

Unlicensed Business Activity ​

The bill expands the criminal ban on unlicensed regulated activity to cover partnerships and limited liability companies. Previously, the provision expressly applied to persons, firms, and corporations. Because this expands a crime, it creates a state-required local enforcement duty.

Key takeaways

• Partnerships and limited liability companies may not engage in regulated activity without a valid, unexpired board license.
• The bill adds these business forms to the entities covered by the existing criminal prohibition.
• Expanding the offense results in a state-mandated local program.

Cosmetology Course Transcripts ​

The bill adds a documentation requirement for cosmetology license applicants. Applicants must provide official transcripts showing they completed the required cosmetology course at a board-approved school.

Key takeaways

• Cosmetology license applicants must submit official transcripts as proof that they completed the required course.
• The transcripts must show completion of a cosmetology course from a school approved by the board.
• This adds to the existing application requirements for admission to the cosmetology licensing examination.

Apprenticeship Program Oversight ​

The bill changes how barbering, cosmetology, and electrology apprenticeship programs are approved and supervised. Program sponsors must receive approval from both the Division of Apprenticeship Standards and the board, meet application requirements, and cannot charge apprentices except for the actual cost of textbooks and basic equipment. It also sets requirements for trainers, establishments, and apprentices and allows discipline for violations.

Key takeaways

• Apprenticeship standards must be approved by the Chief of the Division of Apprenticeship Standards rather than the Administrator of Apprenticeship.
• Sponsors of barbering, cosmetology, or electrology apprenticeship programs must obtain board approval and submit an application, fee, and an agreement with a local educational agency.
• A program sponsor must first be approved by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards before receiving board approval.
• The board may deny, suspend, or revoke a sponsor's approval for specified misconduct, including unprofessional conduct.
• Programs may not charge apprentices to participate except for the actual cost of textbooks and minimum equipment.
• Approved trainers and establishments may provide on-the-job training if they meet specified conditions, while apprentices must submit their apprenticeship agreement, work in a licensed establishment, and register with the Division of Apprenticeship Standards.

School Approval and Enrollment Rules ​

The bill requires cosmetology, barbering, and electrology schools to receive board approval before they begin operating. It also removes the minimum enrollment requirement for a specified number of bona fide full-time students.

Key takeaways

• Cosmetology, barbering, and electrology schools must be approved by the board before operating.
• The bill removes the required minimum number of bona fide full-time students for these schools.
• Schools remain subject to the board’s approval process before they can operate.

Deadline for Remedial Education ​

The bill requires the barbering and cosmetology board to set a deadline for completing its remedial education course after a first health and safety violation. If the person does not complete the course by that deadline, the board must impose the penalty that otherwise would have applied to the violation.

Key takeaways

• The board must set, by regulation, a time limit for completing the remedial education course.
• The course remains an alternative to a penalty for a first health and safety violation.
• A person who misses the required completion deadline must receive the penalty that would otherwise have been imposed.
• The bill makes the penalty mandatory when the course is not completed on time.

No State Reimbursement ​

This part says the state does not have to reimburse local governments or school districts for costs caused by this bill. The bill gives a specified reason for that exemption under California’s state-mandate reimbursement rules.

Key takeaways

• The bill states that no state reimbursement is required for costs imposed by the act.
• The exemption applies to local agencies and school districts.
• California’s usual process for reimbursing certain state-mandated local costs does not apply to this act for the stated reason.