Apply for a Class A Barber License
Education and Training
Before applying for a Class A Barber license, you must complete a Class A Barber course consisting of 1,000 hours of instruction at a barbering/cosmetology school licensed in Texas.
Students enrolled in a barbering/cosmetology school licensed in Texas will be issued a student permit while in training.
Find a School
If you did not receive your training in Texas, please see the Apply for a Cosmetology or Barbering License by Equivalence page.
Examinations
You must pass both a written exam and practical exam to obtain a Class A Barber license.
Written Exam
After completing 900 of the 1,000 required hours, your school will notify TDLR of your eligibility to take the written licensing exam. Once TDLR has verified your eligibility to take the exam, our third-party vendor (PSI) will send you an email confirmation with instructions for scheduling an appointment to take the written exam.
Please see the exam information page for more information.
Practical Exam
After you have successfully completed all hours of the Class A Barber course and passed the written exam, you will be notified of your eligibility to take the practical exam.
Please see the exam information page for more information.
Application and Fee
Applying online for a new license from TDLR is easy and secure. Online applications are immediately sent to the Licensing Division for processing and don’t have to go through additional departments for sorting and payment processing.
If an online application is available, you are strongly encouraged to apply online.
Once you have passed both the written and practical exams, you may apply online.
There is a non-refundable application fee of $50.
You must be at least 17 years of age to apply for a Class A Barber license.
Class A Barber licenses are valid for two years from the date of issue.
Applying by Mail
You may also apply by mail using a printable PDF application form.
Most applicants should apply online for faster service.
Applicants with Criminal Convictions
If you have ever been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor (other than a minor traffic violation) or pleaded guilty or no contest (resulting in a deferred adjudication) to any in-state, out-of-state or federal criminal offense, you must provide a completed Criminal History Questionnaire (PDF) along with your application materials.
The department will conduct a criminal history background check on all persons who apply for a license. Criminal convictions are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Licenses may be denied based on the nature of the conviction and how long prior to the application the conviction occurred. Depending on your criminal history, a review can take from one to six weeks to complete.
Individuals may request TDLR review their criminal background before actually applying for a license. TDLR uses the same process for this pre-application evaluation as the process as a license application. See the Criminal History Evaluation Letter page for more information.
Please see the Guidelines for License Applicants with Criminal Convictions, which describe the process that TDLR uses to determine whether a criminal conviction renders an applicant an unsuitable candidate for the license, or whether a conviction warrants revocation or suspension of a license previously granted.
