ARTICLE 8. Schools, Instructors, and Curricula [7362. - 7395.2.]

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC 8.

in effect

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7362. Section 7362.

(a) A school approved by the board is one that is first approved by the board and subsequently approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education or is a public school in this state, and provides a course of instruction approved by the board. However, notwithstanding any other law, both the board and the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education may simultaneously process a school’s application for approval. (b) Notwithstanding any other law, the board may revoke, suspend, or deny approval of a school, in a proceeding that shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, when an owner or employee of the school has engaged in any of the acts specified in paragraphs (1) to (8), inclusive. (1) Unprofessional conduct which includes, but is not limited to, any of the following: (A) Incompetence or gross negligence, including repeated failure to comply with generally accepted standards for the practice of barbering, cosmetology, or electrology, or disregard for the health and safety of patrons. (B) Repeated similar negligent acts. (C) Conviction of any crime substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of the owner of an approved school, in which case, the records of conviction or a certified copy thereof shall be conclusive evidence of the conviction. (2) Repeated failure to comply with the rules governing health and safety adopted by the board and approved by the State Department of Public Health, for the regulation of board-approved schools. (3) Repeated failure to comply with the rules adopted by the board for the regulation of board-approved schools. (4) Continued practice by a person knowingly having an infectious or contagious disease. (5) Habitual drunkenness, or habitual use of, or addiction to the use of, any controlled substance. (6) Obtaining or attempting to obtain practice in any occupation licensed and regulated under this chapter, or money, or compensation in any form, by fraudulent misrepresentation. (7) Refusal to permit or interference with an inspection authorized under this chapter. (8) Any action or conduct that would have warranted the denial of a school approval.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7362.1. Section 7362.1.

A school of cosmetology approved by the board shall also meet all of the following: (a) Possess the equipment and floor space necessary for comprehensive instruction of 25 cosmetology students or the number of students enrolled in the course, whichever is greater. (b) Have entered on the roll of a proposed school of cosmetology at least 25 bona fide, full-time students for the cosmetology course. For purposes of this section, a bona fide, full-time student is a person who has been entered on the roll of a proposed school of cosmetology and has committed to attend a full course in cosmetology. (c) Maintain a course of practical training and technical instruction for the full cosmetology course as specified in this chapter and in board regulations. A course of instruction in any branch of cosmetology shall be taught in a school of cosmetology.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7362.2. Section 7362.2.

A school of barbering approved by the board shall also do all of the following: (a) Possess the equipment and floor space necessary for comprehensive instruction of 15 barber students or the number of students enrolled in the course, whichever is greater. (b) Have entered on the roll of a proposed school of barbering at least 15 bona fide, full-time students for the barbering course. For purposes of this section, a bona fide, full-time student is a person who has been entered on the roll of a proposed school of barbering and has committed to attend a full course in barbering. (c) Maintain a course of practical training and technical instruction for the full barbering course as specified in this chapter and in board regulations.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7362.3. Section 7362.3.

A school of electrology approved by the board shall also do all of the following: (a) Possess the equipment and floor space necessary for comprehensive instruction of five electrology students or the number of students enrolled in the course, whichever is greater. (b) Have entered on the roll of a proposed school of electrology at least five bona fide, full-time students for the electrology course. For purposes of this section, a bona fide, full-time student is a person who has been entered on the roll of a proposed school of electrology and has committed to attend a full course in electrology. (c) Maintain a course of practical training and technical instruction for the full electrology course as specified in this chapter and in board regulations.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7362.5. Section 7362.5.

(a) A course in barbering or cosmetology established by a school shall consist of not less than 1,000 hours of practical and technical instruction in the practice of barbering or cosmetology, as defined in Section 7316. (b) The curriculum for a barbering course shall, at a minimum, include technical and practical instruction in the following areas: (1) One hundred hours in health and safety, which includes hazardous substances, chemical safety, safety data sheets, protection from hazardous chemicals, preventing chemical injuries, health and safety laws and regulations, and preventing communicable diseases. (2) One hundred hours in disinfection and sanitation, which includes disinfection procedures to protect the health and safety of consumers as well as the technician and proper disinfection procedures for equipment used in establishments. (3) (A) Two hundred hours in chemical hair services, which includes coloring, straightening, waving, bleaching, hair analysis, predisposition and strand tests, safety precautions, formula mixing, and the use of dye removers. (B) Instruction in chemical hair services shall include instruction regarding the provision of services to individuals with all hair types and textures, including, but not limited to, various curl or wave patterns, hair strand thicknesses, and volumes of hair. (4) (A) Two hundred hours in hairstyling services, which includes arranging, blow drying, cleansing, curling, dressing, hair analysis, shampooing, waving, and nonchemical straightening, and hair cutting, including the use of shears, razors, electrical clippers and trimmers, and thinning shears, for wet and dry cutting. (B) Instruction in hairstyling services shall include instruction regarding the provision of services to individuals with all hair types and textures, including, but not limited to, various curl or wave patterns, hair strand thicknesses, and volumes of hair. (5) Two hundred hours in shaving and trimming of the beard, which includes preparing the client’s hair for shaving, assessing the condition of the client’s skin, performing shaving techniques, applying aftershave antiseptic following facial services, and massaging the face and rolling cream massages. (c) The curriculum for a cosmetology course shall, at a minimum, include technical and practical instruction in the following areas: (1) One hundred hours in health and safety, which includes hazardous substances, chemical safety, safety data sheets, protection from hazardous chemicals, preventing chemical injuries, health and safety laws and regulations, and preventing communicable diseases. (2) One hundred hours in disinfection and sanitation, which includes disinfection procedures to protect the health and safety of consumers as well as the technician and proper disinfection procedures for equipment used in establishments. (3) (A) Two hundred hours in chemical hair services, which includes coloring, straightening, waving, bleaching, hair analysis, predisposition and strand tests, safety precautions, formula mixing, and the use of dye removers. (B) Instruction in chemical hair services shall include instruction regarding the provision of services to individuals with all hair types and textures, including, but not limited to, various curl or wave patterns, hair strand thicknesses, and volumes of hair. (4) (A) Two hundred hours in hairstyling services, which includes arranging, blow drying, cleansing, curling, dressing, hair analysis, shampooing, waving, and nonchemical straightening, and hair cutting, including the use of shears, razors, electrical clippers and trimmers, and thinning shears, for wet and dry cutting. (B) Instruction in hairstyling services shall include instruction regarding the provision of services to individuals with all hair types and textures, including, but not limited to, various curl or wave patterns, hair strand thicknesses, and volumes of hair. (5) One hundred fifty hours in skin care services, which includes chemical and manual facials and massaging, stimulating, exfoliating, cleansing, or beautifying the face, scalp, neck, or body by the use of hands, esthetic devices, cosmetic products, antiseptics, lotions, tonics, or creams that do not result in the ablation or destruction of the live tissue. (6) Fifty hours in hair removal and lash and brow beautification, which includes tinting and perming eyelashes and brows and applying eyelashes to any person, and includes removing superfluous hair from the body of any person by use of depilatories, tweezers, sugaring, nonprescription chemicals, or waxing, or by the use of devices and appliances of any kind or description, except by the use of lasers or light waves, which are commonly known as rays. (7) One hundred hours in manicure and pedicure, which includes water and oil manicures, hand and arm massage, foot and ankle massage, nail analysis, and artificial nail services, including, but not limited to, acrylic, liquid and powder brush-ons, dip, tips, wraps, and repairs.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7363. Section 7363.

(a) A course in hairstyling established by a school shall consist of not less than 600 hours of practical and technical instruction. (b) The curriculum for a hairstyling course shall include, at a minimum, technical and practical instruction in the following areas: (1) One hundred hours in health and safety, which includes hazardous substances, chemical safety, safety data sheets, protection from hazardous chemicals, preventing chemical injuries, health and safety laws and regulations, and preventing communicable diseases. (2) One hundred hours in disinfection and sanitation, which includes disinfection procedures to protect the health and safety of consumers as well as the technician and proper disinfection procedures for equipment used in establishments. (3) (A) Two hundred hours in hairstyling services, which includes arranging, blow drying, cleansing, curling, dressing, hair analysis, shampooing, waving, and nonchemical straightening, and hair cutting including the use of shears, razors, electrical clippers and trimmers, and thinning shears, for wet and dry cutting. (B) Instruction in hairstyling services shall include instruction regarding the provision of services to individuals with all hair types and textures, including, but not limited to, various curl or wave patterns, hair strand thicknesses, and volumes of hair.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7364. Section 7364.

(a) A course in skin care course established by a school shall consist of not less than 600 hours of practical and technical instruction. (b) The curriculum for a skin care course shall, at a minimum, include technical and practical instruction in the following areas: (1) One hundred hours in health and safety, which includes hazardous substances, chemical safety, safety data sheets, protection from hazardous chemicals, preventing chemical injuries, health and safety laws and regulations, and preventing communicable diseases. (2) One hundred hours in disinfection and sanitation, which includes disinfection procedures to protect the health and safety of consumers as well as the technician and proper disinfection procedures for equipment used in establishments. (3) Three hundred fifty hours in skin care, which includes chemical and manual facials and massaging, stimulating, exfoliating, cleansing, or beautifying the face, scalp, neck, or body by the use of hands, esthetic devices, cosmetic products, antiseptics, lotions, tonics, or creams that do not result in the ablation or destruction of the live tissue. (4) Fifty hours in hair removal and lash and brow beautification, which includes tinting and perming eyelashes and brows and applying eyelashes to any person and includes removing superfluous hair from the body of any person by use of depilatories, tweezers, sugaring, nonprescription chemicals, or waxing, or by the use of devices and appliances of any kind or description, except by the use of lasers or light waves, which are commonly known as rays.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7365. Section 7365.

(a) A nail care course established by a school shall consist of not less than 400 hours of practical and technical instruction. (b) The curriculum for a nail care course shall, at a minimum, include the technical and practical instruction in the following areas: (1) One hundred hours in health and safety, which includes hazardous substances, chemical safety, safety data sheets, protection from hazardous chemicals, preventing chemical injuries, health and safety laws and regulations, and preventing communicable diseases. (2) One hundred hours in disinfection and sanitation, which includes disinfection procedures to protect the health and safety of consumers as well as the technician and proper disinfection procedures for equipment used in establishments. (3) One hundred fifty hours in manicure and pedicure, which includes water and oil manicures, hand and arm massage, complete pedicures, foot and ankle massage, nail analysis, nail repairs, and application of artificial nails, liquid, gel, powder brush-ons, dip, nail tips, and wraps.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7366. Section 7366.

(a) A course in electrolysis established by a school shall consist of not less than 600 hours of practical and technical instruction in the practice of electrology. (b) The curriculum for an electrolysis course shall consist of technical and practical instruction in the following areas: (1) One hundred hours in health and safety, which includes hazardous substances, chemical safety, safety data sheets, protection from hazardous chemicals, preventing chemical injuries, health and safety laws and regulations, and preventing communicable diseases. (2) One hundred hours in disinfection and sanitation, including disinfection procedures to protect the health and safety of consumers and the technician and proper disinfection procedures for equipment used in establishments. (3) Four hundred hours in electrolysis, thermolysis, blend or dual modality, and electricity. (A) The subject of electrolysis shall include the study of epilation using single- and multiple-needle insertion techniques, the use of galvanic current, skin reactions and anaphoresis and cataphoresis, and evaluating a client’s health history for compatibility with electrolysis treatments. (B) The subject of thermolysis shall include the study of epilation using automatic and manual thermolysis equipment, insertion techniques, the use of high frequency current in both high and low intensities, skin reactions, and evaluating a client’s health history for compatibility with thermolysis treatments. (C) The subject of blend or dual modality shall include the study of epilation using a combination of high frequency and galvanic currents, insertion techniques, skin reactions and anaphoresis and cataphoresis, and evaluating a client’s health history for compatibility with Blend/Dual Modality treatments. (D) The subject of electricity shall include the nature of electrical current, principles of operating electrical devices, various safety precautions to be applied when operating electrical equipment, and proper maintenance of equipment.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7367. Section 7367.

For students who change from one program of instruction to another, the board shall grant credit for training obtained in one course that is identical to training required in another course.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7368. Section 7368.

No school shall advertise barbering, cosmetology or electrolysis services to the public through any medium unless those services are expressly designated as student work.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7389. Section 7389.

(a) The board shall develop or adopt a health and safety course on hazardous substances, basic labor laws, as specified in Section 7314.3, and physical and sexual assault awareness, as specified in Section 7314.3, which shall be taught in schools approved by the board. Course development shall include pilot testing of the course and training classes to prepare instructors to effectively use the course. (b) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2019.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7389.5. Section 7389.5.

A course of training in barbering, cosmetology, or hairstyling established by federal or state correctional institutions in California may qualify a person thereby trained to take the examination for licensure as a barber, cosmetologist, or hairstylist, provided the course complies with all applicable provisions of this act and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7395.1. Section 7395.1.

(a) A student who is enrolled in an approved course of instruction in a school of cosmetology approved by the board pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 7362 may, upon completion of a minimum of 25 percent of the clock hours required for graduation in the course, work as an extern in an establishment participating in the educational program of the school. (b) A person working as an extern shall receive clock hour credit toward graduation, but that credit shall not exceed 25 hours per week and shall not exceed 25 percent of the total clock hours required for completion of the course. (c) The externship program shall be conducted in an establishment meeting all of the following criteria: (1) The establishment is licensed by the board. (2) The establishment has a minimum of four licensees working at the establishment, including employees and owners or managers. (3) All licensees at the establishment are in good standing with the board. (4) Licensees working at the establishment work for salaries or commissions rather than on a space rental basis. (5) No more than one extern shall work in an establishment for every four licensees working in the establishment. A regularly employed licensee shall not be displaced or have the licensee’s work hours reduced or altered to accommodate the placement of an extern in an establishment. Prior to placement of the extern, the establishment shall agree, in writing sent to the school and to all affected licensees, that no reduction or alteration of any licensee’s current work schedule shall occur. This shall not prevent a licensee from voluntarily reducing or altering the licensee’s work schedule. (6) Externs shall wear conspicuous school identification at all times while working in the establishment, and shall carry a school laminated identification, that includes a picture, in a form approved by the board. (d) (1) No less than 90 percent of the responsibilities and duties of the extern shall consist of the acts included within the practice of cosmetology as defined in Section 7316. (2) The establishment shall consult with the assigning school regarding the extern’s progress during the externship. The owner or manager of the establishment shall monitor and report on the student’s progress to the school on a regular basis, with assistance from supervising licensees. (3) A participating school shall assess the extern’s learning outcome from the externship program. The school shall maintain accurate records of the extern’s educational experience in the externship program and records that indicate how the extern’s learning outcome translates into course credit. (e) Participation in an externship program made available by a school shall be voluntary, may be terminated by the student at any time, and shall not be a prerequisite for graduation. (f) The establishment that chooses to utilize the extern is liable for the extern’s general liability insurance, as well as cosmetology malpractice liability insurance, and shall furnish proof to the participating school that the establishment is covered by both forms of liability insurance and that the extern is covered under that insurance. (g) (1) It is the purpose of the externship program authorized by this section to provide students with skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to acquire employment in the field for which they are being trained, and to extend formalized classroom instruction. (2) Instruction shall be based on skills, knowledge, attitudes, and performance levels in the area of cosmetology for which the instruction is conducted. (3) An extern may perform only acts listed within the definition of the practice of cosmetology as provided in Section 7316, if a licensee directly supervises those acts, except that an extern may not use or apply chemical treatments unless the extern has received appropriate training in application of those treatments from an approved cosmetology school. An extern may work on a paying client only in an assisting capacity and only with the direct and immediate supervision of a licensee. (4) The extern shall not perform any work in a manner that would violate the law.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7395.2. Section 7395.2.

(a) A student who is enrolled in an approved course of instruction in a school of barbering approved by the board pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 7362 may, upon completion of a minimum of 25 percent of the clock hours required for graduation in the course, work as an extern in an establishment participating in the educational program of the school. (b) A person working as an extern shall receive clock hour credit toward graduation, but that credit shall not exceed 25 hours per week and shall not exceed 25 percent of the total clock hours required for completion of the course. (c) The externship program shall be conducted in an establishment meeting all of the following criteria: (1) The establishment is licensed by the board. (2) The establishment has a minimum of four licensees working at the establishment, including employees and owners or managers. (3) All licensees at the establishment are in good standing with the board. (4) Licensees working at the establishment work for salaries or commissions rather than on a space rental basis. (5) No more than one extern shall work in an establishment for every four licensees working in the establishment. A regularly employed licensee shall not be displaced or have the licensee’s work hours reduced or altered to accommodate the placement of an extern in an establishment. Prior to placement of the extern, the establishment shall agree, in writing sent to the school and to all affected licensees, that no reduction or alteration of any licensee’s current work schedule shall occur. This shall not prevent a licensee from voluntarily reducing or altering the licensee’s work schedule. (6) Externs shall wear conspicuous school identification at all times while working in the establishment, and shall carry a school laminated identification, that includes a picture, in a form approved by the board. (d) (1) No less than 90 percent of the responsibilities and duties of the extern shall consist of the acts included within the practice of barbering as defined in Section 7316. (2) The establishment shall consult with the assigning school regarding the extern’s progress during the externship. The owner or manager of the establishment shall monitor and report on the student’s progress to the school on a regular basis, with assistance from supervising licensees. (3) A participating school shall assess the extern’s learning outcome from the externship program. The school shall maintain accurate records of the extern’s educational experience in the externship program and records that indicate how the extern’s learning outcome translates into course credit. (e) Participation in an externship program made available by a school shall be voluntary, may be terminated by the student at any time, and shall not be a prerequisite for graduation. (f) The establishment that chooses to utilize the extern is liable for the extern’s general liability insurance, as well as barbering malpractice liability insurance, and shall furnish proof to the participating school that the establishment is covered by both forms of liability insurance and that the extern is covered under that insurance. (g) (1) It is the purpose of the externship program authorized by this section to provide students with skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to acquire employment in the field for which they are being trained, and to extend formalized classroom instruction. (2) Instruction shall be based on skills, knowledge, attitudes, and performance levels in the area of barbering for which the instruction is conducted. (3) An extern may perform only acts listed within the definition of the practice of barbering as provided in Section 7316, if a licensee directly supervises those acts, except that an extern may not use or apply chemical treatments unless the extern has received appropriate training in application of those treatments from an approved barbering school. An extern may work on a paying client only in an assisting capacity and only with the direct and immediate supervision of a licensee. (4) The extern shall not perform any work in a manner that would violate the law.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026