Barber License Requirements in Mississippi
- Training hours
- 1500 hrs
- Upfront cost
- $75
- Exam
- NIC Barber Written (Theory) Examination — Mississippi, Mississippi Barber Practical Examination
- Renewal cycle
- Every 2 years
- Issuing board
- Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Be at least 16 years old, Proof of successful completion of 10th grade (per the Board's Application to Test form, v.4.2026); Board Rule 5.4 (Oct 2025 edition) words this as verified completion of high school, GED, an approved high-school equivalency program, or proof of community-college enrollment. Rule 5.4 sets the minimum age at sixteen (16). No fingerprint/criminal background check is required; the application asks a felony-conviction question, and applicants with a felony may seek review via a Fresh Start Act Consideration Request. Note an internal source discrepancy on education: the Board's current application form (v.4.2026) requires only proof of 10th-grade completion, while the older rules text (after 10.21.2025) lists high-school completion/GED/community-college enrollment — the newer form's 10th-grade standard is recorded in this field first. [4]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete 1500 hours of training at a state-approved program. Board Rule 5.2: 1,500 hours in a licensed school of barbering, OR 3,000 hours of apprenticeship training. Mississippi merged its former standalone Board of Barber Examiners into the combined State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, whose rules now govern barbers. A crossover pathway exists: a licensed Mississippi cosmetologist may qualify for the barber exam with 600 hours at a licensed school of barbering (Rule 5.5). Applicants who don't pass both exam parts within one year of completing training must complete additional 'brush up hours' as a new student enrollment (Rule 6.5). [1]
- 3
NIC Barber Written (Theory) Examination — Mississippi
Pass the NIC Barber Written (Theory) Examination — Mississippi. Computer-based NIC national theory examination; minimum passing scaled score of 70 (Rule 6.2) Candidates are pre-registered by the Board after their Application to Test is approved, then schedule directly with Prometric/IQT. The Board's rules and candidate manual do not publish the vendor's per-exam testing fee, so it is recorded as null rather than estimated. A failed exam requires a 14-day wait before rescheduling (Rule 6.4). [2]
- 4
Mississippi Barber Practical Examination
Pass the Mississippi Barber Practical Examination. Practical demonstration of minimal skills and knowledge; minimum passing scaled score of 70 on each portion (Rules 6.1-6.2) Both practical and written examinations are required for every practitioner license (Rule 6.1). No separate practical exam fee is published in the Board's rules or fee schedule, so it is recorded as null. A student who passed the written exam but not yet the practical may work under a student permit (Rule 5.17). [1]
- 5
Submit your application
Submit your application to Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering with the $25 application fee. [3]
- 6
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering issues your Barber (Practitioner License) for Mississippi.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [3] | $25 |
| License fee [3] | $50 |
| Renewal fee [3] | $50 |
| NIC Barber Written (Theory) Examination — Mississippi [2] | None specified |
| Mississippi Barber Practical Examination [1] | None specified |
| Application under reciprocity or UROLA [3] | $55 |
| Delinquent renewal penalty (practitioner) [3] | $50 |
| Duplicate license [3] | $10 |
The $25 non-refundable application fee accompanies the Application to Test for Practitioner License (per the Board's official application form, v.4.2026). Rule 5.20 sets the practitioner license/renewal fee at $50. Licensees aged 70 or older pay no renewal fee. Exam vendor (Prometric/IQT) testing fees are paid separately and are not published by the Board (see exams).
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 2 years.
Biennial renewal (Rule 5.15) with a $50 practitioner renewal fee. No continuing-education requirement applies to practitioner (barber) licensees — the Board's CE rules (Chapter 7) impose CE only on instructors (24 hours biennially) and master licensees (8 hours biennially) — so ceHours is null. A license expired 60 days to 3 years requires a $50 delinquent penalty on top of renewal fees; expired 3+ years requires passing the licensure examination again. Reactivating an inactive license requires 5-15 CE hours depending on inactive duration (Rule 5.16).
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
Two out-of-state routes. (1) Reciprocity (Rule 5.8, $55): a practitioner licensed by a state with the same educational requirements as Mississippi may apply with license copies and good-standing verification — but the rule states applicants must still pass the Chapter 6 examination after applying. (2) Universal Recognition of Occupational Licenses Act (UROLA, Rule 5.10, $55): a person who establishes Mississippi residency and holds a current out-of-state license in good standing files the universal application and must pass only the Mississippi Laws and Sanitation Examination within one year; a non-renewable 365-day temporary practice permit is issued while pending. A Military Family Freedom Act route also exists for active-duty members and spouses (Rule 5.11). No interstate barbering compact exists or is referenced.
10 state-approved training providers in Mississippi — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Cost calculator
- $25
- $50
Frequently asked questions
How many training hours does Mississippi require to become a barber?
1,500 hours at a licensed school of barbering, or 3,000 hours of apprenticeship training. Licensed Mississippi cosmetologists can cross over to barbering with 600 school hours.
What exams are required for a Mississippi barber license?
Both a written and a practical exam, each requiring a scaled score of at least 70. The written exam is the NIC national barber theory exam delivered by Prometric/IQT; the practical is scheduled through the Board.
How old must I be, and what education do I need?
At least 16 years old, with proof of completing the 10th grade (per the Board's current application form).
How often is a Mississippi barber license renewed, and is CE required?
Every two years for $50. Practitioner licensees have no continuing-education requirement — CE applies only to instructor and master licenses. Licensees 70 and older pay no renewal fee.
I'm licensed in another state — can I get a Mississippi barber license?
Yes. If you move to Mississippi, the UROLA universal-recognition route ($55) requires only passing the Mississippi Laws and Sanitation exam within a year, with a temporary practice permit while you wait. The standard reciprocity route ($55) still requires passing the Board's examination.
Sources
- [1] msbcb.ms.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/MSBCB-Rules-and-Regulations-after-10.21.2025.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11
- [2] msbcb.ms.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Mississppi-State-Board-of-Cosmetology-and-Barbering-Candidate-Manual-v.1.24.25.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11
- [3] msbcb.ms.gov/fees/ — accessed 2026-07-11
- [4] msbcb.ms.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Application-to-Test-for-Practicioner-License-V4.2026.pdf — accessed 2026-07-11