2.2 Tennessee Sanitary Rules I: Inspections, Facilities, Equipment, Attire, Laundry, Animals, Trash, and Communicable Diseases

Why this topic matters

Domain XI, Sanitary Rules, is 6 percent of the theory test (about 7 questions). Its "General Rules" subtopic lists five areas: inspections and facilities; equipment, attire, and laundry; animals; trash containers; and communicable diseases. These are Tennessee-specific rules, not general textbook infection control, so read the exact wording.

Which version applies. The Board revised its barber rules effective December 24, 2025, and repealed several old sanitary rules in the process. PSI's reference list still cites the March 2018 rule versions. This section teaches the current rules and points out where the older wording differs, because a question may still reflect the older text.

The legal frame

• Applicability. Chapter 0200-03 applies to all barber schools, colleges, and shops unless a rule says otherwise (Rule 0200-03-.01).
• Violations. Any violation of Chapter 0200-03 is unprofessional conduct under § 62-3-121(7) (Rule 0200-03-.02). It can lead to suspension, revocation, or civil penalties of up to $1,000 per violation.
• Authority. The Board sets sanitary requirements for barber shops and schools, subject to approval by the Department of Health (§ 62-3-128(a)).

Inspections

• Barber shops and schools are subject to inspection at any time during business hours (§ 62-3-128(b)). Board members and inspectors must be given access (Rule 0200-01-.12(1)).
• A new shop or a relocated shop must be inspected and approved before opening (§ 62-3-109(b)).
• Results may be reduced to a grade or rating on the Board's form, posted conspicuously, and signed by the owner or manager and the inspector (§ 62-3-128(d); Rule 0200-01-.12(2)).
• A mobile shop is inspected at least annually and may be inspected any time it is open (Rule 0440-01-.19).
• The Board gives each shop a copy of its rules, and the shop must post them conspicuously (§ 62-3-128(c)).

Facilities

Rule 0200-03-.03 (Location) requires that shops and schools:

• Operate only in rooms that are adequately lighted and ventilated
• Be built so they can be kept clean
• Keep floors, walls, ceilings, and windows free of dirt, dust, and other unclean substances
• Sweep or mop floors thoroughly each day
• Remove all hair, nail dust, and nail tips from the floor promptly after each customer

Facility equipment in Rule 0200-01-.07 includes a working restroom, with a mall exception, and a shampoo bowl with hot and cold running water. A residential shop needs a separate entrance and restroom facilities apart from the living quarters.

Older wording: The 2018 rules also required barber chairs to be at least 5 feet apart measured center to center, and required lavatories to have hot and cold water and be kept free of soiled linens. Those rules were repealed, but the ideas (enough working room, clean sinks) are still good practice.

Equipment

• Every shop must have the minimum equipment in Rule 0200-01-.07(1): a shampoo bowl, enclosed and labeled clean-towel storage, a covered and labeled soiled-towel container, a dry sanitary compartment per station, a workstation and mirror per operator, a covered trash container, a restroom, a wet disinfectant container per barber chair, and an ultraviolet sanitizer.
• All equipment, shampoo basins, furnishings, and work surfaces must be kept in good repair and disinfected after each service (Rule 0200-03-.05(11)).
• Every wet disinfection container must be clean and filled with an EPA-registered bactericidal, virucidal, fungicidal disinfectant, mixed and used according to the manufacturer's directions (Rule 0200-03-.08).

Attire

The current barber rules no longer contain the old stand-alone attire rule. The 2018 version required barber students to wear a school-prescribed uniform and instructors to wear smocks or a shirt and tie with name and title. Current rules still address attire and protection in these ways:

• Apprenticeship students must wear attire prescribed jointly by the school and the participating shop, plus a name tag identifying them as apprentices (Rule 0200-01-.02(4)(l)6).
• Each school must keep disposable gloves and safety goggles available to all students (Rule 0200-01-.15(4)).
• Combs and other instruments may not be carried in clothing pockets (Rule 0200-03-.05(8)).

For the exam, expect attire questions to focus on clean, professional clothing, name identification, and protective equipment such as gloves and eye protection for chemical work.

Laundry

Rule 0200-01-.07(5) allows laundry on the premises only:

1. In an area not used by the general public and not used for instruction, rest, or study by students
2. With working equipment that has hot and cold water
3. Using bleach and detergent

Clean towels go in enclosed, labeled storage, and soiled towels go in a covered, labeled container (Rule 0200-01-.07(1)). A separate, clean towel is required for each patron (Rule 0200-03-.05(7)).

Animals

T.C.A. § 62-3-132, which Rule 0200-03-.15 adopts, provides:

• No animals are permitted in a barber shop except service animals, decorative fish, and birds in cages.
• Bird cages must be cleaned daily, and inspectors check that they are clean enough to prevent any hazard to health.

Older wording: The 2018 rule allowed only animals used to help people with disabilities and did not allow fish or birds. The statute controls now.

Trash containers

• Every shop must have at least one covered trash container kept in a sanitary condition (Rule 0200-01-.07(1)(f)). Schools and residential kits have similar requirements.
• Mobile shops need a covered and labeled trash container (Rule 0440-01-.19).
• Single-use items such as neck strips, cotton, and disposable applicators go in the covered trash right after use. Used razor blades go in a puncture-resistant sharps container, not the trash bag.

Communicable diseases

Rule 0200-03-.04 sets two rules:

1. Clients. No patron with definite open sores, symptoms of an infectious or contagious disease or skin disorder, or parasitic infestations may be served in a shop or school unless written permission from a physician has been obtained.
2. Licensees. No master barber or barber technician who knowingly has an infectious or contagious disease or parasitic infestation in a communicable stage may give service in a school or shop.

This connects to § 62-3-121(3): continued practice while knowingly having an infectious or contagious disease is a ground for suspension or revocation.

Older wording: The 2018 rule also let the Board require a physical examination of anyone suspected of having a communicable condition. That paragraph was removed in 2025.

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