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New Jersey Barber — Requirements & Free Practice

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Licenses, application pathways and examination requirements

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Barbering license

License to practice barbering, including the services authorized by N.J.S.A.45:5B-3(b) and N.J.A.C.13:28-1.1(a)3.

Licensing authority: New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling · Application information

Licensure without examination — substantially equivalent external licensing criteria
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Board determination
The Board Application Process Overview instructs a representative to review the certification and determine endorsement versus examination.
Criteria equivalence
The originating licensing criteria must be substantially similar to New Jersey requirements.
External license
Possess a license from another jurisdiction to perform barbering services.
Fees documents
Pay the Board fee and submit certification from the licensing jurisdiction.
Implementation demand
The Board FAQ states: I have a beautician/barber's license from another state; can I work in New Jersey? No. In order to work in New Jersey you need to have a license issued by the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. You must submit an "out-of-state" application and required documentation and pass the Board's examination. The application must be requested in writing and will be mailed to you. The statutory endorsement provision controls the no-examination branch; applicants should obtain the Board determination of which application applies.
Practical history
The Board Application Process Overview states: "If the State in which you are currently licensed does not require a practical examination, you will not qualify for endorsement." This lower-ranked implementing demand is retained as an applicant condition.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Licensure without examination — less stringent external criteria with three years of practical experience
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Board determination
The Board Application Process Overview instructs a representative to review the certification and determine endorsement versus examination.
Experience
Present satisfactory evidence of three years of practical experience in a licensed shop in barbering; acceptance is at the Board's discretion.
External license
Possess a license from another jurisdiction to perform barbering services.
Fees documents
Pay the Board fee and submit certification from the licensing jurisdiction.
Implementation demand
The Board FAQ states: I have a beautician/barber's license from another state; can I work in New Jersey? No. In order to work in New Jersey you need to have a license issued by the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling. You must submit an "out-of-state" application and required documentation and pass the Board's examination. The application must be requested in writing and will be mailed to you. The statutory endorsement provision controls the no-examination branch; applicants should obtain the Board determination of which application applies.
Practical history
The Board Application Process Overview states: "If the State in which you are currently licensed does not require a practical examination, you will not qualify for endorsement." This lower-ranked implementing demand is retained as an applicant condition.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Election of inactive status
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Inactive request
Apply to the Board for inactive status.
Practice restriction
Do not render barbering services for the entire biennial registration period.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Initial licensure by examination — external license with experience substituted for training documentation

All of the following:

Approval
Submit the Board application, required documentation, and applicable fees; obtain preapproval and examination eligibility.
Exam sequence
Pass theory with at least 75 percent before admission to the practical examination; receive a passing grade on each part.
Experience documents
A notarized work-experience affidavit and certification of licensure may replace training documentation under N.J.A.C.13:28-1.1(e)3. This is an examination route when endorsement is not granted.
External license
Hold a license from another jurisdiction and show at least three years of practice there.
General education
High-school completion or GED as prescribed by N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(d); the GED is an education condition, not a barber examination leaf.
Health
No communicable, contagious, or infectious disease reasonably expected to be transmitted through the regulated services (N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(c)).
Minimum age
At least 17 years old (N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(b)).
Moral character
Submit satisfactory evidence of good moral character (N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(a)).
Pandemic waiver
DCA AO-2021-05 was limited to the EO103 emergencies. EO415 terminated the state emergency on February 16, 2026; EO13 records termination of the public-health emergency and grants only a limited 45-day extension. The historical practical-exam waiver is not treated as a current issuance route.
Training age
N.J.A.C.13:28-1.2(f): take the examination within five years of completing training; refresher training applies after more than three but less than five years, and the full training program is repeated after more than five years.
Initial licensure by examination — training outside New Jersey

All of the following:

Approval
Submit the Board application, required documentation, and applicable fees; obtain preapproval and examination eligibility.
Barber training
Submit certification from the external licensing authority showing substantially equivalent barbering training; foreign examinations are applicant evidence, not New Jersey examination leaves.
Exam sequence
Pass theory with at least 75 percent before admission to the practical examination; receive a passing grade on each part.
General education
High-school completion or GED as prescribed by N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(d); the GED is an education condition, not a barber examination leaf.
Health
No communicable, contagious, or infectious disease reasonably expected to be transmitted through the regulated services (N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(c)).
Minimum age
At least 17 years old (N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(b)).
Moral character
Submit satisfactory evidence of good moral character (N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(a)).
Pandemic waiver
DCA AO-2021-05 was limited to the EO103 emergencies. EO415 terminated the state emergency on February 16, 2026; EO13 records termination of the public-health emergency and grants only a limited 45-day extension. The historical practical-exam waiver is not treated as a current issuance route.
Training age
N.J.A.C.13:28-1.2(f): take the examination within five years of completing training; refresher training applies after more than three but less than five years, and the full training program is repeated after more than five years.
Initial licensure by examination — military education, training, and experience credit

All of the following:

Approval
Submit the Board application, required documentation, and applicable fees; obtain preapproval and examination eligibility.
Exam sequence
Pass theory with at least 75 percent before admission to the practical examination; receive a passing grade on each part.
General education
High-school completion or GED as prescribed by N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(d); the GED is an education condition, not a barber examination leaf.
Health
No communicable, contagious, or infectious disease reasonably expected to be transmitted through the regulated services (N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(c)).
Military documents
Submit the Joint Services Transcript for relevant courses and training evaluated by the American Council on Education.
Military equivalence
Board determination that relevant military and civilian education, training, and experience are substantially equivalent to the barbering requirements.
Minimum age
At least 17 years old (N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(b)).
Moral character
Submit satisfactory evidence of good moral character (N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(a)).
Pandemic waiver
DCA AO-2021-05 was limited to the EO103 emergencies. EO415 terminated the state emergency on February 16, 2026; EO13 records termination of the public-health emergency and grants only a limited 45-day extension. The historical practical-exam waiver is not treated as a current issuance route.
Training age
N.J.A.C.13:28-1.2(f): take the examination within five years of completing training; refresher training applies after more than three but less than five years, and the full training program is repeated after more than five years.
Initial licensure by examination — New Jersey licensed school

All of the following:

Approval
Submit the Board application, required documentation, and applicable fees; obtain preapproval and examination eligibility.
Barber training
Complete a 900-hour barbering course and submit the official transcript under N.J.A.C.13:28-1.1(e)1iii.
Exam sequence
Pass theory with at least 75 percent before admission to the practical examination; receive a passing grade on each part.
General education
High-school completion or GED as prescribed by N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(d); the GED is an education condition, not a barber examination leaf.
Health
No communicable, contagious, or infectious disease reasonably expected to be transmitted through the regulated services (N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(c)).
Minimum age
At least 17 years old (N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(b)).
Moral character
Submit satisfactory evidence of good moral character (N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(a)).
Pandemic waiver
DCA AO-2021-05 was limited to the EO103 emergencies. EO415 terminated the state emergency on February 16, 2026; EO13 records termination of the public-health emergency and grants only a limited 45-day extension. The historical practical-exam waiver is not treated as a current issuance route.
Training age
N.J.A.C.13:28-1.2(f): take the examination within five years of completing training; refresher training applies after more than three but less than five years, and the full training program is repeated after more than five years.
Initial licensure by examination — approved public or vocational program

All of the following:

Approval
Submit the Board application, required documentation, and applicable fees; obtain preapproval and examination eligibility.
Barber training
Complete the State Board of Education-approved barbering program and submit an official transcript.
Exam sequence
Pass theory with at least 75 percent before admission to the practical examination; receive a passing grade on each part.
General education
High-school completion or GED as prescribed by N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(d); the GED is an education condition, not a barber examination leaf.
Health
No communicable, contagious, or infectious disease reasonably expected to be transmitted through the regulated services (N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(c)).
Minimum age
At least 17 years old (N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(b)).
Moral character
Submit satisfactory evidence of good moral character (N.J.S.A.45:5B-16(a)).
Pandemic waiver
DCA AO-2021-05 was limited to the EO103 emergencies. EO415 terminated the state emergency on February 16, 2026; EO13 records termination of the public-health emergency and grants only a limited 45-day extension. The historical practical-exam waiver is not treated as a current issuance route.
Training age
N.J.A.C.13:28-1.2(f): take the examination within five years of completing training; refresher training applies after more than three but less than five years, and the full training program is repeated after more than five years.
Late renewal within 30 days
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Existing license
Apply within 30 days after license expiration.
Fees
Submit the renewal and late fees. Failure to apply within the 30-day period results in suspension.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Return from inactive status to active practice
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
License history
Hold an inactive barbering license.
Renewal fee
Pay the renewal fee for the current biennial registration period.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Reinstatement after suspension of more than five years

All of the following:

Documents fees
Submit renewal application, all delinquent renewal fees, reinstatement fee, and an employment affidavit listing every job, employer name, address, and telephone number during suspension.
License history
License suspended for failure to renew.
Suspension period
Suspension longer than five years requires retaking and passing the license examination.
Reinstatement after suspension of no more than five years
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Documents fees
Submit renewal application, all delinquent renewal fees, reinstatement fee, and an employment affidavit listing every job, employer name, address, and telephone number during suspension.
License history
License suspended for failure to renew.
Suspension period
The suspension has not exceeded five years; the examination provision applies only after more than five years.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Biennial renewal
No examination is required for this applicant pathway.
Existing license
Hold the barbering license.
Renewal
Submit the renewal application and renewal fee before expiration; renew on the Board's biennial schedule.

Official no-examination sources

Effective from 2026-09-22.

Temporary permit — barbering

Temporary authority while the barber licensing examination process is pending.

Licensing authority: New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling · Application information

Temporary barbering permit pending examination completion

All of the following:

Application
The Board has accepted the application for a practicing license and examination.
Duration
120 days; issued upon request; ordinary permit issued only once.
Historical extension
Pandemic permit extensions and second-permit waivers are historical; duration and termination sources are retained.
Practical pending
Permit authorizes practice pending the practical examination and permanent licensure; passing the practical examination is not a precondition to issuance of the temporary permit.
Written score
The statutory temporary-permit provision described in DCA AO-2021-05 requires passage of the written portion.

New Jersey Barber Practical Examination

This assessment does not have a question bank.

Examination sources

New Jersey Barber Theory Examination

Provider
Prometric / Iso-Quality Testing
Format
Computer-based theory examination
Exam questions
115 items, of which 105 contribute to the final score
Time limit
120 minutes
Passing score
75 percent
Examination outline
  • 1. SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS (35 items)
    • 1.A. Infection Control and Safety Practices
    • 1.A.1. Identify how disease and infection are caused and transmitted
    • 1.A.2. Apply principles of infection control
    • 1.A.2.a. Sanitation/Cleansing
    • 1.A.2.b. Disinfection
    • 1.A.2.c. Sterilization
    • 1.A.2.d. Contamination and cross-contamination
    • 1.A.3. Apply blood exposure procedures
    • 1.A.4. Identify requirements of government agencies related to public protection (e.g., CDC, OSHA, EPA)
    • 1.B. Human anatomy and physiology
    • 1.B.1. Identify function and structure of the
    • 1.B.1.a. Hair and scalp
    • 1.B.1.b. Skin
    • 1.B.2. Identify bones related to
    • 1.B.2.a. Head and face
    • 1.B.2.b. Neck, shoulders, and upper back
    • 1.B.3. Identify muscles and joints and their functions related to
    • 1.B.3.a. Head and face
    • 1.B.3.b. Neck, shoulders, and upper back
    • 1.B.4. Understand the functions of body systems
    • 1.B.4.a. Nervous system
    • 1.B.4.b. Circulatory system
    • 1.B.4.c. Endocrine system
    • 1.B.4.d. Integumentary system
    • 1.C. Identify signs and symptoms of conditions, disorders, and diseases related to skin
    • 1.C.1. Types
    • 1.C.2. Treatments
    • 1.D. Identify signs and symptoms of conditions, disorders, and diseases related to hair
    • 1.D.1. Types
    • 1.D.2. Treatments
    • 1.E. Basic chemistry of products used in barbering
    • 1.E.1. Understand the chemical pH scale
    • 1.E.2. Understand purpose and effects of products, ingredients, and their interactions
    • 1.E.3. Understand interactions among chemicals
    • 1.E.4. Understand chemical reactions (e.g., overexposure, chemical burn, inhalation)
  • 2. IMPLEMENTS AND EQUIPMENT (10 items)
    • 2.A. Identify function, purpose, and care of tools used in hair services
    • 2.A.1. Equipment (e.g., chair, workstation)
    • 2.A.2. Implements (e.g., razors, shears, combs/brushes)
    • 2.A.3. Supplies and materials (e.g., towels, drape, neck strips)
    • 2.A.4. Electrical tools (e.g., clippers, blow dryers)
    • 2.B. Understand and apply safety and sanitation practices for use of implements and equipment
  • 3. HAIR CARE SERVICES (40 Items)
    • 3.A. Client consultation, analysis, and documentation for hair care services
    • 3.A.1. Analyze condition of client's hair and scalp (i.e., assessment)
    • 3.A.2. Recognize conditions that would prohibit service (i.e., contraindications)
    • 3.A.3. Determine services and/or products
    • 3.A.4. Document and maintain client records (e.g., consultation card, service history, medical history)
    • 3.B. Hair Care
    • 3.B.1. Apply knowledge of draping (e.g., chemical, shampoo, haircutting)
    • 3.B.2. Apply knowledge of principles and procedures for shampooing and conditioning
    • 3.B.3. Apply knowledge of principles and procedures for scalp treatments and scalp massage/manipulation
    • 3.C. Hair Design
    • 3.C.1. Apply knowledge of principles, procedures, and safety of haircutting
    • 3.C.1.a. Shaping
    • 3.C.1.b. Outlining
    • 3.C.1.c. Neck shave
    • 3.C.2. Apply knowledge of principles, procedures, and safety of hair styling
    • 3.C.2.a. Wet styling
    • 3.C.2.b. Blow-dry styling
    • 3.C.2.c. Thermal styling
    • 3.C.2.d. Natural hair styling (e.g., braiding, locks)
    • 3.C.3. Apply knowledge of hair enhancement options
    • 3.D. Apply knowledge of preparation, procedures, and safety for head shaving
    • 3.E. Apply knowledge of principles, procedures, and safety for chemical services
    • 3.E.1. Understand preliminary tests (e.g., purposes, uses, applications):
    • 3.E.1.a. Predisposition
    • 3.E.1.b. Strand test
    • 3.E.2. Hair coloring (including facial hair)
    • 3.E.3. Hair lightening
    • 3.E.4. Foiling
    • 3.E.5. Chemical hair relaxing/restructuring and curl reduction
    • 3.E.5.a. Hydroxide
    • 3.E.5.b. Thio
    • 3.E.5.c. Keratin
    • 3.E.6. Chemical waving/texturizing:
    • 3.E.6.a. Alkaline
    • 3.E.6.b. Acid
    • 3.E.6.c. Non-thio
    • Textured hair (coiled, curly, or wavy), required in written and practical examinations by N.J.S.A.45:5B-27.1.
  • 4. FACIAL HAIR AND SKIN CARE SERVICES (15 Items)
    • 4.A. Client consultation, analysis, and documentation for facial hair and skin care services
    • 4.A.1. Evaluate client's skin (e.g., type, condition)
    • 4.A.2. Identify contraindications:
    • 4.A.2.a. Disorders
    • 4.A.2.b. Diseases
    • 4.A.3. Determine services and/or products
    • 4.A.4. Document and maintain client records (e.g., consultation card, service history, medical history)
    • 4.B. Apply knowledge of draping for facial hair and skin care services
    • 4.C. Apply knowledge of principles, procedures, and safety for facial hair and skin care services
    • 4.C.1. Complete shave service with required strokes
    • 4.C.2. Facial hair design
    • 4.C.3. Facial (e.g., cleansing, steam towel, massage)
  • 5. NEW JERSEY STATE LAW (5 Items)
Examination sources