ARTICLE 1. Administration [7301. - 7315.]

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC 1.
in effect

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7302. Section 7302.

The following definitions shall apply for purposes of this chapter: (a) “Department” means the Department of Consumer Affairs. (b) “Director” means the Director of Consumer Affairs. (c) “Board” or “bureau” means the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. (d) “Executive officer” means the executive officer of the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7303. Section 7303.

(a) Notwithstanding Article 8 (commencing with Section 9148) of Chapter 1.5 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Government Code, there is in the Department of Consumer Affairs the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology in which the administration of this chapter is vested. (b) (1) The board shall consist of 13 members. Seven members shall be public members, and six members shall represent the professions. (2) The Governor shall appoint five of the public members and the six professional members. The six professional members shall be comprised as follows: (A) A cosmetologist. (B) A barber. (C) An esthetician. (D) An electrologist. (E) A manicurist. (F) An establishment owner. (3) The Senate Committee on Rules and the Speaker of the Assembly shall each appoint one public member. (4) Members of the board shall be appointed for a term of four years, except that of the members appointed by the Governor, two of the public members and two of the professions members shall be appointed for an initial term of two years. No board member may serve longer than two consecutive terms. (5) Each member of the board shall receive a per diem pursuant to Section 103. (c) The board may appoint an executive officer who is exempt from civil service. The executive officer shall exercise the powers and perform the duties delegated by the board and vested in the executive officer by this chapter. The appointment of the executive officer is subject to the approval of the director. In the event that a newly authorized board replaces an existing or previous bureau, the director may appoint an interim executive officer for the board who shall serve temporarily until the new board appoints a permanent executive officer. (d) The executive officer shall provide examiners, inspectors, and other personnel necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter. (e) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2027, and as of that date is repealed. Notwithstanding any other law, the repeal of this section renders the board subject to review by the appropriate policy committees of the Legislature.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7303.1. Section 7303.1.

Protection of the public shall be the highest priority for the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology in exercising its licensing, regulatory, and disciplinary functions. Whenever the protection of the public is inconsistent with other interests sought to be promoted, the protection of the public shall be paramount.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7305. Section 7305.

The board shall elect officers annually from among its members, each of whom shall hold office for a term of one year. An officer shall not serve in a particular officer position for more than two terms.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7309. Section 7309.

The board shall establish a principal office, and may establish branch offices and examination facilities in the state as may be deemed necessary for the board to conduct its business.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7312. Section 7312.

(a) The board shall do all of the following: (1) Make rules and regulations in aid or furtherance of this chapter in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. (2) Conduct and administer examinations of applicants for licensure. (3) Issue licenses to those applicants that may be entitled thereto. (4) Discipline persons who have been determined to be in violation of this chapter or the regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter. (5) Adopt rules governing sanitary conditions and precautions to be employed as are reasonably necessary to protect the public health and safety in establishments, schools approved by the board, and in the practice of any profession provided for in this chapter. The rules shall be adopted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Title 2 of the Government Code, and shall be submitted to the State Department of Public Health and approved by that department prior to filing with the Secretary of State. A written copy of all those rules shall be furnished to each licensee. (6) Offer and make available all written materials provided to licensees and applicants in English, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese. (b) The amendments made to this section by the act adding this subdivision shall become operative on July 1, 2017.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7313. Section 7313.

(a) (1) To ensure compliance with the laws and regulations of this chapter, the board’s executive officer and authorized representatives shall, except as provided by Section 159.5, have access to, and shall inspect, any establishment or mobile unit during business hours or at any time in which barbering, cosmetology, or electrolysis are being performed. It is the intent of the Legislature that inspections be conducted on Saturdays and Sundays as well as weekdays, if collective bargaining agreements and civil service provisions permit. (2) The board shall maintain a program of random and targeted inspections of establishments to ensure compliance with applicable laws relating to the public health and safety and the conduct and operation of establishments. The board or its authorized representatives shall inspect establishments to reasonably determine compliance levels and to identify market conditions that require targeted enforcement. (b) To ensure compliance with health and safety requirements adopted by the board, the executive officer and authorized representatives shall, except as provided in Section 159.5, have access to, and shall inspect the premises of, all schools in which the practice of barbering, cosmetology, or electrolysis is performed on the public. Notices of violation shall be issued to schools for violations of regulations governing conditions related to the health and safety of patrons. Each notice shall specify the section violated and a timespan within which the violation must be corrected. A copy of the notice of violation shall be provided to the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education. (c) With prior written authorization from the board or its executive officer, any member of the board may enter and visit, in their capacity as a board member, any establishment, during business hours or at any time when barbering, cosmetology, or electrolysis is being performed. The visitation by a board member shall be for the purpose of conducting official board business, but shall not be used as a basis for any licensing disciplinary action by the board. (d) The board shall adopt a protocol for inspecting establishments when an inspector has difficulty understanding or communicating with the owner, manager, or employees of the establishment due to language barriers. The board shall evaluate the protocol every two years to ensure the protocol remains current.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7314. Section 7314.

(a) The board shall keep a record of its proceedings relating to its public meetings, meetings of committees, and records relating to the issuance, refusal, renewal, suspension, and revocation of licenses. (b) The board shall keep a registration record of each licensee containing the name, address, license number, and date issued. This record shall also contain any facts that the applicants may have stated in their application for examination for licensure. The board shall collect, through optional questions on a written application for a license and in an electronic application to renew a license issued pursuant to this chapter, the spoken and written language preference of each applicant. (c) The amendments made to this section by the act adding this subdivision shall become operative on July 1, 2017.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7314.3. Section 7314.3.

(a) The board shall establish a Health and Safety Advisory Committee to provide the board with advice and recommendations on health and safety issues before the board that impact licensees, including how to ensure licensees are aware of basic labor laws and how to ensure licensees have awareness about physical and sexual abuse their clients may be experiencing. (b) For purposes of this section, basic labor laws include, but are not limited to, all of the following: (1) Key differences between the legal rights, benefits, and obligations of an employee and an independent contractor. (2) Wage and hour rights of an hourly employee. (3) Antidiscrimination laws relating to the use of a particular language in the workplace. (4) Antiretaliation laws relating to a worker’s right to file complaints with the Department of Industrial Relations. (5) How to obtain more information about state and federal labor laws. (c) For purposes of this section, physical and sexual abuse includes, but is not limited to, the following: (1) Domestic violence. (2) Sexual assault. (3) Human trafficking. (4) Elder abuse. (d) Members of the committee shall receive a per diem pursuant to Section 103.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 7314.5. Section 7314.5.

(a) The board may promote awareness of physical and sexual abuse by means of mail, television, radio, motion picture, newspaper, book, Internet, or other electronic communication. (b) For purposes of this section, physical and sexual abuse includes, but is not limited to, the following: (1) Domestic violence. (2) Sexual assault. (3) Human trafficking. (4) Elder abuse.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

Starting a business in California? California LLC guide: costs and requirements