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Here’s how to become a barber in North Dakota: about 1,500 hours of barber school, then a single board exam, and you walk out with a Master Barber license. There’s no apprenticeship step. The catch is the exam itself. It’s on a live model, it’s given only four times a year, and it rules out clipper guards, so you’ll need a lever-adjustable clipper like the Andis 01815 Master Adjustable Blade clipper and a straight razor. Below is everything we confirmed with the North Dakota State Board of Barber Examiners and state law.
Quick answer
- Training: 1,500–1,550 hours at a board-approved barber school (sources differ; see below)
- Exam: board-run written exam and live-model practical, held in January, April, July and October
- Requirements: 18 or older, plus high school or equivalent
- Fees: $100 exam fee; $100 Master Barber renewal each year
- Time to license: about 10 months of full-time school plus the wait for the next exam date
Barber school kit picks
- Adjustable-lever clipper (no guards): Andis 01815 Master Adjustable Blade clipper, about $90–$110 — meets the exam’s lever-clipper rule · Check Andis 01815 Master Adjustable Blade clipper Price
- Finisher clipper: Andis 04780 T-Outliner, about $55–$75 — corded T-blade · Check Andis 04780 T-Outliner Price
- Straight razor plus blades: Black Widow Professional shavette, about $20–$30 — single-edge blades · Check Black Widow Professional shavette Price
- Neck strips for the exam kit: Graham Sanek Neck Strips (12 packs), about $12–$18 — on the board’s supply list · Check Graham Sanek Neck Strips (12 packs) Price
In this guide
- Who licenses barbers in North Dakota
- How many hours? Why sources disagree
- The North Dakota barber exam, step by step
- What the board says to bring
- North Dakota barber fees
- Renewal and the new CE rule
- Moving to North Dakota with a barber license
- What changed with HB 1317
- What barbers earn in North Dakota
- Barber schools in North Dakota
- Barber school kit: what students need
- Is North Dakota a good place to get licensed?
- FAQ
Who licenses barbers in North Dakota
The North Dakota State Board of Barber Examiners licenses barbers, shops, schools and instructors from its office in Grand Forks (secretary@ndbarberboard.com, 701-610-1048). It’s a stand-alone barber board, separate from cosmetology. The main credential is the Master Barber license, and a 2025 law added restricted, temporary and retired barber licenses alongside it.
| Requirement | North Dakota rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School hours | 1,500–1,550 | NDAC 14-03-01 |
| Apprenticeship | None (repealed in 2017) | N.D.C.C. 43-04 |
| Age | 18 | N.D.C.C. 43-04-31 |
| Exam | Board-run, 4 times a year | Board licensing page |
| Pass mark | 75% (master license) | NDAC 14-03-01 |
Checked October 2026. Confirm current details with the board.
How many hours? Why sources disagree
Official sources in North Dakota don’t quite agree. The administrative rule (NDAC 14-03-01-01) requires “a minimum of one thousand five hundred fifty hours of instruction at a barber school or college approved by the board.” State law (section 43-04-24) tells schools to require at least 1,500 hours, with no more than eight in a day. The board’s FAQ and exam instructions both say 1,500. On top of that, HB 1317 (2025) added an exam-eligibility route for applicants with at least 1,100 hours of training in sanitation, safety, laws and rules, including hours at a licensed barber school.
The schools reflect the split. Moler runs 1,550 hours and Dakota Barber Academy runs 1,500. If you plan to move later, 1,550 is the safer number, and it also meets the 1,550-hour school standard in North Dakota’s own reciprocity law. Either way, confirm with the board before you enroll. We found no cosmetologist-to-barber crossover in the board’s materials.
There’s also no apprenticeship. The apprentice sections of the barber law were repealed in 2017, so school is the only way in.
The North Dakota barber exam, step by step
The board runs its own exams, with no national vendor. State law requires them “not less than four times each year,” and the 2026 dates were January 18, April 19, July 19 and October 18. Your application and fee are due at least 15 days ahead, and the board is blunt about the tone:
“The licensing exam is not a graduation ceremony.”
ND State Board of Barber Examiners, Master Barber License Exam Instruction
The written part runs two hours and mixes multiple-choice, true/false and essay questions. The practical is two hours on a live model and covers:
- A conventional graduated taper. The model needs 3 inches of hair on top and 1 inch on the sides, and you must remove at least an inch. No guards or detachable metal blades are allowed.
- A full straight-razor shave. The entire beard must come off, with no safety or foil razors.
- Facial and scalp massage, a reclined shampoo and clean-up.
“Applicants need to demonstrate all haircutting techniques: freehand, clipper-over-comb, shear-over-comb, and shear-over-finger.”
ND State Board of Barber Examiners, Master Barber License Exam Instruction
A master license needs 75% to pass. You can retake the exam as often as you need to, but the board may require more training after a third failed attempt.
What the board says to bring
The exam instructions list your supplies: adjustable lever clippers only (no guards or detachable-blade clippers), a finisher clipper, a straight razor and extra blades, shears, combs, brushes, a blow dryer, a cape and cape clip, neck strips, a hand duster, a spray water bottle, clipper oil, astringent, styling aids, styptic powder and talc. The college supplies the chair, towels, hot lather, facial cream, tonic, shampoo and conditioner. Build your school kit around this list so exam day holds no surprises.
North Dakota barber fees
| Fee | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Exam | $100 | Exam instructions |
| Master Barber renewal | $100 a year | Renewal form |
| Late renewal (after Aug 1) | +$20 | Renewal form |
| Reciprocity application | $175 | N.D.C.C. 43-04-38.1 |
| License verification to another state | $20 | Board form |
Checked October 2026. The board says the initial Master Barber license fee is separate from the exam fee; its renewal form lists Master Barber at $100. Confirm the first-license amount with the board.
Renewal and the new CE rule
North Dakota barber licenses renew every year. The board says licenses expire June 30. Under the statute, an unrenewed certificate expires on August 1, and the renewal form adds a $20 penalty after that date. Since 2026, renewal forms are no longer mailed unless you ask, so download yours from the board’s site.
The bigger change is continuing education. Starting January 2026, the board requires 6 hours of CE every two years “for all licensed barbers and instructors,” and the hours must be done before the August 1 deadline. Accepted options include supply-dealer seminars, the board’s annual state barber convention, video correspondence courses and other board-approved education. An inactive status needs no CE but limits you to 20 working days a year.
Moving to North Dakota with a barber license
North Dakota’s reciprocity law (section 43-04-38.1) is detailed. To skip the exam you must be at least 18½, have a high school diploma or equivalent, have graduated from a school requiring at least 1,550 hours (each year of later barbering experience counts as 200 hours), hold a license from a state with “substantially the same requirements,” and have practiced full time there for at least three years. The fee is $175. If you don’t meet those conditions, HB 1317 made one year of licensure in another state enough to sit the North Dakota exam. Barbers licensed abroad must pass the written and practical exams, and the board offers a military spouse waiver.
What changed with HB 1317
HB 1317, signed April 18, 2025, reshaped North Dakota’s barber law. It created three new license types:
- Restricted barber: requires passing a written exam on laws and rules, plus a board-set course or a license held elsewhere in the past five years. Restricted barbers must work in a licensed host shop and can’t own one.
- Temporary barber: lets a graduate work under a licensed barber for up to three months, until the next exam results.
- Retired barber: for barbers 65 or older, or licensed 20 years, working no more than five days a month.
It also made CE mandatory and added the 1,100-hour exam-eligibility route. The older rule saying no permits are issued before the exam conflicts with the new temporary license, so ask the board how it handles that today.
What barbers earn in North Dakota
North Dakota pays barbers well for a small state. The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ OEWS survey (May 2025) lists a median of $48,540 a year ($23.34 an hour) and a mean of $46,770 for about 80 employed barbers. That’s well above the national median of $38,210. As with all OEWS figures, self-employed barbers and booth renters aren’t counted, and with a sample this small, a few shops can move the numbers.
Barber schools in North Dakota
The board’s school list names three schools, all in Fargo. None appeared in a College Navigator search for barbering in North Dakota, so ask each school directly about federal aid. For a wider comparison, see our best barber schools guide.
Moler Barber College of Hair Styling (Fargo)
Moler’s enrollment catalog describes a 1,550-hour barber styling course that takes about 40 weeks (10 months), with classes Monday–Friday from 8:15 to 5:30. New students start “as soon as a chair is opened up.” The catalog lists total course costs of about $13,200 with free registration, while the school’s gainful employment disclosure gives $9,000 in tuition and fees plus $1,000 in books and supplies. Ask which figure is current. The catalog also says a student who fails the state board exam must complete at least 160 more hours before retesting.
Dakota Barber Academy (Fargo)
Dakota Barber Academy’s master barber program is 1,500 clock hours. Full-time runs Monday–Friday 8 to 4 and can be finished in under 10 months; part-time runs mornings or afternoons and takes under 18 months. Its financing page lists $10,900 tuition, a $700 tool kit and a $50 application fee, for a total of about $11,700, with a $1,000 discount for paying tuition in cash. Financing is private, through Meritize or United Credit. The academy also offers a 20-hour state board refresher course.
Skill Cutz Barber College (Fargo)
Skill Cutz has trained barbers since 2017 and says it offers lending, scholarships and payment plans. Hours and tuition aren’t published on the pages we read, so call for current figures.
Visiting schools? Our barber school near me guide covers what to ask.
Barber school kit: what students need
Dakota Barber Academy charges $700 for its tool kit. Whatever your school includes, check it against the board’s exam list, because the rules on clippers and razors are strict.
An adjustable-lever clipper
The board allows “adjustable lever clippers only” for the taper, with no guards and no detachable-blade models. The Andis 01815 Master Adjustable Blade clipper fits that description, with a lever-adjustable blade and enough power for bulk work. Students who want a cordless lever clipper often choose the Wahl Professional 5 Star Magic Clip Cordless.
A finisher clipper
Your finisher handles outlines and neck cleanup after the taper. The Andis 04780 T-Outliner is the corded standard. For cordless, the Wahl Professional 5 Star Cordless Detailer is the common upgrade.
A straight razor and extra blades
The practical demands a full straight-razor shave with no safety or foil razors, and the list calls for extra blades. A Black Widow Professional shavette takes single-edge blades, so you can start the exam shave with a fresh one.
The small stuff on the list
Neck strips, a duster, a cape and a spray bottle are all on the board’s list. A pack of Graham Sanek Neck Strips (12 packs) and a BeautifyBeauties continuous spray bottle (16.9 oz) are cheap to buy now.
A Barber Strong The Barber Cape and Wahl clipper blade oil (4 oz) complete the list. Our barber starter kit guide has more budget picks.
Is North Dakota a good place to get licensed?
If you can handle a demanding live-model exam, yes. North Dakota has one license step, published total costs from about $11,700 to $13,200 at the Fargo schools, and wages above the national median. The trade-offs are the four-times-a-year exam calendar and the new CE requirement. Time your graduation to an exam date, and practice guard-free tapers and full razor shaves on real people early. A lever clipper like the Andis 01815 Master Adjustable Blade clipper and a blade-loading Black Widow Professional shavette cover the two skills examiners care about most.
FAQ
How many hours is barber school in North Dakota? At least 1,500 under state law, and 1,550 under the administrative rule. Schools run 1,500 (Dakota Barber Academy) or 1,550 (Moler). A 2025 law added an 1,100-hour exam-eligibility route, so confirm with the board.
Does North Dakota have barber apprenticeships? No. The apprentice sections of the barber law were repealed in 2017. A 2025 temporary license lets new graduates work under a licensed barber for up to three months while they wait for exam results.
When is the North Dakota barber exam? Four times a year. The 2026 dates were January 18, April 19, July 19 and October 18, and applications are due at least 15 days before each.
Can you use clipper guards on the North Dakota barber exam? No. The board allows only adjustable lever clippers, with no plastic guards or detachable metal blades, and you must show freehand, clipper-over-comb, shear-over-comb and shear-over-finger work.
Do North Dakota barbers need continuing education? Yes, as of January 2026: 6 hours every two years, completed before the August 1 renewal deadline.
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.
