Barber License Requirements in Minnesota
- Training hours
- 1500 hrs
- Upfront cost
- $85
- Exam
- Registered Barber Examination
- Renewal cycle
- Every 1 year
- Issuing board
- Minnesota Board of Barber Examiners
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Successful completion of ten grades of education (Minn. Stat. 154.05); board-approved schools may not admit students without ten grades of an approved school or its equivalent. Chapter 154 sets no minimum age for registration (recorded as null rather than guessed) and requires no criminal background check or fingerprinting; the board may discipline for certain convictions but does not screen applicants via a background check. All barbers must work in registered barber shops, and practicing on an expired registration carries administrative penalties up to $1,000 (Minn. Stat. 154.162). [1]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete 1500 hours of training at a state-approved program. Minn. Stat. 154.05: 1,500 hours of study in a board-approved barber school (max 10 hours of schooling per working day), completed within the past four years to be eligible for examination. Minnesota is a standalone barber board (separate from cosmetology). No apprenticeship alternative exists — the former apprentice tier (Minn. Stat. 154.06) was repealed in 2016, and applicants trained via apprenticeship in another jurisdiction who never obtained a license there must complete an additional 500 hours of barber school to sit the exam (154.09). First-time examinees who fail the comprehensive exam and its one-time written retake must complete an additional 500 hours before retesting. [1]
- 3
Registered Barber Examination
Pass the Registered Barber Examination. Comprehensive examination: practical demonstration plus a written test covering the subjects taught in registered barber schools The $85 fee covers both examination and issuance of the certificate of registration (Minn. Stat. 154.003). A one-time written-exam retake is $10, allowed only if all other exam parts were passed; failing that retake requires 500 additional school hours before retesting. The barber school must file an affidavit of completed hours with the board. Fee recorded as null here to avoid double-counting the same charge twice in this record's upfront-cost total: the $85 is a combined application/examination fee and is already counted under the license fee. [1]
- 4
Submit your application
Submit your application to Minnesota Board of Barber Examiners. [1]
- 5
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, Minnesota Board of Barber Examiners issues your Registered Barber (Certificate of Registration) for Minnesota.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [1] | None specified |
| License fee [1] | $85 |
| Renewal fee [1] | $80 |
| Registered Barber Examination [1] | None specified |
| Restoration (late renewal) of registered barber registration [1] | $95 |
| Reciprocity registration (out-of-state barbers) [1] | $85 |
| Student permit [1] | $45 |
| Written exam retake (one time only) [1] | $10 |
Minnesota charges a single combined $85 'examination and certificate, registered barber' fee (Minn. Stat. 154.003) — there is no separate application fee, so 'application' is null and the $85 is recorded under 'license'. Fee amounts confirmed against both the statute and the Board's official fee schedule PDF; the board's mn.gov pages block automated fetches (bot-protection redirect), so the fee schedule was verified via an archive snapshot dated 2026-02-12.
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 1 year.
Annual renewal: all registered barbers in active practice must renew on or before December 31 each year (Minn. Stat. 154.15); the renewal fee is $80. No continuing-education requirement appears in Chapter 154 or on the Board's fee schedule, so ceHours is null. A lapsed registration may be reinstated without examination within four years by paying the restoration fee ($95) for each lapsed year; after four or more years the registered barber examination must be retaken.
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
Minn. Stat. 154.11: a nonresident with a currently active barber license/registration from another state (or verified foreign credentials) whose jurisdiction has substantially the same requirements is issued a certificate of registration WITHOUT examination upon payment of the $85 reciprocity fee. An applicant without a current license but with 1,500 verified barber-school hours completed within the previous four years in a substantially equivalent program is eligible for the Minnesota examination. Applicants meeting neither standard must satisfy the full in-state requirements (154.05), and apprenticeship-trained applicants never licensed elsewhere need 500 additional school hours. Temporary military certificates are available under Minn. Stat. 197.4552. No interstate barbering compact exists or is referenced in Chapter 154.
1 state-approved training provider in Minnesota — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Cost calculator
- $85
Frequently asked questions
How many training hours does Minnesota require to become a registered barber?
1,500 hours of study in a board-approved barber school, completed within the past four years, plus ten grades of education. Minnesota no longer offers an apprenticeship pathway — the apprentice statute was repealed in 2016.
Who administers Minnesota's barber exam?
The Minnesota Board of Barber Examiners itself — a state-administered comprehensive exam with a practical demonstration and a written test. The $85 fee covers both the exam and the certificate of registration.
How often must a Minnesota barber registration be renewed?
Annually, on or before December 31 each year, for $80. There is no continuing-education requirement. A lapsed registration can be reinstated without re-examination within four years by paying a $95 restoration fee per lapsed year.
Can a barber licensed in another state transfer to Minnesota?
Yes — with a currently active out-of-state license from a jurisdiction with substantially the same requirements, the board issues a Minnesota registration without examination for an $85 fee. Without a current license, 1,500 verified school hours within the past four years makes you exam-eligible; apprenticeship-trained applicants never licensed elsewhere need 500 extra school hours.
Can I practice barbering in Minnesota anywhere I like?
No — every barber must work in a registered barber shop and display their registration. Practicing unregistered or in an unregistered shop carries administrative penalties of up to $500 for a first occurrence and up to $1,000 for a second.
Sources
- [1] revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/154 — accessed 2026-07-11