How to Become a Barber in California: Hours, Cost & Schools

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If you want to know how to become a barber in California, the short version is better news than it used to be: since January 1, 2022 the state requires 1,000 hours of training instead of 1,500, and there’s no longer a practical exam, only a written test run by PSI. Full-time students can be licensed in about eight to ten months, and the first kit upgrade most make is a cordless clipper like the Wahl 5 Star Cordless Senior. Below: every step from the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, costs, the apprenticeship option, pay data and two schools.

What changed in 2022

California rewrote its barbering rules with Senate Bill 803, which took effect on January 1, 2022. According to the Board’s SB 803 Q&A, the law:

• cut the barbering program to 1,000 hours, from 1,500;
• removed the practical exam, which also ended the old pre-application step;
• allowed a streamlined endorsement process for people licensed in another state;
• required apprentices to take the Board’s pre-apprentice training before they start.

One detail is easy to miss: schools may still run longer programs. A school that kept a 1,500-hour barbering course has to clearly disclose to students that the extra hours are not required for a license. If one school quotes you 1,000 hours and another quotes 1,500, ask the second school why, because those extra 500 hours usually mean more tuition and more months before you can work.

Route 1: barber school (1,000 hours)

Most people train at a school approved by the Board (and, for private schools, by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education). Any school you consider should hold both approvals. The 1,000 hours cover haircutting, shaving, chemical services and the health and safety content the written exam tests. At 35 hours a week, a common full-time schedule, that’s about seven months of class. Part-time and evening tracks often run 25 hours a week, which works out to about ten months.

When you apply for the exam, you state whether you qualify as a California student or apprentice, or as someone previously licensed in California, and you attach your proof of training. You must be at least 17 and have completed the 10th grade or its equivalent, according to the Board’s barber application.

Route 2: the 3,200-hour apprenticeship

California is one of the few big states with a real alternative to school. On the Board’s apprenticeship page, apprentices must complete at least 3,200 hours of on-the-job training over two years. They work at least 32 and no more than 42½ hours a week, plus at least 220 hours of related classroom training from their program sponsor.

You start by joining an approved apprenticeship program (the Board lists them) and completing the Board’s online pre-apprentice training class, which covers health, safety, sanitation and regulations. You may have to find your own trainer and shop. The trainer has to hold a valid barber license, the shop needs a valid establishment license, and neither can have outstanding fines, probation, or disciplinary action in the last two years. School hours do not transfer into an apprenticeship, so pick one route and stick with it.

The trade-off is simple. An apprenticeship takes longer, about two years against seven to ten months, but you earn while you learn and skip most of the tuition bill. School is faster, but it costs money up front.

The written exam

Since 2022, California candidates only need to pass the written exam to become licensed. Once the Board approves your application, PSI sends you a candidate handbook and you book the test at a PSI location and time of your choice. The barber exam has 85 scored questions plus 10 unscored pretest questions, and you get 120 minutes. It’s offered in English, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese and Simplified Chinese (Board applicant page). If you can’t read English at a 10th-grade level and your language isn’t offered, you can ask to use an interpreter.

The test is PSI’s national exam, reviewed for use in California by the Department of Consumer Affairs. The candidate bulletin linked from the Board’s site includes the content outline and the reference books the questions come from. Study from those, not from random app quizzes.

Fees, renewal and continuing education

The Barber Application for Examination and Initial License costs $125, and it’s non-refundable. That one fee covers both the exam application and your first license. Some applicants qualify for expedited processing, including refugees, asylees and military spouses; the application lists the criteria.

A California barber license lasts two years, and the renewal fee is $50. California has no continuing education requirement: the Board’s FAQ says it “does not require continuing education credits to maintain a license”. That makes California one of the cheaper states to stay licensed in, but it also means keeping your skills current is entirely up to you.

Licensed in another state?

SB 803 made endorsement easier. Under Business and Professions Code 7331, as summarized in the Board’s reciprocity instructions, the Board grants a license if you submit a completed application and fees, plus proof of a current license from another state that is in good standing and not revoked, suspended or restricted. You can apply online through BreEZe, and the Board asks you to allow up to four weeks for processing. After approval, your file goes to PSI and you pick up your license at a PSI center with your photo ID. If you trained in another state but never got licensed there, the route is different: you file the Initial Exam Application with an Out of State Applicant School Training form (Form B), and the Board decides whether your hours qualify or you need more (it does not accept apprentice hours).

What barbers earn in California

According to the May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, California’s roughly 1,390 payroll barbers earned a median of $18.45 an hour, or $38,380 a year, and an average of $47,720 a year (BLS OEWS 39-5011, May 2025). The survey doesn’t cover self-employed barbers or many booth renters, who make up a big part of the trade in Los Angeles and the Bay Area. So the true range is wider, especially for barbers with a loyal clientele.

Cost of living matters too. A Bay Area chair and a Central Valley chair can look very different on paper, so ask local shop owners about commission splits and booth rent before you pick where to start.

California barber schools

Two schools from our research list are in California. For a broader comparison, see our best barber schools guide.

Urban Barber College (Concord, San Jose, Modesto)

Urban Barber College runs a 1,000-clock-hour barbering program at its campuses in Concord (1809 Willow Pass Rd), San Jose and Modesto. The school lists the same total cost at all three: about $16,900, which includes about $15,000 tuition, eBooks, a roughly $1,500 tool kit and registration. It offers a full-time schedule of 35 hours a week (Monday to Friday, 9 to 5) and a part-time schedule of 25 hours a week with evening (5 to 10 pm) and weekend options. College Navigator says eligible students may receive Pell Grants and other federal aid, and the school reports NACCAS accreditation. Sources: Urban Barber College admissions and College Navigator, checked Oct 2026.

The Concord location rates 3.8 on Google (150 reviews, Oct 2026). That rating mostly reflects the student clinic. Clients praise individual student barbers and the price, but they also complain about long waits, the order of the queue, and being turned away near closing.

“Good haircut, courteous student barber, good instructor and a good deal.”

— Raymond M., Google reviewer, about May 2026

“Wait was an hour a guy walked in after me they called him in before me”

— Marcus H., Google reviewer, about Jul 2026

Precise Barber College (Los Angeles)

Precise Barber College at 5176 Santa Monica Blvd, Suite 103 in Los Angeles offers a 1,000-hour barber course. The school’s admissions page lists a total of about $10,700: $10,000 tuition plus supplies, a textbook and a $100 application fee, with $3,500 due at signing. The home page was also advertising a tuition promotion when we checked. Precise doesn’t appear on College Navigator, so don’t count on federal aid there. It offers payment arrangements and publishes state consumer disclosures. Class schedules aren’t published, so ask admissions. Source: Precise Barber College admissions, checked Oct 2026.

Precise rates 4.6 on Google (9 reviews, Oct 2026), a small sample. Clients mention low prices, friendly student barbers and instructors who step in during cuts. One complaint is that calls go to voicemail.

“Great guidance from his instructor/ Mentor.”

— Freitas T., Google reviewer, about Oct 2025

The two schools show the spread: about $10,700 with no federal aid in Los Angeles, against about $16,900 with Pell eligibility in the Bay Area. Compare the net cost after aid, not the sticker price. Our barber school near me guide lists the questions to ask on a tour.

Barber school kit: what students need

Since California dropped the practical exam, you won’t be packing a state-board kit. But the school floor is where you build speed, and your tools matter there. A cordless clipper with a real adjustable blade comes first. The Wahl 5 Star Cordless Senior is a workhorse for bulk removal and tapers. If you want a lighter, faster option for blending, the Wahl 5 Star Magic Clip Cordless is the clipper many instructors reach for.

Detail work is where clinic clients judge you. A cordless trimmer like the Wahl 5 Star Cordless Detailer gives you clean line-ups without a cord in the way, and the corded Andis T-Outliner (04780) is a cheap, sharp backup.

For finishing skin fades, the StyleCraft Absolute Zero foil shaver is an affordable foil shaver, and many students keep it in their bag as a backup even after they upgrade.

Fades get easier with a full set of guards. The Wahl Professional color-coded guards #1–#8 set is color-coded, so you can grab the right length without squinting. Spray blades between clients with Clippercide 5-in-1 spray (3-pack), which cleans, cools, lubricates and disinfects.

Finish with Equinox thinning shears for texturizing and a BeautifyBeauties Continuous Spray Bottle that mists evenly.

A Diane Neck Duster Brush keeps clients from leaving with hair down their collar, and it costs next to nothing.

Our best clippers for barber school guide compares more models side by side.

FAQ

How many hours do you need for a barber license in California?
1,000 hours at a board-approved school. That’s down from 1,500 before SB 803 took effect on January 1, 2022. The alternative is an apprenticeship of at least 3,200 on-the-job hours over two years.

Does California still have a practical barber exam?
No. SB 803 removed it. Candidates only need to pass PSI’s written exam: 85 scored questions in 120 minutes.

How much does it cost to become a barber in California?
The Board’s exam and initial license fee is $125. Tuition is most of the cost. The two schools above list totals of about $10,700 and about $16,900 (school sites, checked Oct 2026). An apprenticeship avoids most tuition.

Do California barbers need continuing education?
No. The Board doesn’t require continuing education credits. You renew every two years for $50.

Can I transfer my out-of-state barber license to California?
Usually, yes, as long as your license is current and in good standing, without revocation, suspension or restrictions. You apply for licensure by endorsement through BreEZe.

How much do barbers make in California?
The median for payroll barbers was $38,380 a year in May 2025, and the average was $47,720 (BLS). Self-employed barbers and booth renters aren’t counted, and their earnings vary widely.

Licensing rules, fees and hours can change. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Always confirm current requirements with your state barber board before you enroll or apply.