StateLicensed

Barber License Requirements in New Hampshire

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
800 hrs
Upfront cost
$55
Exam
New Hampshire Barber Licensing Examination
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
New Hampshire Board of Barbering, Cosmetology and Esthetics (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, OPLC)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Completed high school or its equivalent (RSA 313-A:10). RSA 313-A:10 sets no explicit minimum age for the Barber license itself (recorded as null rather than guessed); registering as an apprentice requires being at least 16 (RSA 313-A:24). Applicants must be of good professional character. Barbers are not among the OPLC license types requiring a criminal history records check (OPLC's reciprocity page lists CHRC requirements only for court reporters, embalmers/funeral directors, home inspectors, and certain trades). [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 800 hours of training at a state-approved program. RSA 313-A:10: minimum 800 hours of training in an OPLC-approved school of barbering, OR a minimum 1,600-hour apprenticeship distributed over at least 12 months under a licensed barber who has practiced in New Hampshire for at least 2 years (apprentices must first register with OPLC for an apprentice certificate and submit monthly hour sheets). New Hampshire tiers barbering: the Barber license (800 school hours) excludes chemical services, while a separate Master Barber license requires 1,500 school hours or a 3,000-hour/18-month apprenticeship and covers chemical services. Applicants not meeting the education/training prerequisites may petition OPLC for an exemption. oplc.nh.gov blocks automated fetches (HTTP 403); board pages verified via archive snapshots (FAQ 2026-01-16, fee page 2025-07-08); RSA text read directly at gc.nh.gov. [1]

  3. 3

    New Hampshire Barber Licensing Examination

    Pass the New Hampshire Barber Licensing Examination. Per the Board's FAQ, all testing is now coordinated through Prov — candidates schedule directly with Prov after meeting the training/apprenticeship requirements, per Prov's Candidate Information Bulletin. By statute (RSA 313-A:15) examinations are held at least once every 6 months and their scope and content are established by the Board. Neither OPLC nor the statute publishes the exam sitting fee, so it is recorded as null. FAQ verified via archive snapshot 2026-01-16 (oplc.nh.gov 403s automated fetches). [2]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to New Hampshire Board of Barbering, Cosmetology and Esthetics (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, OPLC) with the $55 application fee. [3]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, New Hampshire Board of Barbering, Cosmetology and Esthetics (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, OPLC) issues your Barber License for New Hampshire.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $55
License fee [3] None specified
Renewal fee [3] $55
New Hampshire Barber Licensing Examination [2] None specified
Reinstatement fee (license expired less than one year) [3] $55
Apprentice license application [3] $55

OPLC's Barbering, Cosmetology and Esthetics fee schedule lists a single $55 application fee for the personal Barber license with no separately itemized license-issuance fee, so 'license' is null. Renewal and reinstatement are also $55 each. Exam fees are paid separately to Prov (see exams). Fee page verified via archive snapshot 2025-07-08 (oplc.nh.gov 403s automated fetches).

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years.

Licenses under RSA 313-A expire and renew in accordance with RSA 310:8, OPLC's uniform biennial renewal statute; the renewal fee is $55 and OPLC emails a renewal notice 60 days before expiration (renewal cannot be completed more than 60 days early). No continuing-education requirement for barbers is published on OPLC's renewal materials, so ceHours is null. A license expired less than one year is reinstated via the reinstatement application ($55); after one year or more, a new initial application is required. Verified via archive snapshots (oplc.nh.gov 403s automated fetches).

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

Under RSA 310:17 (HB 594, 2023 — universal license recognition, implemented May 3, 2024), OPLC issues a New Hampshire license to a professional holding an active license in good standing from a 'qualifying jurisdiction' whose requirements are substantially similar. For the Barber license, OPLC lists ALL U.S. states and the District of Columbia as qualifying jurisdictions; for Master Barber, only Delaware, Georgia, North Dakota, Tennessee, and Virginia qualify. No interstate barbering compact exists — this is state-law universal recognition, not a compact. Reciprocity page verified via archive snapshot 2025-08-18 (oplc.nh.gov 403s automated fetches).

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

Cost calculator

  • $55
Total$55

Frequently asked questions

How many training hours does New Hampshire require to become a barber?

800 hours at an OPLC-approved barber school, or a 1,600-hour apprenticeship over at least 12 months under a licensed barber with 2+ years of New Hampshire practice. The Master Barber tier (which adds chemical services) requires 1,500 school hours or a 3,000-hour apprenticeship.

How do I schedule the New Hampshire barber exam?

All testing is coordinated through Prov, Inc. — you contact Prov directly to schedule after meeting the training or apprenticeship requirements, following Prov's Candidate Information Bulletin.

What does a New Hampshire barber license cost?

$55 to apply, $55 to renew each biennial cycle, and $55 to reinstate a license expired less than a year. Prov's exam fee is paid separately.

How do apprentices record their hours?

Registered apprentices submit OPLC's Apprenticeship Hour Sheet by the 15th of each following month, by mail or email, and should keep their own copies — OPLC does not provide copies on request.

Can an out-of-state barber get a New Hampshire license without retraining?

Yes — under New Hampshire's universal recognition law (RSA 310:17), a barber with an active license in good standing from any U.S. state or DC qualifies for a New Hampshire Barber license. For the Master Barber license, only Delaware, Georgia, North Dakota, Tennessee, and Virginia currently qualify.

Sources

  1. [1] gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XXX/313-A/313-A-10.htm — accessed 2026-07-11
  2. [2] oplc.nh.gov/faqs-barbering-cosmetology-and-esthetics — accessed 2026-07-11
  3. [3] oplc.nh.gov/board-barbering-cosmetology-and-esthetics-license-fees — accessed 2026-07-11
  4. [4] oplc.nh.gov/new-changes-reciprocity-new-hampshire — accessed 2026-07-11