StateLicensed

Barber License Requirements in Maine

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
800 hrs
Upfront cost
$20
Exam
NIC National Written Examination, NIC National Practical Examination
Renewal cycle
Every 1 year
Issuing board
Barbering and Cosmetology Licensing Program, Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (OPOR), Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Meet the eligibility requirements set by the issuing board. Maine repealed the statutory minimum-age and education requirements for this chapter (PL 2019, c. 373), so no minimum age or education prerequisite is recorded. Qualification rests on training (800 school hours or 1,600 trainee hours) plus the two-part NIC examination. No criminal background check is required; applicants list all jurisdictions where they hold or have held licenses (OPOR rules ch. 21 §1). [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 800 hours of training at a state-approved program. Barber Hair Stylist (Maine's current barber practice license — the former full 'barbering' qualification statute, 32 M.R.S. §14227, was repealed): satisfactory completion of a course of instruction in barber hair styling of 800 hours over not less than 5 months in a school licensed by the director, OR experience as a trainee of 1,600 hours distributed over at least 10 months in a licensed establishment under a qualified supervising barber (32 M.R.S. §14227-A). Applicants with fewer than the required school or trainee hours may be credited licensed practice work experience toward the equivalent hours (OPOR rules ch. 21). [1]

  3. 3

    NIC National Written Examination

    Pass the NIC National Written Examination. Written examination Exam fees are set and collected by the third-party testing company (OPOR's fee-schedule rule lists the examination fee simply as '3d party'), so no amount is recorded here. Candidates who fail may retake at a subsequent sitting, but failing to pass all examinations within 1 year of the first sitting requires retaking both exams (OPOR rules ch. 21). [2]

  4. 4

    NIC National Practical Examination

    Pass the NIC National Practical Examination. Practical examination Second part of the required two-part practice-appropriate examination (OPOR rules ch. 21 §1(3)). Fee paid to Prov; a comparable written and/or practical exam from another licensing jurisdiction may be accepted if the Director deems it comparable to the current NIC requirement. [2]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Barbering and Cosmetology Licensing Program, Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (OPOR), Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. [3]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Barbering and Cosmetology Licensing Program, Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation (OPOR), Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation issues your Barber Hair Stylist License for Maine.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] None specified
License fee [3] $20
Renewal fee [3] $20
NIC National Written Examination [2] None specified
NIC National Practical Examination [2] None specified
Trainee license [3] $10
Temporary work permit (6 months) [3] $10
Uniform late fee (renewal up to 90 days after expiration) [3] $50

OPOR's 'Establishment of License Fees' rule (ch. 10 §5(8)) lists the Barber Hair Stylist license at $20 for a 1-year term (same amount at renewal); there is no separate application fee — recorded as null. The examination fee is paid to the third-party testing company (Prov). 32 M.R.S. §14238 caps any individual fee at $100 ($500 for schools).

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 1 year.

Barber Hair Stylist licenses carry a 1-year term per OPOR's fee-schedule rule; renewal is $20 and may be completed up to 90 days late with a uniform $50 late fee (OPOR rules ch. 11; 32 M.R.S. §14235). More than 90 days after expiration, the applicant is subject to all requirements governing new applicants plus late and penalty fees. No continuing-education requirement appears in 32 M.R.S. ch. 126, the program rules, or the fee schedule, so ceHours is recorded as unspecified.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

Licensure by endorsement (32 M.R.S. §14231): the Director may issue a license to an applicant with proof of licensure in another U.S. state (absent disqualifying factors), or from another country with standards the Director considers equivalent or higher. Under OPOR rules ch. 21, an endorsement applicant remains subject to Maine's required two-part examination unless a comparable jurisdiction exam is accepted, and applicants with fewer course hours than Maine requires may substitute verifiable licensed work experience from the prior 4 years (W-2 or acceptable records). No interstate barber compact exists.

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

Cost calculator

  • $20
Total$20

Frequently asked questions

What license does a barber need in Maine?

The Barber Hair Stylist license, issued by OPOR's Barbering and Cosmetology Licensing Program. Maine's former standalone 'barbering' qualification statute was repealed and replaced by the barber hair styling category.

How many training hours are required?

800 hours of instruction over at least 5 months in a licensed school, or 1,600 hours as a trainee over at least 10 months working in a licensed establishment under a qualified supervising barber.

What exams do I take and who runs them?

The two-part NIC examination — a national written exam and a national practical exam — administered by Prov, Inc., OPOR's testing company. You must pass both within 1 year of your first sitting or retake both.

What does the license cost?

$20 for the license (1-year term) and $20 per renewal; exam fees are paid separately to Prov. Renewing up to 90 days late adds a $50 late fee; after 90 days you must reapply as a new applicant.

I'm licensed in another state — can I get a Maine license?

Yes, by endorsement with proof of your out-of-state license, though Maine's two-part NIC exam still applies unless the Director accepts a comparable exam you already passed. If your original school hours were fewer than Maine requires, verifiable licensed work experience from the past 4 years can make up the difference.

Sources

  1. [1] legislature.maine.gov/statutes/32/title32sec14227-A.html — accessed 2026-07-11
  2. [2] maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/barbering-cosmetology-licensing/examinations — accessed 2026-07-11
  3. [3] maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/sites/maine.gov.pfr.professionallicensing/files/inline-files/Establishment%20of%20License%20Fees-Amended.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11
  4. [4] legislature.maine.gov/statutes/32/title32sec14231.html — accessed 2026-07-11