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SB183 ENROLLED
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SB183
3PSUDZZ-2
By Senators Coleman, Coleman-Madison, Figures
RFD: Healthcare
First Read: 20-Jan-26
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First Read: 20-Jan-26
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to the Alabama Board of Cosmetology and
Barbering; to amend Sections 34-7B-1 and 34-7B-13, Code of
Alabama 1975; to remove braiding and weaving hair from the
definition of "cosmetology"; to remove the licensure
requirement from the definition of "natural hairstylist"; to
provide that a license from the Alabama Board of Cosmetology
and Barbering is not required to perform natural hair styling;
to provide that persons who otherwise meet the requirements
for a natural hairstylist license may voluntarily acquire a
natural hairstylist license; to further provide that students
may acquire a voluntary natural hairstylist license through a
public high school cosmetology program; and to make
nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the existing
code language to current style.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Sections 34-7B-1 and 34-7B-13, Code of
Alabama 1975, are amended to read as follows:
"§34-7B-1
For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms
shall have the following meanings:
(1) APPRENTICE. Any person engaged in learning the
practices defined in this article including, but not limited
to, assisting in the performance of any acts of barbering or
cosmetology on the general public under the constant and
direct supervision of a person who has held a valid current
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direct supervision of a person who has held a valid current
license issued by the board for at least five years, in a shop
licensed by the board.
(2) BARBERING. The occupation of shaving or trimming
the beard, cutting or dressing the hair, giving facial or
scalp massages, giving facial or scalp treatment with oils or
creams or other preparations made for that purpose, either by
hand or by means of mechanical appliances, singeing and
shampooing the hair, dyeing the hair, or permanently waving or
straightening the hair of any living or deceased person for
compensation, as performed by a Class 2 barber.
(3) BOARD. The Alabama Board of Cosmetology and
Barbering.
(4) CLASS 1 BARBER. A person who only does the
following in his or her ordinary course of business: Arranges,
cleans, cuts, or singes the hair of any person or massages,
cleans, stimulates, exercises, or does similar work on the
scalp, face, or neck of any person with the hands, or with
mechanical or electrical apparatus or appliance, or by the use
of cosmetic preparations, antiseptics, tonics, lotions, or
creams. Any one or a combination of the following practices,
when done upon the human body above the seventh cervical
vertebra for cosmetic purposes and not for the treatment of
disease or physical or mental ailments, and when done for
payment, directly or indirectly , or without payment for the
public generally: Shaving or trimming the beard or trimming
the hair.
(5) CLASS 2 BARBER. Any person, other than a student or
apprentice, who performs barbering on the general public for
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apprentice, who performs barbering on the general public for
compensation, and who shall satisfy the qualifications and
licensure requirements provided in this chapter for a Class 2
barber. For the purposes of this chapter, the term "barber, "
standing alone, shall be deemed a reference to a Class 2
barber.
(6) COSMETOLOGIST. Any person, other than a student or
apprentice, who performs cosmetology on the general public for
compensation, and who shall satisfy the qualifications and
licensure requirements provided in this article for a
cosmetologist.
(7) COSMETOLOGY. Any of the practices generally
recognized as beauty culture, hairdressing, or any other
designation engaged in by any person who performs such on the
general public for compensation including, but not limited to,
cleansing, singeing, cutting, arranging, dressing, curling,
braiding, waxing, bleaching, weaving, coloring the hair by
hand or mechanical apparatus, the use of creams, lotions, or
cosmetic preparations, with or without massage, on the scalp,
face, arms, legs, feet, or hands, esthetics practices, nail
technology, manicure, pedicure, or desairology.
(8) ESTHETICIAN. Any person, other than a student or
apprentice, who performs esthetics on the general public for
compensation, and who shall satisfy the qualifications and
licensure requirements provided in this article for an
esthetician.
(9)(10) ESTHETICS. The practice of performing acts of
skin care including, but not limited to, facials, body waxing,
makeup, and general esthetics procedures on the general public
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makeup, and general esthetics procedures on the general public
for compensation.
(10)(11) ESTHETICS/MANICURE. A combination of the
practices of esthetics and manicure.
(11)(9) ESTHETICIAN/MANICURIST. Any person, other than
a student or apprentice, who performs a combination of the
practices of esthetics and manicure on the general public for
compensation, and who shall satisfy the qualifications and
licensure requirements provided in this article for an
esthetician/manicurist.
(12) INSTRUCTOR. A licensee who teaches in a licensed
or registered school of barbering or any branch of cosmetology
and completes any applicable requirements for continuing
education.
(13) LICENSE. A document issued by the board which
entitles the holder to practice the profession listed on the
document.
(14) LICENSEE. Any person holding a license issued
pursuant to this article.
(15) MANICURE. The practice of beautifying or grooming
the fingernails, toenails, adding nail tips, extensions, gels,
or massaging the hands, forearms, feet, or lower legs of the
general public for compensation.
(16)(17) MANICURIST. Any person, other than a student
or apprentice, who performs the practice of manicure on the
general public for compensation, and who shall satisfy the
qualifications and licensure requirements provided in this
article for a manicurist.
(17)(16) MANICURE/WAXING. A combination of the
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(17)(16) MANICURE/WAXING. A combination of the
practices of manicure and waxing.
(18) MANICURIST/WAXER. Any person, other than a student
or apprentice, who performs a combination of the practices of
manicure and waxing on the general public for compensation,
and who shall satisfy the qualifications and licensure
requirements provided in this article for a manicurist/waxer.
(19) NATURAL HAIR STYLING. The practice of cleansing,
weaving or interweaving, extending, locking, braiding, or
arranging the hair without cutting, coloring, permanent
waving, relaxing, removing, or chemical treatments.
(20) NATURAL HAIRSTYLIST. Any person, other than a
student, who performs natural hair styling on the general
public for compensation , and who shall satisfy the
qualifications and licensure requirements provided in this
article for a natural hairstylist .
(21) SCHOOL. An establishment licensed or registered by
the board to teach any or all of the practices of barbering or
cosmetology.
(22) SHAMPOO ASSISTANT. Any person who is licensed to
perform only the practices of shampooing, cleansing, or
applying temporary weekly color rinses to the hair of the
general public for compensation, and who shall satisfy the
qualifications and licensure requirements provided in this
article for a shampoo assistant.
(23) SHOP. Any place where barbering or cosmetology is
practiced including, but not limited to, a mobile salon. Only
a properly licensed person, who is not an apprentice or a
student, may operate a shop.
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student, may operate a shop.
(24) STUDENT. Any person who is engaged in learning any
practice regulated by this article in a school licensed or
registered pursuant to this article, and who, as part of the
learning process, performs or assists in any practice
regulated by this article under the immediate supervision of
an instructor who is licensed pursuant to this article.
(25)(26) THREADING. The practice of eyebrow removal
with the use of a loop made of cotton or any other material.
(26)(25) THREADER. Any person engaged in the practice
of threading on the general public for compensation, and who
shall satisfy the qualifications and licensure requirements
provided in this article for a threader."
"§34-7B-13
(a) This chapter does not apply to any of the following
persons, activities, or services:
(1) Service in the case of emergency or domestic
upheaval, without compensation.
(2) Licensed medical professionals operating within the
scope of their normal practice.
(3) Personnel of the United States armed services Armed
Services performing their ordinary duties.
(4) Any public trade school or other public school or
school program under the purview of the State Board of
Education or a local board of education.
(5) Any person who only occasionally dresses hair and
receives no compensation therefor, or does any other act or
thing mentioned in this chapter, without holding himself or
herself out to the public as a provider of any practices
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herself out to the public as a provider of any practices
defined in this chapter for compensation.
(6) Departments in retail establishments where
cosmetics are demonstrated and offered for sale but where no
other acts of cosmetology or barbering are performed.
(7) The licensees of any county or municipal barber
board or commission in existence on August 1, 2013, unless
such board or commission elects, by resolution adopted by the
governing body of the county or municipality, to come under
the provisions of this chapter.
(8) Any person who practices as a Class 1 barber.
(b) Any person who practices natural hair styling as
defined in Section 34-7B-1, including facilities where only
natural hair styling is performed, shall not be required to
have a license issued by the board. Nothing in this section
shall be construed to limit the availability of a voluntary
natural hairstylist license to those who meet the requirements
of this chapter. Nothing in this section shall be construed to
limit the availability of a voluntary natural hairstylist
license to students enrolled in a public high school career
and technical education cosmetology program. "
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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1, 2026.
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
SB183
Senate 10-Feb-26
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and passed
the Senate.
Patrick Harris,
Secretary.
House of Representatives
Amended and passed: 07-Apr-26
Senate concurred in House amendment 07-Apr-26
By: Senator Coleman
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