Cosmetology licenses; prescribe requirements for apprenticeship programs approved by the board.

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To: Business and Commerce
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Yancey

HOUSE BILL NO. 1138

AN ACT TO PRESCRIBE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ANY APPRENTICESHIP 1
PROGRAM APPROVED BY THE STATE BOARD OF COSMETOLOGY AND BARBERING 2
FOR TRAINING IN THE FIELD OF COSMETOLOGY, BARBERING, NAIL 3
TECHNOLOGY OR ESTHETICS; TO AMEND SECTIONS 73-7-13, 73-7-13.1, 4
73-7-18 AND 73-7-21, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE 5
PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 73-7-15, 6
MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH RELATES TO INSTRUCTORS LICENSES, 7
FOR THE PURPOSE OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 8
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 9
SECTION 1. Any apprenticeship program approved by the State 10
Board of Cosmetology and Barbering under Section 73-7-13, 11
73-7-13.1, 73-7-15, 73-7-18 or 73-7-21 for training in the field 12
of cosmetology, barbering, nail technology or esthetics must meet 13
the requirements of Sections 2 through 9 of this act. 14
SECTION 2. Apprentice registration and requirements. (1) 15
The sponsor, on behalf of a potential apprentice who is a person 16
who is at least sixteen (16) years old and seeks training as an 17
apprentice in the field of cosmetology, barbering, nail technology 18
and/or esthetics must complete an application entitled 19
"application for apprenticeship" available on the board's website 20
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or otherwise may be made available by the board. The application 21
must be accompanied by: 22
(a) Two (2) 2 x 2 inch passport style photograph taken 23
within the last ninety (90) days before the application; 24
(b) Two (2) forms of identification of which at least 25
one (1) must be a government issued identification with a 26
photograph; 27
(c) Verified documentation of successful completion of 28
high school, GED certificate, high school equivalency program 29
credentialed as approved by the State Board of Education, or proof 30
of enrollment in a community college; 31
(d) Nonrefundable application fee. After successful 32
completion of the application, the apprentice shall receive a 33
board-issued badge that shall be worn at all times while the 34
apprentice is in training; and 35
(e) Copy of sponsor's license. An apprentice may train 36
in a licensed shop under a licensed instructor or a current 37
licensee who has been licensed for at least fifteen (15) years in 38
the appropriate field. 39
(2) If an apprentice ceases training before completion of a 40
course, the sponsor shall submit to the board the apprentice badge 41
and statement of apprenticeship termination that is signed and 42
notarized by the student within five (5) days. 43
(3) Apprenticeship training shall be under the direct 44
supervision of the approved sponsor at all times. 45
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(4) An apprentice must complete a new application as 46
provided in this section in order to change sponsoring instructor. 47
SECTION 3. Sponsor requirements. (1) A licensed instructor 48
in good standing who has been in active practice in Mississippi 49
for at least ten (10) years or a licensee who has been licensed 50
for at least fifteen (15) years in the appropriate field may serve 51
as a sponsor and train an apprentice within the scope of the 52
sponsor's license only. 53
(2) At all times of an apprenticeship program, the sponsor 54
must maintain an active license in good standing. 55
(3) After successful completion of the application as 56
provided in Section 1 of this act, the sponsor shall receive a 57
board-issued badge that shall be worn at all times while the 58
apprentice is in training. If an apprentice ceases training 59
before completion of a course, the sponsor shall submit to the 60
board the sponsor badge within five (5) days. 61
(4) Such sponsor may train only one (1) apprentice at a 62
time. Each sponsor must be associated with a board-approved 63
sponsoring establishment in which the apprentice training and 64
instruction will occur. 65
(5) A sponsor may not charge the apprentice for training. 66
All products used by the apprentice in the service of clients must 67
be provided by either the sponsor or the board-approved sponsoring 68
establishment and may not be paid for by the apprentice. The 69
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sponsor may charge for services rendered by the apprentice while 70
in apprentice training. 71
SECTION 4. Sponsoring establishment requirements. (1) A 72
sponsoring establishment is the establishment in which the 73
apprentice receives training and instruction under the supervision 74
of the sponsor. A sponsoring establishment must be licensed at 75
all times of an apprenticeship. No more than two (2) apprentices 76
per licensed sponsor may be approved to train at any given time. 77
No more than two (2) sponsors may function in any one (1) 78
sponsoring establishment at any given time. 79
(2) The minimum equipment and supplies are the same as for 80
students at a licensed school. A sponsoring establishment must 81
conspicuously display a sign stating: "Services Offered by 82
Apprentice or Student Trainee". 83
SECTION 5. Curriculum. (1) The sponsor shall instruct the 84
apprentice in all subjects as outlined in the curricula prescribed 85
by the board to be taught in a school and shall use the 86
board-approved textbook. The sponsor shall give the apprentice 87
tests and a final examination in both the practical skills and 88
theory work. 89
(2) When working on patrons, an apprentice may perform 90
services on the general public for only the areas that they have 91
received technical training. 92
SECTION 6. Hours. (1) Each sponsor shall keep a permanent 93
record of the apprentice's attendance as reflected on a timeclock 94
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punch card or timeclock. If a change is required, the signature 95
of both the sponsor and the apprentice is required at the point of 96
change. Each apprentice must personally clock in/out; if an 97
apprentice is in or out of the sponsoring establishment for lunch, 98
he must clock out. No hours may be given for any unverified time. 99
(2) A monthly report must accurately document an 100
apprentice's work for the day and must be initialed by the sponsor 101
monthly. A sponsor must maintain a monthly report of the 102
apprentice's academic progress and hours earned. Hours cannot be 103
transferred from an apprenticeship program to a licensed school. 104
SECTION 7. Coursework acceleration. (1) Accelerated hours 105
means a reduction of the timeframe (not clock hours) required for 106
course completion by compressing into a shorter period and is 107
impermissible. 108
(2) A sponsor may not permit an apprentice to complete a 109
program in a time period less than the following: seventy-five 110
(75) weeks for cosmetology, seventy-five (75) weeks for barbering, 111
seventeen and one half (17-1/2) weeks for nail technology, thirty 112
(30) weeks for esthetics, and twenty-five (25) weeks for a student 113
instructor (nail technology or esthetics). 114
(3) A sponsor may not award credit or provide instruction 115
and an apprentice may not earn hours for any attendance in excess 116
of the board-approved program hours. 117
SECTION 8. Completion of apprenticeship. (1) Within thirty 118
(30) days after an apprentice completes the required hours and 119
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training, the sponsor must certify a record of completion for the 120
apprentice and shall notify the board of such completion. 121
(2) An apprentice must complete the course of training 122
within the following time period: one-hundred (100) weeks for 123
cosmetology, one-hundred (100) weeks for barbering, twenty-three 124
(23) weeks for nail technology, forty (40) weeks for esthetics, 125
and thirty-three and one half (33-1/2) weeks for a student 126
instructor (nail technology or esthetics). 127
SECTION 9. Audit. (1) The board or its authorized agent(s) 128
may inspect the sponsoring establishments as necessary. During 129
such an audit, all records of the apprentice must be made 130
available to the board or its authorized agent(s) during the 131
business's hours. An audit may include, but is not limited to the 132
following review of: 133
(a) Curriculum including, but not limited to, current 134
syllabus and lesson plan(s) for each course; 135
(b) Apprentice's file, including all relevant 136
documents; 137
(c) Attendance records and clock hours; and 138
(d) Physical facilities. 139
(2) The board may, if necessary, withdraw approval of an 140
apprentice or sponsor. 141
SECTION 10. Section 73-7-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 142
amended as follows: 143
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73-7-13. (1) The board shall admit to examination for a 144
cosmetology license any person who is at least sixteen (16) years 145
old and who has made application to the board in proper form, has 146
paid the required fee, and who has successfully completed no less 147
than fifteen hundred (1500) hours over a period of no less than 148
nine (9) months in a licensed school of cosmetology or no less 149
than three thousand (3,000) hours in an apprenticeship program 150
certified by the board, and has a high school education or its 151
equivalent or has been successfully enrolled in a community 152
college. Apprenticeships provided for in this subsection shall be 153
monitored or mentored by a licensed cosmetology instructor only. 154
* * * Not more than two (2) apprentices may be mentored by any 155
person at the same time. 156
(2) The board may, in its discretion, issue to any student 157
who has completed the prescribed hours in a licensed school or 158
approved apprenticeship program and paid the required fee a 159
temporary permit until such time as the next examination may be 160
held but not exceeding six (6) months. Such student shall be 161
issued only one (1) temporary permit. Application for an 162
examination and license shall be accompanied by two (2) recent 163
passport-style photographs of the applicant. No temporary permit 164
will be issued to an applicant from any other state to operate a 165
beauty salon, barber shop or school of any profession regulated by 166
the board in this state unless in case of emergency. 167
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(3) Applicants for the cosmetologist license, after having 168
satisfactorily passed the prescribed examination, shall be issued 169
a cosmetology license which shall be valid for two (2) years, and 170
the license shall be subject to renewal. No license issued by the 171
board may be renewed until all monetary fines and penalties 172
assessed by the board to the licensee are paid in full. 173
(4) Any barber who has successfully completed no less than 174
fifteen hundred (1500) hours in a licensed barber school and who 175
holds a current valid certificate of licensure to practice 176
barbering is eligible to take the cosmetology examination to 177
secure a cosmetology license upon successfully completing six 178
hundred (600) hours in a licensed school of cosmetology. All fees 179
for application, examination, licensure, and renewal thereof shall 180
be the same as provided for cosmetologists. 181
(5) Each application or filing made under this section shall 182
include the social security number(s) of the applicant in 183
accordance with Section 93-11-64. 184
(6) Any licensed cosmetologist, barber, esthetician, or nail 185
technician who is registered but not actively practicing in the 186
State of Mississippi at the time of making application for renewal 187
of an active license, may apply for registration as inactive 188
status. Such "inactive" status list shall be maintained by the 189
board and shall set out the names and post office addresses of all 190
persons registered but not actively practicing in this state, 191
arranged alphabetically by name and also by the municipalities and 192
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states of their last-known professional or residential address. 193
Only the cosmetologists, barbers, estheticians and nail 194
technicians registered on the appropriate list as actively 195
practicing in the State of Mississippi shall be authorized to 196
practice those professions. No cosmetologist, barber, nail 197
technician or esthetician shall be registered on the "inactive" 198
list until the person has furnished a statement of intent to take 199
such action to the board. Any licensed cosmetologist, barber, 200
nail technician or esthetician, who is registered on the 201
"inactive" status list shall not be eligible for active licensure 202
status until either of the following conditions have been 203
satisfied: 204
(a) Written application shall be submitted to the board 205
stating the reasons for such inactivity and setting forth such 206
other information as the board may require on an individual basis 207
and completion of the number of clock hours of continuing 208
education as approved by the board; or 209
(b) Evidence to the satisfaction of the board shall be 210
submitted that they have actively practiced their profession in 211
good standing in another state and have not been guilty of conduct 212
that would warrant suspension or revocation as provided by 213
applicable law; and 214
(c) Payment of the fee for processing such inactive 215
license shall be paid biennially in accordance to board rules. 216
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SECTION 11. Section 73-7-13.1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 217
amended as follows: 218
73-7-13.1 (1) The board shall admit to examination for a 219
barbering license any person who is at least sixteen (16) years 220
old and who has made application to the board in proper form, has 221
paid the required fee, and who (a) has successfully completed no 222
less than fifteen hundred (1500) hours at a barbering school 223
approved by the board or three thousand (3,000) hours of 224
board-approved apprenticeship training, and (b) has a high school 225
education or its equivalent or has been successfully enrolled in a 226
community college. Apprenticeships shall only be monitored and 227
mentored by those with an instructor license, and there shall 228
be * * * not more than two (2) apprentices per mentor. 229
(2) The board may, in its discretion, issue to any student 230
who has completed the prescribed hours in a licensed school or 231
approved apprenticeship training and paid the required fee a 232
temporary permit to practice barbering until the next examination 233
is given but not exceeding six (6) months. In no event shall a 234
person be allowed to practice barbering on a temporary permit 235
beyond the date the next examination is given, except because of 236
personal illness. 237
(3) Applicants for the barbering license, after having 238
satisfactorily passed the prescribed examination, shall be issued 239
a barbering license which shall be valid for two (2) years, and 240
the license shall be subject to renewal. No license issued by the 241
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board may be renewed until all monetary fines and penalties 242
assessed by the board to the licensee are paid in full. 243
(4) Any cosmetologist who has successfully completed no less 244
than fifteen hundred (1500) hours in a licensed cosmetology school 245
and who holds a current valid certificate of licensure to practice 246
cosmetology is eligible to take the barbering examination to 247
secure a barber license upon successfully completing six hundred 248
(600) hours in a licensed school of barbering. All fees for 249
application, examination, licensure, and renewal thereof shall be 250
the same as provided for barbers. 251
(5) Each application or filing made under this section shall 252
include the social security number(s) of the applicant in 253
accordance with Section 93-11-64. 254
SECTION 12. Section 73-7-15, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 255
brought forward as follows: 256
73-7-15. (1) The board shall admit to examination for a 257
cosmetology instructor's license any person who has made 258
application to the board in proper form, has paid the required 259
fee, and who: 260
(a) Is a graduate of a licensed cosmetology school; 261
(b) Has a high school education or its equivalent; 262
(c) Has successfully completed one thousand (1,000) 263
hours of instructor training in a licensed school of cosmetology; 264
(d) Has successfully completed six (6) semester hours 265
in college courses approved by the board; and 266
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(e) Holds a current, valid Mississippi cosmetology 267
license. 268
(2) The board shall admit to examination for a barbering 269
instructor's license any person who has made application to the 270
board in proper form, has paid the required fee, and who: 271
(a) Is a graduate of a licensed barbering school; 272
(b) Has a high school education or its equivalent; 273
(c) Has (i) not less than two (2) years of active 274
experience as a licensed barber and has successfully completed not 275
less than six hundred (600) hours of instructor training in a 276
licensed school of barbering or (ii) less than two (2) years of 277
active experience as a licensed barber and has successfully 278
completed one thousand (1,000) hours of instructor training in a 279
licensed school of barbering; 280
(d) Has successfully completed six (6) semester hours 281
in college courses approved by the board; and 282
(e) Holds a current, valid Mississippi barbering 283
license. 284
(3) The board shall admit to examination for an esthetics 285
instructor's license any person who has made application to the 286
board in proper form, has paid the required fee, and who: 287
(a) Has a high school education or its equivalent; 288
(b) Has successfully completed one thousand (1,000) 289
hours of instructor training in a licensed school or 290
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apprenticeship program in which the practice of esthetics is 291
taught; 292
(c) Has successfully completed six (6) semester hours 293
in college courses approved by the board; and 294
(d) Holds a current, valid Mississippi esthetician's 295
license. 296
(4) The board shall admit to examination for a nail 297
technician instructor's license any person who has made 298
application to the board in proper form, has paid the required 299
fee, and who: 300
(a) Has a high school education or its equivalent; 301
(b) Has successfully completed one thousand (1,000) 302
hours of instructor training in a licensed school or 303
apprenticeship program in which the practice of nail technology is 304
taught; 305
(c) Has successfully completed six (6) semester hours 306
in college courses approved by the board; and 307
(d) Holds a current, valid Mississippi nail 308
technician's license. 309
(5) Applicants shall satisfactorily pass the examination 310
prescribed by the board for licensing instructors prior to the 311
issuance of the licenses provided for in this section. However, 312
the board may, in its discretion, issue a temporary instructor's 313
permit until such time as the next examination may be held, the 314
period of which shall not exceed ninety (90) days. Such applicant 315
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shall be issued only one (1) temporary permit. All applications 316
for an instructor's examination shall be accompanied by two (2) 317
recent passport-style photographs of the applicant. 318
(6) Renewal Requirements: 319
(a) All cosmetology, barbering, nail technology, and/or 320
esthetics instructors licensed pursuant to this section shall 321
biennially obtain twenty-four (24) clock hours of continuing 322
education in teacher training instruction in cosmetology, 323
barbering, esthetics or nail technology, as the case may be, as 324
approved by the board. Any instructor who fails to obtain the 325
continuing education required by this subsection shall neither be 326
allowed to instruct nor to enroll students under his or her 327
license until such continuing education requirement has been met. 328
The board may issue an inactive instructor license to such 329
instructors, and an inactive license may be converted into an 330
active license only after proof satisfactory to the board of 331
completion of at least twenty-four (24) clock hours of approved 332
continuing education required for teacher training instruction is 333
submitted. 334
(b) All persons who have received a license as a 335
barbering instructor from the board before July 1, 2002, shall be 336
considered to have met the requirements of this section, and all 337
those certificates of registration shall be renewable as otherwise 338
provided in this chapter. 339
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(c) No license issued by the board may be renewed until 340
all monetary fines and penalties assessed by the board to the 341
licensee are paid in full. 342
(7) Each application or filing made under this section shall 343
include the social security number(s) of the applicant in 344
accordance with Section 93-11-64. 345
SECTION 13. Section 73-7-18, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 346
amended as follows: 347
73-7-18. (1) The board shall admit to examination for an 348
esthetician's license any person who is at least sixteen (16) 349
years old and who has made application to the board in proper 350
form, who has paid the required fee, and who: 351
(a) Has a high school education or its equivalent or 352
has been successfully enrolled in a community college; and 353
(b) Has successfully completed a course of training in 354
esthetics of not less than six hundred (600) hours, comprised of 355
not less than one hundred (100) hours of theory and five hundred 356
(500) hours of skill practice, in a licensed school in which the 357
practice of esthetics is taught or of no less than twelve hundred 358
(1200) hours in an apprenticeship program certified by the board. 359
Apprenticeships provided for in this section shall be 360
monitored or mentored by a person with an instructor * * * 361
licensed in cosmetology or esthetics. * * * Not more than two (2) 362
apprentices may be mentored by any person at the same time. 363
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(2) The board may, in its discretion, issue to any student 364
who has completed the prescribed hours in a licensed school or 365
approved apprenticeship program and paid the required fee a 366
temporary permit until such time as the next examination may be 367
held but not exceeding six (6) months. Such student shall be 368
issued only one (1) temporary permit. Application for an 369
examination and license shall be accompanied by two (2) recent 370
passport-style photographs of the applicant. No temporary permit 371
will be issued to an applicant from any other state to operate a 372
beauty salon, barber shop or school of any profession regulated by 373
the board in this state unless in case of emergency. 374
(3) Licensed estheticians desiring to pursue additional 375
hours to be eligible for a license as a cosmetologist may be 376
credited with any hours acquired in studying and training to be an 377
esthetician, which may be applied to the number of hours required 378
for a cosmetology license examination. 379
(4) Every person who has completed not less than three 380
hundred fifty (350) hours of training in esthetics approved by the 381
board in this or any other state prior to July 1, 1987, shall be 382
granted an esthetician's license by the board if such person 383
presents satisfactory evidence to the board that he or she has 384
fulfilled all the requirements to be admitted to examination 385
except the training hours requirement. 386
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(5) Each application or filing made under this section shall 387
include the social security number(s) of the applicant in 388
accordance with Section 93-11-64. 389
SECTION 14. Section 73-7-21, Mississippi Code of 1972, is 390
amended as follows: 391
73-7-21. (1) The board shall admit to examination for a 392
nail technician's license any person who is at least sixteen (16) 393
years old and who has made application to the board in proper 394
form, who has paid the required fee, and who: 395
(a) Has a high school education or its equivalent or 396
has been successfully enrolled in a community college; and 397
(b) Has successfully completed no less than three 398
hundred fifty (350) hours of practice and related theory in nail 399
technology over a period of no less than nine (9) weeks in a 400
licensed school in which the practice of nail technology is taught 401
in this or any other state or no less than seven hundred (700) 402
hours in an apprenticeship program certified by the board. 403
Apprenticeships provided for in this section shall be monitored or 404
mentored by a person with an instructor license in cosmetology or 405
nail technology. * * * Not more than two (2) apprentices may be 406
mentored by any person at the same time. 407
(2) The board may, in its discretion, issue to any student 408
who has completed the prescribed hours in a licensed school or 409
approved apprenticeship program and paid the required fee for a 410
temporary permit until such time as the next examination may be 411
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ST: Cosmetology licenses; prescribe
requirements for apprenticeship programs
approved by the board.
held but not exceeding six (6) months. Such student shall be 412
issued only one (1) temporary permit. Application for an 413
examination and license shall be accompanied by two (2) recent 414
passport-style photographs of the applicant. No temporary permit 415
will be issued to an applicant from any other state to operate a 416
beauty salon, barber shop or school of any profession regulated by 417
the board in this state unless in case of emergency. 418
(3) Licensed nail technicians desiring to pursue additional 419
hours to be eligible for a license as a cosmetologist may be 420
credited with any hours acquired in studying and training to be a 421
nail technician which may be applied to the number of hours 422
required for a cosmetology license examination. 423
(4) The board shall adopt regulations governing the use of 424
electric nail files for the purpose of filing false or natural 425
nails. 426
(5) Each application or filing made under this section shall 427
include the social security number(s) of the applicant in 428
accordance with Section 93-11-64. 429
(6) No license issued by the board may be renewed until all 430
monetary fines and penalties assessed by the board to the licensee 431
are paid in full. 432
SECTION 15. This act shall take effect and be in force from 433
and after July 1, 2026. 434