StateLicensed

Barber License Requirements in Delaware

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
1250 hrs
Upfront cost
$128
Exam
Barbering Written (Theory) Examination — nationally developed (NIC), Barbering Practical Examination
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Delaware Board of Cosmetology and Barbering (Division of Professional Regulation)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Education equivalent to a tenth-grade education (certified high school transcript or other reliable proof). 24 Del. C. §5107(a) sets no minimum age for barber applicants — only the tenth-grade education equivalent — so minAge is null. No fingerprint or criminal-history background check is required for barber licensure in the statute; §5107's good-standing provisions address prior license discipline and certain convictions rather than mandating a records check. [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 1250 hours of training at a state-approved program. Barber: minimum 1,250 classroom hours of continuous training in a complete barbering course, OR a 3,000-hour apprenticeship to a licensed barber (max 40 hours/week) — 24 Del. C. §5107(e). An apprentice may transfer up to 1,800 apprentice hours into a school program at 2 apprentice hours = 1 transfer hour, with at least 600 hours completed at school. Delaware also licenses a higher Master Barber tier (adds chemical services): 1,500 classroom hours, or a 3,000-hour master barber apprenticeship, or — for an already-licensed barber — an additional 600-hour chemicals apprenticeship, each plus the master barber examination. [1]

  3. 3

    Barbering Written (Theory) Examination — nationally developed (NIC)

    Pass the Barbering Written (Theory) Examination — nationally developed (NIC). 24 Del. C. §5108 requires separate written and practical exams 'professionally developed and used on a national basis,' with the testing service contracted and approved by the Division of Professional Regulation; the Board's exam pages direct candidates to Prometric (1-866-773-1114). The vendor's exam fee amount is not published on the Board's pages, so it is recorded as null rather than guessed. [2]

  4. 4

    Barbering Practical Examination

    Pass the Barbering Practical Examination. The Division's fee schedule lists the license-by-examination application at $128 'plus practical exam fee' without stating the exam fee amount, so it is null. Practical exam dates are posted on the Board's exam page. [3]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Delaware Board of Cosmetology and Barbering (Division of Professional Regulation) with the $128 application fee. [3]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Delaware Board of Cosmetology and Barbering (Division of Professional Regulation) issues your Barber License for Delaware.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $128
License fee [3] None specified
Renewal fee [3] None specified
Barbering Written (Theory) Examination — nationally developed (NIC) [2] None specified
Barbering Practical Examination [3] None specified
License by reciprocity application (barber) [3] $128
Apprenticeship registration [3] $40

The $128 application fee covers licensure (by examination or reciprocity) — no separate license-issuance fee is listed, so license is null. Renewal fee amount is null because the Division states licensees 'are notified of the amount of the renewal fee at the time of renewal' and publishes no fixed figure; fees are recomputed each licensure biennium per 24 Del. C. §5110. Late renewal costs an additional 50% of the renewal fee.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years.

Licenses renew biennially (24 Del. C. §5111(b)) through the DELPROS portal. The Board has established no continuing-education requirement — its FAQ answers 'No' on CE — so ceHours is null. A license lapsed under 5 years can be renewed with a late fee; lapsed over 5 years requires retaking the practical examination.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

No operational interstate compact covers barbering. (Delaware has enacted the Cosmetology Licensure Compact as 24 Del. C. Ch. 51 Subchapter III, but that compact covers cosmetologists, not barbers.) Under §5109, Delaware grants a reciprocity license ($128) to an applicant with a current license in good standing from a state whose standards are substantially similar; if the other state's requirements are less stringent, the applicant must instead prove 1 continuous year of licensed work in the field within the last 5 years. Applicants who tested in a language other than English must demonstrate English communication ability.

2 state-approved training providers in Delaware — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.

Cost calculator

  • $128
Total$128

Frequently asked questions

How many hours of training does Delaware require for a barber license?

1,250 classroom hours in a barbering course, or a 3,000-hour apprenticeship under a licensed barber. Up to 1,800 apprentice hours can transfer to a school program at a 2:1 rate.

What is the difference between a Barber and a Master Barber in Delaware?

A Barber can shave or trim beards, cut or dress hair, and give facial or scalp massages. A Master Barber can also perform chemical services (permanent waving, bleaching, coloring, chemical straightening), which requires additional training and the master barber examination.

Does Delaware require continuing education to renew a barber license?

No. The Board has no continuing-education requirement; licenses simply renew every two years through the DELPROS portal.

Can I get a Delaware barber license through an apprenticeship instead of school?

Yes — a 3,000-hour apprenticeship to a licensed Delaware barber (maximum 40 hours per week, apprenticeship registration $40) qualifies you to sit for the examinations.

Can an out-of-state barber transfer their license to Delaware?

Yes, by reciprocity ($128) if your state's standards are substantially similar to Delaware's. If your state's requirements are less stringent, you can still qualify by proving 1 continuous year of licensed barbering work within the last 5 years.

Sources

  1. [1] delcode.delaware.gov/title24/c051/sc01/index.html — accessed 2026-07-11
  2. [2] dpr.delaware.gov/boards/cosmetology/cosmoexam/ — accessed 2026-07-11
  3. [3] dpr.delaware.gov/boards/cosmetology/fees/ — accessed 2026-07-11