The career path of a barber in Virginia is a regulated trade requiring all practitioners to hold a license. This ensures professionals meet established standards of health, sanitation, and technical competency. Achieving licensure is a prerequisite for beginning a rewarding career in the state’s growing personal grooming industry.
Minimum Requirements Before Training
Prospective barbers must satisfy the initial eligibility requirements set by the Virginia Board for Barbers and Cosmetology before enrolling in a formal program. An individual must be at least 16 years old to begin either a school or apprenticeship program. Most schools require applicants to possess a high school diploma or a General Educational Development (GED) certificate. Meeting these requirements allows the applicant to choose between a state-approved school curriculum or a registered apprenticeship.
Complete the Required Education or Apprenticeship
Virginia law provides two distinct pathways for fulfilling the mandatory training hours necessary to qualify for the state licensing examinations. Both options require a significant commitment to hands-on practice and theoretical instruction, though they differ in structure and duration.
Barber School Curriculum
The most common method involves completing a program at a Virginia-licensed barber school, requiring a minimum of 1,100 clock hours of instruction. The curriculum provides comprehensive training, balancing classroom learning with practical work. Core topics mandated by the state include law and regulations, business management, client consultation, and proper hygiene and sanitation procedures.
Technical skills covered include using a razor, clippers, and shears, along with techniques like hair coloring, tapering, and thinning. Specialized services, such as scalp treatments, basic facial massage, and performing shaves, are also included. Upon completing the 1,100 hours, the school verifies the training to establish eligibility for the state exams.
Registered Apprenticeship Program
An alternative route is participation in a Registered Apprenticeship Program, which must be approved by the Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI). This path requires a longer commitment of 2,000 hours of training under the direct supervision of a licensed barber or master barber. The extended duration allows the apprentice to gain extensive real-world experience and build a clientele while earning a wage.
The program mandates a breakdown of hours dedicated to hair cutting and grooming, business management, orientation, and hygiene. Apprentices receive on-the-job training, but they must also complete related instructional hours outside of the practical work. This ensures they receive the theoretical knowledge required to understand the scientific concepts, safety protocols, and regulations of the trade.
The Virginia Licensing Process
After completing the required training hours, the next step is the formal licensing process managed by the Virginia Board for Barbers and Cosmetology. The board requires applicants to pass both a written and a practical examination to demonstrate competency. The training institution or registered program submits documentation to the Board to confirm the individual’s eligibility to test.
The examinations are typically administered by a third-party testing agency. Candidates must first pass the written or theory exam, which is a timed, multiple-choice assessment. This test measures the applicant’s knowledge of scientific concepts, state laws, safety protocols, and sanitation procedures, which are collectively weighted heavily in the scoring.
Following the theory examination, the applicant must successfully complete the practical, hands-on exam, which assesses technical skills under timed conditions. This test requires the candidate to perform a series of standard barbering services, such as a facial shave, a tapered haircut, and proper disinfection procedures. Once both examinations are passed, the applicant submits a final application and the initial licensure fee to the Board to be officially issued a Virginia Barber License.
Maintaining Your Virginia Barber License
Once the initial license is issued, the barber must adhere to specific regulations to keep the credential active and in good standing with the Board. The Virginia barber license operates on a two-year renewal cycle, expiring on the last day of the month it was originally issued. License holders are responsible for submitting a renewal application and paying the required fee every two years.
Virginia does not mandate specific continuing education (CE) hours for renewal. However, licensees are expected to maintain knowledge of current health, safety, and sanitation regulations. It is recommended that barbers ensure their contact information is up-to-date with the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) to receive timely renewal notices.
Career Opportunities for Virginia Barbers
A professional barber license opens various employment and entrepreneurial avenues across the Commonwealth. Most newly licensed barbers begin by working in established barbershops, where they can build their client base and further refine their skills. This setting provides a consistent flow of customers and a mentorship environment.
As experience grows, many barbers transition into independent contractor roles, renting a booth or chair within a shop, which offers greater flexibility and a higher earning potential. The license also provides the foundation for entrepreneurship, allowing a professional to pursue opening their own licensed barbershop. Specialized services, such as mobile barbering or working with film and theater productions, are other possibilities.