Barber License Requirements in Michigan
- Training hours
- 1800 hrs
- Upfront cost
- $80
- Exam
- Michigan Barber Theory Examination, Michigan Barber Practical Examination
- Renewal cycle
- Every 2 years
- Issuing board
- Michigan Bureau of Professional Licensing, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) — Board of Barber Examiners
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Be at least 17 years old, Completion of the tenth grade of school or an equivalent education as determined by the department. Michigan does not require a fingerprint/criminal background check for barber licensure; applicants instead answer a Good Moral Character question on the application (disclosing criminal judgments and attesting to rehabilitation or that the offense is unrelated to the profession). An SSN (or SSN-exemption affidavit) is required at application. Verified via archive snapshot 2025-02-08 (michigan.gov 403s automated fetches). [1]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete 1800 hours of training at a state-approved program. Satisfactory completion of either (a) not less than an 1,800-hour course of study at a licensed barber college, or (b) at least 1,800 hours served as an apprentice in a barber apprenticeship program — Michigan accepts the apprenticeship pathway at the same 1,800-hour count as the school pathway. Per Michigan administrative rules the school program comprises 225 hours of classroom study, demonstrations, and recitations plus 1,575 hours of practical training. Source is LARA's official Michigan Barber Licensing Guide PDF (revision 10/1/2023); michigan.gov blocks automated fetches (HTTP 403), verified via archive snapshot 2025-02-08. [1]
- 3
Michigan Barber Theory Examination
Pass the Michigan Barber Theory Examination. Both the theory and practical exams must be passed for licensure by exam. Exam scheduling and questions go through PSI (psiexams.com, 855-579-4635). LARA's licensing guide does not publish PSI's per-exam sitting fee, so it is recorded as null rather than estimated. Guide verified via archive snapshot 2025-02-08 (michigan.gov 403s automated fetches). [1]
- 4
Michigan Barber Practical Examination
Pass the Michigan Barber Practical Examination. Required alongside the theory exam for licensure by exam; also required for endorsement applicants whose out-of-state requirements are found not substantially equivalent to Michigan's. PSI's per-exam fee is not published in LARA's guide, so it is recorded as null. Guide verified via archive snapshot 2025-02-08 (michigan.gov 403s automated fetches). [1]
- 5
Submit your application
Submit your application to Michigan Bureau of Professional Licensing, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) — Board of Barber Examiners with the $80 application fee. [1]
- 6
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, Michigan Bureau of Professional Licensing, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) — Board of Barber Examiners issues your Barber License for Michigan.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [1] | $80 |
| License fee [1] | None specified |
| Renewal fee [1] | $60 |
| Michigan Barber Theory Examination [1] | None specified |
| Michigan Barber Practical Examination [1] | None specified |
| Relicensure (lapsed license) fee [1] | $100 |
The $80 'Barber by Exam or Endorsement' fee is a combined application fee + 2-year license fee paid at application through the MiPLUS portal, so no separate license-issuance fee exists ('license' is null to avoid double-counting). PSI exam fees are paid separately to PSI (see exams). All fees must be paid by credit/debit card via MiPLUS. Verified via archive snapshot 2025-02-08 of LARA's Barber Licensing Guide (michigan.gov 403s automated fetches).
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 2 years.
2-year renewal cycle, $60 renewal fee, completed online via MiPLUS. Renewal requires only accepting a renewal attestation; LARA's guide lists no continuing-education requirement for barber renewal, so ceHours is null (no published CE requirement). A license lapsed more than 3 years requires either passing the licensure exam again or proof of an active out-of-state license in good standing for at least 1 of the 3 preceding years, plus the $100 relicensure fee. Verified via archive snapshot 2025-02-08 (michigan.gov 403s automated fetches).
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
Licensure by endorsement is available (same $80 combined application + license fee): the applicant must have verification — sent directly from the other licensing agency to LARA — of holding or having held a barber license in good standing in another state, jurisdiction, or country for at least 1 of the 3 years immediately preceding the application. If the other jurisdiction's requirements are determined not substantially equivalent to Michigan's, the applicant must pass the PSI practical and theory exams. Foreign-trained applicants need a NACES-member credential evaluation, and unavailable foreign records may be substituted with experience at 100 training hours per 3 months of barber/apprentice experience. No interstate barbering compact exists or is referenced. Verified via archive snapshot 2025-02-08 (michigan.gov 403s automated fetches).
3 state-approved training providers in Michigan — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Cost calculator
- $80
Frequently asked questions
How many training hours does Michigan require to become a barber?
1,800 hours — either a course of study at a licensed barber college or at least 1,800 hours served in a barber apprenticeship program.
Who administers Michigan's barber exams?
PSI Services, under contract with LARA's Bureau of Professional Licensing. Candidates must pass both a theory and a practical exam, scheduled through psiexams.com or 855-579-4635.
What does a Michigan barber license cost?
$80 at application, which combines the application fee and the 2-year license fee, paid by card through the MiPLUS portal. Renewal is $60 every 2 years; PSI exam fees are separate.
What are the age and education requirements?
You must be at least 17 years old and have completed the tenth grade (or an equivalent education as determined by the department).
Can an out-of-state barber get licensed in Michigan without retaking the exams?
Yes, by endorsement — if you have held a barber license in good standing in another state, jurisdiction, or country for at least 1 of the 3 years before applying, with verification sent directly from that licensing agency. If your state's requirements aren't substantially equivalent to Michigan's, you must pass the PSI theory and practical exams.