Virginia Proposes Fee Increases and More

Legislative sessions are winding down across the country, and that means rulemaking is ramping up. In Virginia, the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology issued proposed rules that impact esthetics and related professions in the following areas:

• Fee increases
• A decrease in barber program hours
• Online curriculum

Give Your Two Cents
ASCP invites you to read on to learn more about the proposed rules and how they may affect you and your business. If you’d like to support or oppose the proposed rules, email barbercosmo@dpor.virginia.gov by June 20.

Fees
The proposed rules impact professional, instructor, school, and facility and spa licensing fees.

Professional Fees

• Application: $105 (currently $90)
• License by endorsement: $105 (currently $90)
• Barber renewal: $105 (currently $90)
• Master barber renewal: $105 (currently $90)
• Cosmetologist renewal: $105 (currently $90)
• Nail technician renewal: $105 (currently $90)
• Wax technician renewal: $105 (currently $90)
• License reinstatement: $210 (currently $180)

Instructor Fees

• Instructor application: $125 (currently $110)
• Instructor license by endorsement: $125 (currently $110)
• Instructor renewal: $125 (currently $110)
• Instructor renewal: $20 (currently $110)
• Instructor reinstatement: $40 (currently $220)

Facility and Spa Fees

• Application: $190 (currently $165)
• Renewal: $190 (currently $165)
• Reinstatement: $380 (currently $330)

School Fees

• Application: $220 (currently $185)
• Add program: $100 (no change)
• Renewal: $220 (currently $185)
• Reinstatement: $440 (currently $370)

Barbering Hours
The proposed rules would reduce the minimum number of education hours for barbering programs:

• Barber program curriculum: 750 hours (currently 1,110 hours)
• Master barber program curriculum: 250 hours (currently 400 hours)
• Dual barber/master barber program curriculum: 1,000 hours (currently 1,500 hours)

Online Curriculum and Exams
The proposed rules would allow theory portions of the curriculum to be offered online, while practical instruction must continue to be taught in a traditional classroom setting. Schools could use various technologies to enhance distance learning for students who participate in online learning—secure logins, passcodes, and other best practices must be used to protect student privacy. All technology must be capable of monitoring a student’s time, activity, and competence (for example, online quizzes and exams).

In addition to traditional classroom education, the proposed rules would allow the following programs as an alternative pathway to exam eligibility:

• A registered apprenticeship
• Training in any Virginia state institution

An applicant who does not pass a reexamination within one year of their initial examination date will be required to submit a new application.

Remember to submit comments on the proposed rules before June 20 to barbercosmo@dpor.virginia.gov.