How to Become a Barber In California

Do you have a passion for the latest trends in men’s hair grooming? Do you love to socialize and want a career instead of just a job? Start your training to become a barber today! Here is what you will need to do to get a barber license in California.

1. Find a Barber Program

Finding a school is one of the most important steps in this process. The school you choose will greatly impact your education and knowledge as you go into your career. We recommend starting with a list of all the schools that have been approved by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. But then dive a little more deeply. Will that program be taught by seasoned professionals who also know about the latest and greatest in the industry? Will it teach you everything you need to know to become a professional barber, like hair cutting, coloring, and men’s grooming?

At Salon Success Academy, get the training you need. We can teach you everything you need to know from providing high-quality services to interacting with clients. In our barber training program, you can expect to learn:

• Basics of hair anatomy, physiology, and sanitation
• Hands-on instruction on the latest hair cutting, coloring, and grooming techniques
• Real-world experience practicing these techniques on clients in the student clinic
• Instructors committed to preparing you to pass the State Board exam
• Lessons about customer service and business so that you can make the most of your career

2. Finish the Class Hours for Your Licensure Exam

In California, you need 1000 class hours to qualify to take your licensure exam. You cannot enter the examination until you have completed all the required hours. 

Our barbering program is 1,500 hours and meets all California state standards for licensing. The full-time program can be completed in as little as 10 months, and the part-time program can be completed in as little as 14 months.

3. Sign Up for Your Barber Licensure Exam

It can take up to eight weeks to process the application for your exam. That’s why Salon Success Academy was instrumental years ago in creating a pre-application process for the State of California. It helps you get to the test—and work—sooner!

4. Prepare with a Mock Licensure Exam

Once have completed 1,200 instructional hours, at Salon Success Academy, we’ll administer a mock exam. You’ll get a better idea about the actual real exam and see how you do in practice. We’ll provide you with your results, along with important feedback that includes detailed notes. You’ll understand the areas you’ve mastered, and those that you need to continue to work on.

5. Take and Pass the California Barber Licensure Exam

Effective January 1, 2022, you only need to pass the written exam to get your barber license. The written portion of the exam has 85 questions that you must complete in 120 minutes. The whole exam covers all the material you learned in school, and what you’ll need to know to be a licensed barber in California. Make sure you study so you can pass the barber exam.

6. Maintain your Barber License

California doesn’t require any continued education to maintain your license. However, we always recommend it. Your education should not stop when you graduate! 

Every 2 years, you will need to pay a renewal fee – beginning in the first odd numbered year after you get your license.

Ready to get started?

At Salon Success Academy, we teach you all you need to know—and more. Like how to practice what you learn on actual clients. And what you need to know to run the business side of barbering. We also help you prepare for the exam that will license you to practice your craft in the State of California.

If you’ve always dreamed of becoming a barber, what are you waiting for? Our barbering program provides you with the basics of hair anatomy and physiology, and proper sanitation procedures for salons and barber shops. You get hands-on instruction on the latest hair cutting, coloring, and grooming techniques, along with real-world experience in our school salon. Instructors will help prepare you for the State Board exam and teach you how to make the most out of your career by providing excellent customer service after you have passed the exam.

To learn more about our programs or school, fill out this form! We can’t wait to hear from you!