Ind. Code ch. 25-8-2

Ind. Code ch. 25-8-2
in effect

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-1 Definitions applicable to article

Sec. 1. The definitions in this chapter apply throughout this article. As added by P.L.257-1987, SEC.1.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-2 "Agency"

Sec. 2. "Agency" refers to the Indiana professional licensing agency established by IC 25-1-5-3. As added by P.L.257-1987, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.1-2006, SEC.424.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-2.1 "Barber"

Sec. 2.1. "Barber" means a person licensed under IC 25-8-12.1. As added by P.L.84-2010, SEC.21.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-2.4 "Beauty culture salon"

Sec. 2.4. "Beauty culture salon" means an establishment licensed under IC 25-8-7 that offers beauty culture to the public. As added by P.L.84-2010, SEC.24. Amended by P.L.170-2013, SEC.4.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-2.6 "Beauty culture professional"

Sec. 2.6. "Beauty culture professional" refers to the following: (1) A cosmetologist licensed under IC 25-8-9. (2) An electrologist licensed under IC 25-8-10. (3) A manicurist licensed under IC 25-8-11. (4) An esthetician licensed under IC 25-8-12.5. (5) An instructor licensed under IC 25-8-6. (6) A beauty culturist licensed under IC 25-8-12.1. As added by P.L.78-2008, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.84-2010, SEC.26; P.L.170-2013, SEC.5.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-2.7 "Barbering"

Sec. 2.7. (a) "Barbering" means performing one (1) or more of the following practices upon the head, face, or neck of a person: (1) Cutting, trimming, styling, arranging, dressing, curling, permanent waving, cleansing, bleaching, tinting, coloring, or similarly treating hair. (2) Shaving or trimming beards and mustaches, including the use of a straight razor. (3) Applying oils, creams, antiseptics, clays, powders, lotions, or other preparations, either by hand or by mechanical appliances, in the performance of facial or scalp massage. (b) "Barbering" does not include performing the act of natural hair braiding or any of the acts described in subsection (a) when done: (1) in treating illness or disease; (2) as a student in a beauty culture school; or (3) without compensation. As added by P.L.84-2010, SEC.25. Amended by P.L.170-2013, SEC.6; P.L.158-2016, SEC.1; P.L.189-2017, SEC.2.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-3 "Board"

Sec. 3. "Board" refers to the state board of cosmetology and barber examiners. As added by P.L.257-1987, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.84-2010, SEC.27.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-3.5 Repealed

As added by P.L.239-1995, SEC.2. Repealed by P.L.78-2008, SEC.7; P.L.105-2008, SEC.67.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-4 "Cosmetologist"

Sec. 4. "Cosmetologist" means a person licensed under IC 25-8-9 to provide cosmetology. As added by P.L.257-1987, SEC.1.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-5 "Cosmetology"

Sec. 5. (a) "Cosmetology" means performing any of the following acts on the head, face, neck, shoulders, torso, arms, hands, legs, or feet of a person: (1) Cutting, trimming, styling, arranging, dressing, curling, waving, permanent waving, cleansing, bleaching, tinting, coloring, or similarly treating hair. (2) Applying oils, creams, antiseptics, clays, lotions, or other preparations to massage, cleanse, stimulate, manipulate, exercise, or beautify. (3) Arching eyebrows. (4) Removing superfluous hair from the body by the use of depilatories, waxing, or tweezers. (5) Manicuring and pedicuring. (6) Shaving or trimming beards and mustaches. (7) Giving facials, applying makeup, and giving skin care. (b) "Cosmetology" does not include performing any of the acts described in subsection (a): (1) in treating illness or disease; (2) as a student in a beauty culture school that complies with the notice requirements set forth in IC 25-8-5-6; (3) in performing shampooing operations; or (4) without compensation. (c) "Cosmetology" does not include performing the following: (1) The act of threading. (2) The act of natural hair braiding. As added by P.L.257-1987, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.5-1988, SEC.135; P.L.236-1995, SEC.3; P.L.157-2006, SEC.35; P.L.78-2008, SEC.3; P.L.170-2013, SEC.7; P.L.158-2016, SEC.2; P.L.189-2017, SEC.3.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-5.5 Repealed

As added by P.L.239-1995, SEC.3. Amended by P.L.157-2006, SEC.36. Repealed by P.L.78-2008, SEC.7.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-7 "Beauty culture school"

Sec. 7. "Beauty culture school" means an establishment licensed under this article that offers training in beauty culture. As added by P.L.257-1987, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.236-1995, SEC.4; P.L.170-2013, SEC.9.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-8 "Electrolysis"

Sec. 8. "Electrolysis" means the removal of unwanted hair by an electrified needle. As added by P.L.257-1987, SEC.1.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-9 "Electrologist"

Sec. 9. "Electrologist" means a person licensed under IC 25-8-10 to provide electrolysis. As added by P.L.257-1987, SEC.1.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-9.5 "Esthetician"

Sec. 9.5. (a) "Esthetician" means a person who engages solely in one (1) or more of the following practices: (1) Giving facials, applying makeup, and giving skin care. (2) Beautifying, massaging, or cleaning the body with the use of cosmetic preparations, antiseptics, tonics, lotions, or creams. (3) Removing superfluous hair from the body by the use of depilatories, waxing, or tweezers. (4) Performing any: (A) eyelash: (i) lift; or (ii) tinting; (B) eyebrow: (i) lamination; or (ii) tinting; or (C) microneedling (as defined in section 14.7 of this chapter). (b) The term does not include performing any of the acts described in subsection (a): (1) in treating an illness or a disease; (2) as a student in a beauty culture school that complies with the notice requirements under IC 25-8-5-6; (3) without compensation; or (4) incident to the retail sale of cosmetics. (c) The term does not include a person who: (1) engages in threading; (2) engages in natural hair braiding; and (3) does not engage in one (1) or more of the practices described in subsection (a). As added by P.L.144-1990, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.184-1991, SEC.2; P.L.113-1999, SEC.2; P.L.78-2008, SEC.4; P.L.170-2013, SEC.11; P.L.189-2017, SEC.4; P.L.24-2026, SEC.1.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-9.6 Repealed

As added by P.L.144-1990, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.184-1991, SEC.3. Repealed by P.L.170-2013, SEC.12.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-10 "Instructor"

Sec. 10. "Instructor" means a person licensed under IC 25-8-6 to teach in a beauty culture school. As added by P.L.257-1987, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.236-1995, SEC.5; P.L.113-1999, SEC.3; P.L.84-2010, SEC.28; P.L.170-2013, SEC.13.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-11 "License"

Sec. 11. "License" means a document issued by the agency and the board to permit a person to engage in an activity regulated under this article. As added by P.L.257-1987, SEC.1.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-12 "Licensed"

Sec. 12. "Licensed" means possessing a valid license issued under this article. As added by P.L.257-1987, SEC.1.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-13 "Manicuring"

Sec. 13. "Manicuring" means cleaning, dressing, polishing, sculpting, tipping, or wrapping the nails of a person's hand. As added by P.L.257-1987, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.158-2016, SEC.3.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-14 "Manicurist"

Sec. 14. "Manicurist" means a person licensed under IC 25-8-11 to provide manicuring. As added by P.L.257-1987, SEC.1.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-14.5 "Mechanical devices"

Sec. 14.5. "Mechanical devices" refers to the following: (1) Clips. (2) Combs. (3) Crochet hooks. (4) Hair pins. (5) Rollers. (6) Scissors. (7) Blunt-tipped needles. (8) Thread. (9) Hair binders. As added by P.L.189-2017, SEC.5.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-14.7 "Microneedling"

Sec. 14.7. "Microneedling" means a cosmetic procedure that uses fine needles to create tiny punctures in the skin at a penetration depth of at least three-tenths (0.3) of a millimeter but not greater than two (2) millimeters. As added by P.L.24-2026, SEC.2.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-15.5 "Mobile salon"

Sec. 15.5. "Mobile salon" means either of the following: (1) A self-contained facility that may be moved, towed, or transported from one (1) location to another and in which cosmetology, electrology, esthetics, barbering, or manicuring is practiced. (2) A business in which cosmetology, electrology, esthetics, barbering, or manicuring equipment is transported to and used on a temporary basis at a location other than a selected salon site, including: (A) other beauty culture salons; (B) clients' homes; and (C) nursing homes. As added by P.L.197-2007, SEC.29. Amended by P.L.170-2013, SEC.15.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-18.5 "Pedicuring"

Sec. 18.5. "Pedicuring" means cleaning, dressing, polishing, sculpting, tipping, or wrapping the nails of a person's foot. As added by P.L.158-2016, SEC.4.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-19 "Threading"

Sec. 19. "Threading" refers to: (1) a technique that results in the removal of superfluous hair from the body by twisting thread around unwanted hair and pulling it from the skin; and (2) the incidental trimming of eyebrow hair. As added by P.L.78-2008, SEC.5.

Ind. Code § 25-8-2-20 "Natural hair braiding"

Sec. 20. (a) "Natural hair braiding" means performing the act of twisting, wrapping, weaving, extending, locking, or braiding hair by hand or with mechanical devices that includes: (1) the use of natural or synthetic hair extensions, natural or synthetic hair and fibers, decorative beads, and other hair accessories; (2) minor trimming of natural hair or hair extensions incidental to twisting, wrapping, weaving, extending, locking, or braiding hair; (3) the making of wigs from natural hair, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, and hair extensions; and (4) the use of topical agents such as conditioners, gels, moisturizers, oils, pomades, and shampoos in performing the acts described in subdivisions (1) through (3). (b) Natural hair braiding does not include: (1) the application of dyes, reactive chemicals, or other preparations to alter the color of the hair or to straighten, curl, or alter the structure of the hair; or (2) the use of chemical hair joining agents such as synthetic tape, keratin, bonds, or fusion bonds. As added by P.L.189-2017, SEC.6.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://iga.in.gov/laws/2026/ic/titles/25Fetched: 10/17/2026

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