Barber License Reciprocity by State (2026 Chart)
Moving to a new state with your barber license? This chart shows, for every state and DC, whether the board offers a path for out-of-state barbers, the key conditions, whether you'll face an exam, the fee when the board states one, and the official page we used.
Requirements change. This page is an independent summary, not legal advice and not affiliated with any state board. Always confirm with the state board before you apply. Last reviewed: .
At a glance
- 42 jurisdictions list a reciprocity or endorsement route for barbers licensed in other states, usually with conditions (hours, years licensed, exams passed).
- 5 limit it to specific states or to states that reciprocate with them: Kansas, Louisiana, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island.
- 1 (Hawaii) shows no separate reciprocity route on its official application; out-of-state barbers use the standard application and exam, and licensed experience can count toward training.
- 3 we could not confirm from an official page today: Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma. Contact those boards directly.
How to read the chart
- Route uses the board's own name for the process (reciprocity, endorsement, license transfer, waiver of examination). "Limited" means only licenses from listed or reciprocating states qualify.
- Key conditions are the main requirements in the official source: hours of training, years of licensed experience, good standing and the documents the board wants sent directly.
- Exam says whether the board lists a written, practical, theory or law exam for out-of-state applicants.
- Fee appears only when the official page states it. Otherwise it says "Verify with the board". Fees change, and many boards charge separately for license certifications.
- Every state links to the official board, statute or rule page we read, with the date we reviewed it. State names link to the board.
Disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We only link to products that match the exam your state uses, and it never changes what the state rules say. Read our affiliate disclosure.
| State | Route for out-of-state barbers | Key conditions | Exam | Fee (as stated) | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes Reciprocity (license transfer) |
Current license in another state; certification sent directly by that state's board. Licensed 5+ years in good standing: eligible without exams. | Under 5 years: none if you passed national written and practical exams; Alabama practical if you passed only a national written exam; Alabama written and practical if neither (6-month temporary work permit). | $100 (plus $130 practical / $75 written exam if required) | |
| Alaska | Yes Licensure by waiver of examination (Alaska says it has no reciprocity agreements) |
Current license in another state plus training/experience equal to: 1,650 school hours, 2,000 apprenticeship hours, 1 year full-time licensed work + 1,500 hours, or 2 years full-time licensed work + 1,000 hours (12 AAC 09.095). | No new exam, but a state where you were licensed must have required a practical and written exam. | $330 ($150 application + $180 license) | |
| Arizona | Yes Reciprocity (A.R.S. 32-513); universal recognition is a separate route |
Evidence of a license in another state; official license verification emailed by your current state; complete the board's infection protection & law review class. Universal recognition requires 1+ year licensed and Arizona residency. | No state exam listed for reciprocity; the infection protection & law review class is required. | Verify with the board | |
| Arkansas | Yes Reciprocity |
Unrevoked, unexpired license from another state and at least 1,500 training hours. Under 1,500 hours: also 1 year of continuous barbering practice. | No exam for U.S. licensees; foreign licensees must pass the board's practical exam. | $150 (reciprocity + license fee) | |
| California | Yes Reciprocity (BPC 7331) |
Current license from another state that is not revoked, suspended or restricted and is in good standing; certification letter from your licensing agency. |
No exam listed for reciprocity applicants. | Verify with the board | |
| Colorado | Yes Licensure by endorsement (4 CCR 731-1, Rule 1.4) |
Active license in good standing. Either: substantially equivalent training (1,500 hours, or at least 65% plus 5 hours of licensed work per missing hour), a passed written exam, and a passed practical exam or 1,000 work hours in the last 2 years; or 1+ year holding a license with a substantially similar scope. | If you don't qualify, the Director decides case by case which exam(s) (written, practical or both) you must take. | Verify with the board | |
| Connecticut | Yes Licensure based on out-of-state license |
Current barber license in another state, DC or U.S. territory, issued after an education/training program and an exam; verification from every state where you were ever licensed. | No exam if your license was issued on the basis of an exam. | $100 (online only) | |
| Delaware | Yes License by reciprocity |
Delaware requires 1,250 classroom or 3,000 apprenticeship hours for Barber (1,500/3,000 for Master Barber). Method 1: a state where you're licensed requires the same or more hours. Method 2: fewer hours, plus 1 year of full-time experience within the last 5 years. | You must have passed a nationally developed written and practical exam (both methods). | Verify with the board | |
| District of Columbia | Yes License by endorsement (exam waiver) |
Upload your current out-of-state license; a Letter of Certification must be sent directly from your current state board. | Exam waived for endorsement. | Verify with the board | |
| Florida | Yes Barber license by endorsement (BAR 4) |
Current, active license in another state; license certification from every state where you were licensed; board-approved HIV/AIDS course completed within 2 years; minimum age 16; Social Security number. | No Florida exam or Florida schooling for out-of-state licensees (out-of-country applicants have extra requirements). | $255 (Apr 1 of even years – Jul 31 of odd years) or $205 (Aug 1 of odd years – Mar 31 of even years) | |
| Georgia | Yes Endorsement only ('We only offer Endorsement, we do not offer Reciprocity') |
Notarized application with fee; education records; verification of original licensure and of every state where you're licensed. |
Georgia written and/or practical exam 'if applicable'. | Verify with the board | |
| Hawaii | No formal route No separate reciprocity route on the official application; out-of-state barbers use the standard barber application |
Training pathway: 1,500 school hours, 3,000 apprenticeship hours, or 6 months of licensed barber experience in another jurisdiction (with verification). | Barber exam (PSI) required unless you submit proof of passing the NIC exam. | $159 if licensed in an even-numbered year, $86 in an odd-numbered year (includes $20 application) | |
| Idaho | Yes Endorsement licensure (Idaho Code 54-5816) |
License from another state/territory/country, plus either official proof its requirements are not lower than Idaho's, or proof you practiced at least 1 of the last 3 years. | Issued without examination if you qualify. | $90 endorsement (fees effective July 1, 2026) | |
| Illinois | Yes Licensure by endorsement (68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.220) |
Certification from your original and current licensing boards; your license must be the same or substantially similar to Illinois' barber license. 300 education hours credited per 12 months of lawful barber work if needed. | If you previously failed the Illinois exam, you need a later pass on a substantially equivalent exam. | Verify with the board | |
| Indiana | Yes Reciprocity |
Valid license from a jurisdiction with substantially equal requirements (Indiana barber: 1,500 hours). If hours are short: 1 year of licensed practice = 100 hours, if you completed at least 1,000 hours. | Your jurisdiction must require at least 70% passing on written and practical exams. | Verify with the board | |
| Iowa | Yes Licensure by endorsement (481 IAC 940) |
Active license elsewhere for at least 12 of the past 24 months; verification from your most recent jurisdiction (web verification accepted if it shows name, initial date, status and discipline). Barbers receive Iowa's combined barbering-and-cosmetology license. | Not listed for endorsement; those who don't qualify may apply by 'licensure by verification'. | Verify with the board | |
| Kansas | Limited Reciprocity (K.S.A. 65-1813) – only from states that reciprocate with Kansas |
Age 18+; licensed in a state with substantially the same requirements that grants reciprocal authorization to Kansas barbers; verification of good standing sent by your current board. | No exam if you qualify. | $180 ($100 transfer + $80 license) | |
| Kentucky | Yes Endorsement (reciprocity) |
Age 18+; current license from a state with substantially the same requirements as KRS 317. Otherwise: registered barber who has worked 3 years. Call the board for the application. | Verify with the board | Verify with the board | |
| Louisiana | Limited Reciprocity – only from states with equivalent rules that reciprocate with Louisiana |
Current license from a state/territory/DC whose requirements equal or exceed Louisiana's and that has similar reciprocal provisions for Louisiana licensees. | No further exam if you qualify; otherwise proof of practice as a licensed barber and the board's exam. | Verify with the board | |
| Maine | Yes License by endorsement (10 M.R.S. 8003-H) |
Valid U.S. license from a jurisdiction with substantially equivalent requirements (Maine barber hair stylist: 800 school hours over 5+ months or 1,600 trainee hours); good standing everywhere; original license verification. | No exam listed for endorsement. | $41 (application packet rev. 3/2022) | |
| Maryland | Yes Licensure by endorsement / reciprocity |
Current license in good standing from a jurisdiction with comparable requirements; certification sent directly; at least 6 months of work experience (Maryland work not accepted). Wait for board confirmation before applying. | Applicants from Alaska, California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, New Jersey and New York must pass Maryland's theory and practical exams. | $56 application | |
| Massachusetts | Yes Reciprocity (M.G.L. c.112 s.87Z) |
Out-of-state license, verification, sealed school transcript and proof you passed a U.S. licensing exam. | Exam required if, among other things: education under 1,000 barbering hours, training by apprenticeship, license ever suspended/revoked, or your license doesn't cover chemical services. | $225 (out-of-state barber application) | |
| Michigan | Yes Licensure by endorsement (Mich. Admin. Code R 339.6022) |
Licensed in good standing for at least 1 of the 3 years before applying; your jurisdiction must require 1,800 hours (school or apprenticeship) and substantially equal theory/practical exams. Short hours: 100 hours credit per 3 months of experience. | If requirements aren't substantially equivalent: Michigan practical and theory exams. | $63 (application + 2-year license) | |
| Minnesota | Yes Reciprocity (Minn. Stat. 154.11), case by case |
Evaluated case by case: current license in good standing and education/experience substantially the same as Minnesota's; barber-school transcript; license verification sent directly by your board. Verified licensed experience can count toward school hours. | If not substantially the same: extra training and/or a Minnesota exam. | Verify with the board | |
| Mississippi | Verify with the board Verify with the board |
Verify with the board |
Verify with the board | Verify with the board | |
| Missouri | Yes Reciprocity (20 CSR 2085-5.030) |
Current license from a state with requirements equal to or greater than Missouri's when you were licensed, OR at least 2 years of lawful barbering in another state; out-of-state verification form; medical exam report signed by an M.D. or D.O. | No exam if you qualify; otherwise the board tells you what's missing. | Verify with the board | |
| Montana | Verify with the board Verify with the board |
Verify with the board |
Verify with the board | Verify with the board | |
| Nebraska | Yes Licensure by credentials or reciprocity (Neb. Rev. Stat. 71-242) |
Your state's requirements were substantially equal when licensed, OR 3 years of continuous practice immediately before applying. Otherwise extra training (6 months of practice = 100 hours). Certification from original and current state. | None listed if you qualify; otherwise you become eligible for the exam after supplementary training. | $220 or $295 depending on the month and year you apply | |
| Nevada | Yes License by endorsement (NAC 643.025) |
Valid, unrestricted license from DC or a U.S. state/territory with substantially similar qualifications; completed barber school; 5 years as a licensed barber before applying; 2 affidavits from barbershop owners/managers; physician's TB/communicable-disease certificate; fingerprints. | Proof of a passing score on a nationally recognized exam (or one approved by the board). | Verify with the board | |
| New Hampshire | Yes Reciprocity / endorsement (RSA 310:17, Plc 313.18) |
Barber: active license in good standing from any U.S. state or DC; Universal Application, fee and copy of license; a portal screenshot can serve as verification. (Master Barber: only DE, GA, ND, TN, VA.) |
None listed; transcripts and exam results are not required under this route. | Verify with the board | |
| New Jersey | Yes Licensure by endorsement (N.J.A.C. 13:28-1.1) |
Certification from your licensing authority that your training is substantially equivalent, OR (with 3+ years of practice in that state) a notarized work-experience affidavit plus certification of licensure. | Verify with the board | $100 filing fee + $90 license (first year of the cycle) or $45 (second year) | |
| New Mexico | Yes Reciprocity / expedited licensure (16.34.6 NMAC) |
Current license in good standing from an eligible jurisdiction. Not eligible for barber expedited licensure: Florida, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, U.S. Virgin Islands. Issued within 30 days of a complete application. | New Mexico jurisprudence exam submitted with the application. | $150 reciprocity | |
| New York | Limited Reciprocity only with Maine, New Mexico and Pennsylvania |
Reciprocity: certification of licensure from ME, NM or PA. Other states: the 'Experience' route (state board certification of 3 years of experience + 2 experience statements) or 'Education outside NYS'. Health certification by a physician, PA or NP. | NYS practical exam required except for reciprocity applicants. | $40 application ($15 practical exam) | |
| North Carolina | Yes License for applicants licensed in other states (G.S. 86B-28) |
Valid license; active practitioner in good standing; practiced 1 of the last 5 years; no pending discipline; substantively equivalent requirements. Form BAR-8 requires 1,500 school hours or 5 years as a licensed barber. | No exam with 1,500+ school hours; otherwise written and practical exams (a temporary permit may be issued). | $120 endorsement; if exams are required, $170 exam fees + $50 license | |
| North Dakota | Yes Reciprocity / exam waiver (N.D.C.C. 43-04-38.1) |
Age 18.5+; high school; barber school of 1,550+ hours (each year of experience counts as 200 hours); valid license from a state with substantially the same requirements; certificate of good standing and 3+ years of full-time practice in that state. | Exam may be waived if all conditions are met. | Verify with the board | |
| Ohio | Yes Reciprocity |
Held the out-of-state license for at least 1 year and practiced at least 1 of the last 5 years; Board Certification sent directly (accepted within 6 months); 1-hour human trafficking course. Non-chemical barber licenses are not accepted. | Ohio law allows the exam to be waived under board rules (ORC 4709.08). | $73.50 (non-refundable) | |
| Oklahoma | Verify with the board Domestic reciprocity application exists – conditions: verify with the board |
Verify with the board |
Verify with the board | $95 per license (Form 401, rev. 09/25) | |
| Oregon | Yes Reciprocity ('Pathway Two') |
Active out-of-state authorization with no disciplinary action; verification from your board (or an Affidavit of Licensure). HLO decides if your license is substantially equivalent and may waive all or part of the education requirements. | You must pass the barbering written exam and the Oregon Laws & Rules written exam at HLO (Salem). | Verify with the board | |
| Pennsylvania | Limited Reciprocity only with 12 states; endorsement exam for others |
Reciprocity only if licensed in: CA, DE, ID, KS, ME, MS, MT, NM, NY, SC, SD or VA. Other states: endorsement by examination or Act 41 'Fast Track to Licensure', as applicable. | Endorsement applicants take only the theory exam (within 1 year of applying). | Verify with the board | |
| Rhode Island | Limited Licensure of persons licensed in other states (R.I.G.L. 5-10-11) |
Licensed in a state with equivalent requirements that extends a similar privilege to Rhode Island licensees; credentials accepted by the division. | Verify with the board | Verify with the board | |
| South Carolina | Yes Reciprocity |
Current license in good standing; similar or higher requirements than South Carolina's; licensed and actively practicing during the preceding calendar year; 9th grade education; verification from your state. Apprentice licenses not accepted. | You must have passed the NIC theory and practical exams, or test in South Carolina. | Verify with the board | |
| South Dakota | Yes Reciprocity |
Current license; certification from every state where you've held a license; 1,500 education hours, or fewer plus 50 hours of credit per month of licensed practice. | You must have passed a state theory and practical test in a prior state. | $225 | |
| Tennessee | Yes Reciprocity |
You must substantially meet Tennessee's qualifications; Certification of License from each state; online 'Out of State' application. If you have fewer hours than Tennessee requires: proof you practiced 1 of the last 3 years or 2 of the last 5 years. |
None listed. | Verify with the board | |
| Texas | Yes License by reciprocity (substantially equivalent states) |
Current out-of-state license from a state whose education and exam requirements are substantially equivalent to Texas (check TDLR's state lookup); sealed letter of certification; school transcript if applicable. Meet all requirements within 12 months. | No Texas exam listed for equivalent states. | $100 (non-refundable) | |
| Utah | Yes License by endorsement (Utah Code 58-1-302) |
License from another U.S. state/territory with a similar scope of practice, at least 1 year of experience under it, and good standing. Other routes: competency review or substantially similar requirements. | None for the similar-scope route. | Verify with the board | |
| Vermont | Yes Licenses from other jurisdictions (26 V.S.A. 285) |
Licensed in good standing in a jurisdiction with substantially equal requirements, OR with less rigorous requirements plus 1,500 documented practice hours over at least 1 year. | Issued without examination. | Verify with the board | |
| Virginia | Yes License by endorsement (18VAC41-20-30) |
Current license plus training/apprenticeship and written and practical exams substantially equivalent to Virginia's. If your training isn't equivalent: 3 years of licensed experience can substitute. Barbers with similar scope may be licensed as master barber. | If your state used only one exam, take the other (written or practical) in Virginia. | Verify with the board | |
| Washington | Yes Reciprocity (WAC 308-20-115) |
Currently licensed in good standing in another state, territory or country. | Proof you passed an exam approved by the director; otherwise written and practical exams. | $60 per license | |
| West Virginia | Yes Reciprocity (license transfer) |
Valid license in the same discipline and practice level; license certification and training verification sent from your board; Certificate of Health form. | None listed. | $100 | |
| Wisconsin | Yes Licensure by endorsement / reciprocity (Wis. Admin. Code SPS 50.340) |
Current license for services substantially the same as Wisconsin barbering, plus either a 1-hour DSPS-approved course on Wisconsin barbering law with no past or pending discipline, or a written reciprocal agreement with your state. | Granted without examination. | Verify with the board | |
| Wyoming | Yes Endorsement without examination (W.S. 33-7-203) |
Certificate in another state or country with proof you meet or exceed Wyoming's requirements. Not available if your state has no board exam or you didn't graduate from an approved program (a one-time temporary permit may apply). |
Granted without examination if you qualify. | Verify with the board |
Frequently asked questions
Is there a national barber license that works in every state?
No. Each state (and DC) runs its own barber licensing, so you apply to the board in the state where you want to work. Some states, like New Hampshire, accept a barber license in good standing from any U.S. state or DC; others only accept licenses from a short list (Pennsylvania and New York, for example).
What is the difference between reciprocity and endorsement?
Both describe getting a license based on one you already hold. States use different names: Georgia says it offers only endorsement, not reciprocity; Alaska calls it "licensure by waiver of examination"; Florida and Illinois call it endorsement. What matters are the conditions each board lists, not the label.
Will I have to take another exam?
It depends on the state and on your record. Alabama skips exams if you have been licensed 5+ years; Maryland requires its own theory and practical exams for applicants from Alaska, California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, New Jersey and New York; Oregon requires its barbering and Laws & Rules written exams; Pennsylvania endorsement applicants from non-reciprocal states take a theory exam.
What documents do most states ask for?
Almost every board in the chart asks for a license certification or verification sent directly by the board where you are (or were) licensed. Many also want school transcripts or proof of hours, proof of experience, ID, and a fee. Ask your current board for the certification early, because some take weeks.
Can I start working while my application is pending?
Usually not. Georgia says you may not perform services until you hold an active license, Idaho does not issue temporary licenses, and Tennessee says you may not work until you receive your license. A few states offer temporary permits in specific cases (for example Alabama while you finish required exams, and North Carolina while you take exams).
More state guides
- Florida barber license: requirements, hours, exam and cost
- Texas barber license reciprocity: transferring from another state (coming soon)
- Barber license renewal by state: deadlines and CE hours (coming soon)
Sources and method
We read each state's official board page, application form, statute or administrative rule on October 21, 2026 and summarized it in our own words. 48 of 51 entries are based on an official source; the rest say "Verify with the board". See our methodology. Spotted a change? Tell us.