Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I contact the Board office? Will I be able to speak directly with a Board member?
- May I use my license from another state to practice in Virginia? What about applying for a temporary permit?
- Do you accept scanned applications and supplemental documentation by e-mail?
- How do I obtain licensure in another state?
- I need a letter of certification quickly. If I come into the office with the certification fee, can you process it the same day?
- How do I transfer my license from another state to Virginia?
- I need to renew my license, but I haven't received my renewal form. What do I need to do?
- My renewal payment was one day late and I have always paid on time. Can you waive the late fee?
- I did not renew on time because I didn't receive my renewal card. Do I still have to pay a late fee or reinstate my license?
- Does the Board office use the date of receipt or the postmark date to determine whether an application or renewal was received on time?
- My address and/or name has changed. What do I need to do to notify the Board?
- Do I need a license to offer waxing services?
- Can a nail technician provide waxing services?
- Are electrologists licensed in Virginia?
- Do tattoo parlors that offer body piercing services also need a body piercing salon license?
- Do cosmetology salons that offer esthetic services need an esthetics spa license?
- Do I need to be a licensed practitioner (barber, cosmetologist, etc.) to own a barber shop, cosmetology salon, nail salon, waxing salon, esthetics spa, tattoo parlor, or body piercing salon?
- Can I provide cosmetology services in my home?
- How do I become a tattooer or body piercing apprentice?
- How do I become a cosmetology, barber, or nail technician apprentice?
How do I contact the Board office? Will I be able to speak directly with a Board member?
You may reach us by phone at 804-367-8509 (Licensing Section) or 804-367-8590 (Board Office), by FAX at (866) 245-9693, or by e-mail at BarberCosmo@dpor.virginia.gov. Additionally, if you have information that you would like to mail to the Board, please send it to:
Board for Barbers and Cosmetology
Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 400
Richmond, VA 23233
The Board members do not work in the Board office. They come into the Board offices for Board meetings and hearings, but are not here on a daily basis. Board office staff members can answer your questions and are trained to process all information that comes into the Board office. Please do not contact Board members directly.
May I use my license from another state to practice in Virginia? What about applying for a temporary permit?
No. State law prohibits any person from practicing or offering to practice barbering, cosmetology, nail care, waxing, tattooing, body piercing, or esthetics in the Commonwealth without a Virginia license.
A temporary permit to work under the supervision of a currently licensed practitioner may be issued to applicants for initial licensure who are eligible and scheduled for examination.
- Cosmetologists, nail technicians, and barbers: please refer to Section 18 VAC 41-20-90 of the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology Regulations for information on temporary permits.
- Wax technicians please refer to Section 18 VAC 41-40-80 of the Wax Technician Regulations for information on temporary permits.
- Estheticians please refer to Section 18 VAC 41-70-70 of the Esthetics Regulations for information on temporary permits.
Do you accept scanned applications and supplemental documentation by e-mail?
Yes, we strive to make the application process as fast and convenient as possible. You may scan the application or document into a PDF (not password-protected) or take a clear photo in JPG or GIF format and e-mail to BCHOPLicensing@dpor.virginia.gov.
Make sure that the scans or photos are high quality and easy to read. We cannot accept scans or photos of poor quality that are are crooked, blurry, cut off, shadowed, etc. The resolution must be good enough to show clearly all text, images, markings, and seals visible on the original paper document. Essentially, when printed, the image must look like a photocopy of the original application or document.
Remember to include all pages of multi-page documents and both sides of double-sided documents. If a scanned document is not acceptable, we will request a new, higher quality image or ask you to send it to us in a different way (such as by fax or regular mail).
How do I obtain licensure in another state?
Contact the state or jurisdiction in which you are seeking licensure. That state might request proof of your Virginia license, which you can request from the Board using the Certification Request Form.
I need a letter of certification quickly. If I come into the office with the certification fee, can you process it the same day?
No. Although Board staff makes every effort to send letters of certification out in five business days, our official turnaround time is 30 days. Certifications are processed in the order they are received.
How do I transfer my license from another state to Virginia?
To obtain a license in Virginia based on holding a current valid license in another state, you must submit an Endorsement Application. Examination requirements for licensure by endorsement are based on examinations previously completed in other states.
To apply: (1) submit a completed Endorsement Application and application fee, and (2) request the licensing authority in the state where you are currently licensed to mail a Certification of Licensure to the Virginia Board for Barbers and Cosmetology. However, if you originally obtained licensure in a jurisdiction other than the state where you currently hold a license, the Certification of Licensure should come from the original jurisdiction where you completed your training and exams.
Please refer to the Virginia regulations for the hours of instruction and training required to qualify for licensure. If you completed less than 80% of the required hours to qualify for your current license from another state, you are not eligible for licensure by endorsement. For more information, refer to the Board's guidance document on Endorsement Education Requirements.
I need to renew my license, but I haven't received my renewal form. What do I need to do?
Send in the renewal fee, make checks payable to the Treasurer of Virginia, and include your license number on your check. (If you have had a change of address, also complete, print, sign and submit an Address Change Form.) Mail this information to:
Board for Barbers and Cosmetology
Department of Professional & Occupational Regulation
9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 400
Richmond, VA 23233
You CANNOT continue to practice in Virginia after your license has expired.
My renewal payment was one day late and I have always paid on time. Can you waive the late fee?
No. The Board's regulations allow a 30-day grace period in which a license may be renewed without penalty (therefore, your payment is actually 31 days late). Staff cannot waive the fee.
I did not renew on time because I didn't receive my renewal card. Do I still have to pay a late fee or reinstate my license?
Yes. Board regulations state that failure to receive the renewal notice does not relieve the licensee of the obligation to renew.
Does the Board office use the date of receipt or the postmark date to determine whether an application or renewal was received on time?
The date the application or renewal was received in the agency determines whether it is on time, not the postmark date. If the renewal fee is received after the due date, you will be required to pay the reinstatement fee. If the reinstatement fee is received after the due date, you will be required to apply as a new applicant, meeting all current requirements.
My address and/or name has changed. What do I need to do to notify the Board?
Many Boards allow you to update your ADDRESS using Online Services, so login to your personal profile to see if this is an option for your license type. The alternative is to complete, print, sign, and submit an Address Change Form to the Board office by mail. Unless updated online, all Address Change Forms must be received by the Board in writing. When providing a post office box as the mailing address, it must be accompanied by the physical address.
To report a NAME CHANGE: complete, print, sign, and submit a Name Change Form to the Board office. All name changes must be received by the Board in writing. Individual name change requests must be accompanied by a copy of a marriage certificate, divorce decree, court order, or other official documentation that verifies the name change.
Do I need a license to offer waxing services?
Yes. Individuals performing waxing services must hold a wax technician license, cosmetologist license, or esthetician license.
Can a nail technician provide waxing services?
No. A nail technician license does not authorize the performance of waxing services. A nail technician must also be licensed as a wax technician in order to provide waxing services.
Are electrologists licensed in Virginia?
No. Electrolysis is an unregulated profession. Electrologists are not licensed in Virginia.
Do tattoo parlors that offer body piercing services also need a body piercing salon license?
Yes, tattoo parlors are not authorized to provide body piercing services. A body piercing salon license is required for businesses that provide body piercing services, and individuals properly licensed as body piercers much perform the work.
Do cosmetology salons that offer esthetic services need an esthetics spa license?
It depends. Cosmetology salons may offer esthetics services, but not master esthetics services (e.g., non-laser lymphatic drainage, chemical exfoliation, microdermabrasion, etc.). An esthetics spa license is required for businesses that offer master esthetics services provided by a licensed master esthetician.
Do I need to be a licensed practitioner (barber, cosmetologist, etc.) to own a barber shop, cosmetology salon, nail salon, waxing salon, esthetics spa, tattoo parlor, or body piercing salon?
No, facility ownership does not require a practitioner license. Provided you will not perform any services, you do not need an individual practitioner license to open a business.
Can I provide cosmetology services in my home?
Yes, provided you (1) hold both a current cosmetologist license and a current cosmetology salon license and (2) comply with Board regulations as well as all other federal, state, and local laws and ordinances (including Department of Health regulations).
How do I become a tattooer or body piercing apprentice?
Submit the appropriate Apprenticeship Certification Application and the Apprenticeship Agreement to the Board. The apprenticeship sponsor must be a licensed tattooer/body piercer designated as an apprenticeship sponsor, and the apprenticeship must be conducted in accordance with the Standards of Apprenticeship for Tattooers/body piercers in a licensed parlor.
How do I become a cosmetology, barber, or nail technician apprentice?
Apprenticeships are conducted through the Department of Labor and Industry. You must contact the Department of Labor and Industry directly to receive information regarding becoming an apprentice.