StateLicensed

Barber License Requirements in Illinois

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
1500 hrs
Upfront cost
$142
Exam
Illinois Barber Licensing Examination
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), Division of Professional Regulation

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Be at least 16 years old, Certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the recognized equivalent, or beyond the age of compulsory school attendance. Per 225 ILCS 410/2-2: at least 16 years of age plus the education requirement above. IDFPR does not require a fingerprint-based background check for barber licensure; applicants answer self-disclosed personal-history questions on the application. Statute verified via archive snapshot 2025-03-15 (ilga.gov unreachable from this session). [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 1500 hours of training at a state-approved program. Graduation from an IDFPR-approved school of barbering (or school of cosmetology) after completing 1,500 hours in the study of barbering over not less than 9 months and not more than 3 years (225 ILCS 410/2-2). A barber school may credit up to 1,000 hours of training from a recognized cosmetology school toward the 1,500-hour requirement; study completed under another state's or country's laws is credited toward the required period. Illinois has a single barber license tier under IDFPR (no Master/Registered split). Statute page verified via archive snapshot 2025-03-15 (ilga.gov unreachable from this session). [1]

  3. 3

    Illinois Barber Licensing Examination

    Pass the Illinois Barber Licensing Examination (fee: $112). The $112 barber exam fee is listed on IDFPR's barber profession page and is paid to Continental Testing (application at continentaltestinginc.com). Passing the exam is required by 225 ILCS 410/2-2(d) ('examination caused to be conducted by the Department or its designated testing service'). [2]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), Division of Professional Regulation with the $30 application fee. [3]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), Division of Professional Regulation issues your Licensed Barber for Illinois.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $30
License fee [3] None specified
Renewal fee [3] $50
Illinois Barber Licensing Examination [2] $112
Licensure by Acceptance of Examination (out-of-state exam accepted) [3] $30
Licensure by Endorsement [3] $45
Restoration of a lapsed license (base fee, plus lapsed renewal fees up to $200) [3] $50

Per 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1175.100(a), IDFPR does not itemize a separate application fee distinct from the license fee: 'the fee for a license is $30 and is to be submitted with the application' — recorded here as 'application' with 'license' left null to avoid double-counting. Renewal is calculated at $25 per year; the barber renewal cycle is 2 years, so $50 is due at renewal. The $112 exam fee is paid separately to Continental Testing. Administrative-code section verified via archive snapshot 2026-05-16 (ilga.gov unreachable from this session).

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years. 1 continuing education hours required per cycle.

Licenses under the Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding, and Nail Technology Act renew on a 2-year cycle (CE must be completed 'within the 2 years prior to the expiration date of the license' per IDFPR's continuing-education fact sheet). Barbers and Barber Teachers must complete 1 hour of CE per cycle — the statewide sexual harassment prevention training — and, unlike cosmetologists (14 hours total), have no additional subject-area CE. The first renewal after original licensure is exempt from profession-specific CE.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

Illinois offers Licensure by Endorsement ($45) for barbers licensed under the laws of another jurisdiction, and Licensure by Acceptance of Examination ($30) for applicants who passed a comparable out-of-state examination; both are filed through IDFPR (endorsement applications via online-dfpr.micropact.com per the IDFPR barber page). Illinois does not reciprocate licenses automatically — endorsement is a substantial-equivalency review. No interstate barber compact exists. ilga.gov blocks automated access; verified via Wayback snapshot (closest capture 2026-05-16).

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

Cost calculator

  • $30
  • $112
Total$142

Frequently asked questions

How many training hours does Illinois require for a barber license?

1,500 hours of study in barbering at an IDFPR-approved barber or cosmetology school, completed over 9 months to 3 years. Up to 1,000 hours of recognized cosmetology-school training may be credited toward the 1,500 hours.

Who administers the Illinois barber exam and what does it cost?

Continental Testing Inc., IDFPR's designated testing service. The barber exam fee is $112, paid directly to Continental Testing. Effective October 1, 2026 the exam is offered in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.

What does the Illinois barber license cost?

The license fee is $30, submitted with the application (separate from the $112 exam fee). Renewal is $25 per year — $50 for the 2-year cycle. Endorsement from another state costs $45.

Is there an age or education requirement?

You must be at least 16 and hold a secondary-school graduation certificate or recognized equivalent (or be beyond the age of compulsory school attendance), per 225 ILCS 410/2-2.

Do Illinois barbers have continuing-education requirements?

Only 1 hour per 2-year renewal cycle — the required sexual harassment prevention training. Barbers are exempt from the additional subject-area CE hours that cosmetologists must complete, and the first renewal after initial licensure is exempt from profession-specific CE.

Sources

  1. [1] ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/022504100K2-2.htm — accessed 2026-07-11
  2. [2] idfpr.illinois.gov/profs/barber.html — accessed 2026-07-11
  3. [3] ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/068/068011750A01000R.html — accessed 2026-07-11
  4. [4] idfpr.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idfpr/forms/dpr/bcent-continuing-education-fact-sheet.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11