1.1 Virginia Barber License Pathway: Training Hours, Eligibility and the NIC Barber 1 Exams
Key Takeaways
Virginia barbers are licensed by the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology within the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) under Code of Virginia § 54.1-700 et seq. and 18VAC41-20.
Since December 1, 2025, an approved Virginia barber school program is 750 clock hours (down from 1,100); students in 1,100-hour programs must finish by December 31, 2026.
Virginia uses the NIC Barber 1 (No Chemical) written and practical exams, delivered by Prov since January 1, 2025; the master barber license uses the separate NIC Barber Styling exams.
The NIC Barber 1 theory exam has 60 items (50 scored) in 90 minutes, weighted 40% scientific concepts, 10% implements, 30% hair care and 20% facial hair and skin care.
Prov adds 10 Virginia law questions from 18VAC41-20 to the Virginia theory exam, and those state questions are offered only in English.
Why This Section Matters
The Virginia barber license is earned by passing two exams: a computer-based theory (written) exam and a hands-on practical exam. Both are national exams written by the National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC). Virginia adds 10 state-law questions to the theory exam. Those questions come from the Board's regulations, so licensing rules are tested directly. They also decide whether you can sit for the exam at all.
Who Regulates Barbering in Virginia
| Layer | What it does | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Code of Virginia, Title 54.1, Chapter 7 (§ 54.1-700 et seq.) | Defines barbering, master barbering and barbershops, requires licenses and lists exemptions | Statute passed by the General Assembly |
| Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) | Processes applications, collects fees, investigates complaints | Executive-branch agency |
| Board for Barbers and Cosmetology | Writes and enforces the regulations; licenses individuals, shops and schools | Regulatory board within DPOR |
| 18VAC41-20, Barbering and Cosmetology Regulations | Entry rules, fees, renewal, school curricula, sanitation standards and grounds for discipline | Virginia Administrative Code (major amendments effective December 1, 2025) |
| Prov, Inc. | Registers candidates and delivers the NIC theory and practical exams | DPOR's exam vendor since January 1, 2025 |
Under § 54.1-703, no person may offer or perform barbering without a valid license from the Board unless an exemption in § 54.1-701 applies. Exemptions include licensed physicians and registered nurses, funeral directors and embalmers, enrolled students in an approved school, apprentices serving in a licensed shop, and gratuitous services given without compensation (18VAC41-20-15 adds that free services tied to a product purchase are not gratuitous).
Ways to Become Eligible for the Barber Exam (18VAC41-20-20 B)
Every applicant must also be in good standing in every jurisdiction where they hold or held a license, disclose any disciplinary action, and disclose felony convictions within 10 years of the application date (18VAC41-20-20 A). The December 1, 2025 amendments removed the requirement to report misdemeanor convictions.
| Route | What you complete |
|---|---|
| Virginia licensed barber school | A Board-approved barber program (750 clock hours for students enrolling on or after December 1, 2025) |
| Virginia public school program | A barber program approved by the Virginia Department of Education |
| Registered apprenticeship | A barber apprenticeship registered through Virginia Works (the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement) |
| Virginia state institution | Barber training in an institution approved by the Department of Education or the Department of Corrections |
| Out-of-state training | Training that is substantially equivalent: at least 80% of Virginia's hours plus coverage of Virginia's scope of practice |
| Training that is not equivalent | Documentation of three years of licensed work experience in another U.S. jurisdiction |
| Armed Forces | At least two years of barbering experience in the U.S. Armed Forces, documented to the Board |
Note
A Virginia licensed cosmetologist with two years of work experience is eligible for the master barber exam, not the barber exam (18VAC41-20-20 B 4). Older application forms list some different experience routes. The regulation effective December 1, 2025 controls, so check the current application before you apply.
Registered apprenticeships. DPOR's licensing summary lists a "Completed Registered Apprenticeship (Virginia Works)" as a barber route without publishing an hour count. The Virginia Apprenticeship Council's 2025–2026 report describes registered apprenticeships generally as at least 2,000 hours of on-the-job training plus at least 144 hours of related technical instruction each year. Your sponsor's Virginia Works program standards set the exact barber schedule. While training, the apprentice must display proof of registration and wear a badge identifying them as a registered apprentice (18VAC41-20-260 E). A 2025 amendment to § 40.1-100 now allows 16-year-olds to serve in a licensed barbershop as apprentices.
The 750-Hour Barber Curriculum (18VAC41-20-210 B)
A clock hour is at least 50 minutes of supervised or directed instruction plus appropriate breaks (18VAC41-20-10). The minimum topic hours below add up to exactly 750:
| Curriculum topic | Minimum hours |
|---|---|
| Orientation and business topics (school policies, shop management, ethics, personal hygiene) | 25 |
| State law and regulations | 10 |
| Shampooing, cutting, thinning and tapering with razor, clippers and shears (with consultation and blow-dry styling) | 270 |
| Shaving and trimming a moustache or beard | 100 |
| Applying hair color | 50 |
| Applied sciences (anatomy, skin structure, skin conditions and disorders, scalp analysis and treatments) | 100 |
| General sciences (bacteriology, infection control, OSHA, SDS, safety, cosmetic chemistry, products) | 80 |
| Facial hair and skin care services (skin analysis, massage, cleansing, masks, extractions, machines and electricity) | 100 |
| Understanding and maintaining implements and equipment | 15 |
| Total | 750 |
The program must also include 332 practical performances (18VAC41-20-220 A): 285 hair services, 20 hair colorings (tints, temporary rinses and semi-permanent color), 12 straight-razor shaves on the face and neck, 10 hair and scalp treatments and 5 basic facials. The master barber program adds 250 hours (thermal waving, permanent waving and relaxing, lightening, hairpieces and wigs, and scalp waxing). A dual barber/master barber program is 1,000 hours.
The Two NIC Barber 1 Exams
| Exam feature | Theory (written) exam | Practical exam |
|---|---|---|
| NIC exam | National Barber 1 (No Chemical) Theory | National Barber 1 (No Chemical) Practical |
| Format | Computer-based multiple choice | Hands-on services on a full-size mannequin, scored by examiners |
| Length | 60 NIC items (50 scored, 10 unscored pretest) plus 10 Virginia law questions | Five core sections, including a 40-minute haircut and a straight-razor shave |
| Time | NIC allows 90 minutes for the national theory exam | Timed sections; the shave demonstration is untimed |
| Fee (paid to Prov) | $99 | $95 |
| Where | 14 Virginia written test sites, or remotely through Examroom.ai since January 17, 2026 | 5 Prov sites that offer both written and practical exams |
| Language | Barber 1 written bulletins in English, Korean, Persian, Spanish and Vietnamese; Virginia law questions in English only | English only |
The NIC theory blueprint (effective June 1, 2025) weights the four content domains as follows:
| NIC domain | Weight | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Concepts | 40% | Infection control, blood exposure, CDC/OSHA/EPA rules, anatomy and physiology, skin and hair disorders, product chemistry |
| Implements and Equipment Used in Barbering | 10% | Function, purpose, care, safety and sanitation of tools, supplies and electrical equipment |
| Hair Care Services | 30% | Consultation and records, draping, shampoo and scalp treatments, haircutting (shaping, outlining, neck shave), styling, hair enhancements, head shaving |
| Facial Hair and Skin Care Services | 20% | Skin evaluation and contraindications, draping, a complete shave with required strokes, facial hair design, facials, electrotherapy and light therapy |
On 50 scored items, those weights work out to about 20 scientific-concepts items, 5 implements items, 15 hair-care items and 10 facial-hair and skin-care items. Spend your study time accordingly.
Passing score. DPOR's Virginia candidate bulletin lists a minimum passing score of 75 on both the theory and the practical exam. The 2026 Prov bulletin does not restate the score, so confirm it on your results notice. Prov emails official results within 24 hours and sends them to DPOR electronically.
Important
The master barber license is a separate credential with its own exams (NIC Barber Styling theory and practical, which add chemical services). This guide covers the barber license.
A student enrolls in a Virginia barber school in January 2026. What minimum program length does 18VAC41-20 require for the barber curriculum?
600 clock hours
1,100 clock hours
750 clock hours
1,000 clock hours
A candidate trained in another state at a school that required 520 hours of barber instruction. Under 18VAC41-20-20, what else must this candidate document to become eligible for the Virginia barber exam?
Three years of licensed barber work experience in another U.S. jurisdiction
A passing score on the NIC Barber Styling theory exam
A notarized letter from a Virginia shop owner offering employment
Completion of 10 additional hours of Virginia law instruction
Which statement about the Virginia barber theory exam is accurate?
It is a 100-question exam written by Prov with no national content
It is the NIC Barber 1 theory exam plus 10 Virginia law questions that are offered only in English
It is the NIC Barber Styling exam because Virginia barbers may perform chemical relaxing
It is a state-only law exam taken after the NIC practical has been passed
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.