Barbers and barbering

2025-2026 Bill 5699: Barbers and barbering - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
Download
This Bill
in Microsoft Word Format
Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter
H. 5699
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Frank, Huff, Teeple, Harris, Pace and McCabe
Document Path: LC-0716WAB26.docx
Introduced in the House on May 13, 2026
Currently residing in the House Committee on
Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
Summary: Barbers and barbering
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

5/13/2026

House

Introduced and read first time (
House Journal-page 10
)

5/13/2026

House

Referred to Committee on
Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
(
House Journal-page 10
)

View the latest
legislative information
at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
05/13/2026

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH
CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION
40-7-15
SO AS TO PROVIDE LICENSURE TO
PRACTICE BARBERING IS VOLUNTARY, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE AUTHORITY AND
LIMITATIONS OF LICENSED AND UNLICENSED BARBERS; BY AMENDING SECTION
40-7-20
,
RELATING TO DEFINITIONS CONCERNING BARBERS AND BARBERING, SO AS TO DEFINE THE
TERM "REGISTERED BARBER"; BY AMENDING SECTION
40-7-20
0, RELATING TO PRACTICING
BARBERING IN VIOLATION OF THE CHAPTER, SO AS TO PROVIDE IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR A
PERSON TO FALSELY REPRESENT HIMSELF AS A LICENSED OR REGISTERED BARBER OR TO
OTHERWISE VIOLATE CERTAIN STATUTORY PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO LICENSED BARBERS;
BY AMENDING SECTION
40-7-290
, RELATING TO REQUIREMENTS FOR BARBERS WHO TRAIN
STUDENTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE ONLY REGISTERED BARBERS MAY SUPERVISE AND TRAIN
STUDENTS IN REGISTERED BARBER SCHOOLS; BY AMENDING SECTION
40-7-320
, RELATING
TO THE REQUIREMENT THAT BARBERSHOPS BE REGISTERED AND THE MANDATORY POSTING OF
INSPECTION RATINGS AND REGULATIONS IN BARBERSHOPS AND BARBER SCHOOLS, SO AS TO
PROVIDE RELATED STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS AND REGULATIONS APPLY REGARDLESS OF
WHETHER INDIVIDUALS WHO OWN, OPERATE, OR PRACTICE WITHIN A BARBERSHOP ARE
LICENSED BARBERS, AND TO PROVIDE A PERSON MAY OWN, OPERATE, OR WORK IN A
REGISTERED BARBERSHOP WITHOUT BEING A REGISTERED BARBER; AND BY REPEALING
SECTION
40-7-30
RELATING TO THE REQUIREMENT OF LICENSURE TO BE A BARBER OR
PRACTICE BARBERING.

B
e it enacted by the
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

S
ECTION 1.
C
hapter 7, Title 40 of the S.C. Code is amended by
adding:

S
ection
40-7-15
.
(
A) A person may practice
barbering in this State without obtaining a license issued by the board.

(
B) A
person who elects to obtain a license under this chapter:

(
1)
may use the title "registered barber"; and

(
2)
is subject to the jurisdiction of the board.

(
C)
Only individuals licensed by the board may:

(
1)
hold themselves out as a "registered barber"; or

(
2)
perform services expressly restricted by this chapter to licensed individuals.

(
D)
Nothing in this chapter may be construed to prohibit an unlicensed person from
engaging in the practice of barbering, except as otherwise expressly provided
in this chapter.

S
ECTION 2.
S
ection
40-7-20
of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

(
3) "Registered barber" means an
individual who is licensed pursuant to this chapter.

S
ECTION 3.
S
ection
40-7-20
0 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

S
ection
40-7-200
.
It is unlawful for a person to falsely
represent himself as a licensed or registered barber or to otherwise violate a
provision of this chapter applicable to licensed individuals. A person who
violates this section is subject to the penalties provided in this chapter.
A
person who
practices or offers to practice barbering in
this State in violation
violates a provision

of this chapter or who knowingly submits false information for the purpose of
obtaining a license is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be
imprisoned not more than one year or fined not more than five thousand dollars.

S
ECTION 4.
S
ection
40-7-290
of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

(
C) Only a registered barber may
supervise and train students in a barber school.

S
ECTION 5.
S
ection
40-7-320
of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

S
ection
40-7-320
.
(
A) A barbershop must be
registered with the board. Applications for registration and inspection of new
shops must be made at least fifteen working days before opening the shop. No
new shop may be operated until all fees are paid and the shop has passed
inspection.

(
B) A
copy of the inspection rating and copy of the regulations for the sanitary
management of a barbershop, as provided for in Section
40-7-60
, must be posted
in a conspicuous place in each barbershop or barber school.

(
C) Barbershop licensure and inspection
requirements of this chapter and regulations promulgated pursuant to this
chapter apply regardless of whether individuals who own, operate, or practice
in a barbershop are licensed; provided, however, that a person may own,
operate, or work in a registered barbershop without being licensed as a
registered barber pursuant to this chapter.

S
ECTION 6. Section
40-7-30
of the S.C. Code is repealed.

S
ECTION 7. This act takes effect upon approval
by the Governor.

----XX----

This web page was last updated on May 13, 2026 at 10:55 AM