How to Become a Barber in South Carolina: Hours, Exams & Schools

As an Amazon Associate, TrustedBarber earns from qualifying purchases.

Here’s how to become a barber in South Carolina in one line: 1,500 hours of barber college, two NIC exams, then a year as a licensed apprentice before you get an unrestricted license. That apprentice year is the part most people don’t see coming. South Carolina’s education bar, on the other hand, is low: a 9th-grade education is enough. Kits usually cover the basics (Barber Tech Academy’s includes a clipper, outliner and shaver), and a cordless clipper like the Wahl Professional 5 Star Magic Clip Cordless is a common upgrade. Here’s every step, checked against the South Carolina Board of Barber Examiners.

Who licenses barbers in South Carolina

The South Carolina Board of Barber Examiners sits inside the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) at 110 Centerview Drive in Columbia (803-896-4588, BoardInfo@llr.sc.gov). It’s separate from the cosmetology board and licenses Registered Barbers, Master Hair Care Specialists, apprentices, instructors, barber assistants and hair braiders.

Requirement	South Carolina rule	Source
Training	1,500 (college) / 1,540 (high school) / 1,920 (on the job)	Board licensing page
Education	9th grade or equivalent	Board licensing page
Exams	NIC theory + practical, 70%	Board exam page
Apprenticeship	12 months, 1,920 hours	S.C. Code 40-7-230
Renewal	Every 2 years, June 30 of odd years	Board renewals

Checked October 2026. Confirm with the board before applying.

Three ways to get your training hours

South Carolina gives you more training options than most states. The board’s licensing page lists three, each under the supervision of a licensed barber instructor:

• Barber college: 1,500 hours.
• High school program: 1,540 hours in a board-approved high school, career center or technical program.
• On-the-job training: 1,920 hours in a licensed barbershop under a board-licensed instructor.

You’ll need a $35 student permit before you start, which calls for proof of a 9th-grade education, a TB test and a lawful-presence form. The board says students “are only allowed two permits,” and the exam material is based on the Milady 6th and 7th editions. Two details work in your favor. You can test early: at 1,350 hours in college, 1,386 in high school or 1,728 on the job. And the board’s FAQ says “currently there’s no expiration date on barber hours,” so a break in training won’t erase your progress.

The NIC exams through Prov

South Carolina uses the national NIC barber exams, theory and practical, and you need 70% on each. They’re delivered by Prov. The board’s FAQ points candidates there, though its 2022 fee schedule still names the old vendor. Prov lists exam fees of $78 to $89 per exam, and South Carolina barber candidates take two exams. Theory can be taken at 11 test sites in the state, but practicals are given only in Columbia, Greenville and North Charleston. You’ll also pay the board a $45 exam application fee. Cancel or reschedule at least three days ahead, because a no-show forfeits the fee. We found no separate state law exam.

The apprentice year

Passing the NIC exams doesn’t give you a full license in South Carolina. It gives you an apprentice license. The board’s FAQ explains:

“Once you have passed your examinations, and are otherwise eligible, you will receive a barber apprentice license, and must be supervised by a barber or master hair care specialist for a year.”

SC Board of Barber Examiners, FAQ

State law requires twelve months and at least 1,920 hours under direct supervision. That supervisor has to be a barber, as the board’s apprentice application makes clear:

“An actively licensed cosmetologist cannot supervise a barber apprentice.”

SC Board of Barber Examiners, Barber Apprentice Application

The apprenticeship can be done in a licensed barbershop or a licensed salon, as long as your supervisor is an actively licensed Registered Barber or Master Hair Care Specialist. Apprentices can’t manage a shop. When the year is up, you pay an upgrade fee of $80 for Registered Barber or $100 for Master Hair Care Specialist.

Registered Barber vs Master Hair Care Specialist

South Carolina has two full barber licenses. The difference is chemicals: under S.C. Code 40-7-260, only a licensed Master Hair Care Specialist may use chemicals to wave, relax or straighten hair. If you plan to offer relaxers, perms or color work, train under the Master Hair Care curriculum, which the board publishes separately for schools, on-the-job training and high schools.

Licensed cosmetologists have a shortcut to Master Hair Care Specialist. Those with two or more years of experience can qualify by passing the board’s practical exam, which includes a basic tapered haircut. Cosmetologists with less than two years must also complete 375 hours of board-approved barber school, and failing a portion means 50 more training hours per failed portion before retaking it.

South Carolina barber fees

Fee	Amount	Paid to
Student or on-the-job permit	$35	Board
Exam application	$45	Board
NIC exams	$78–$89 each (2 exams)	Prov
Upgrade to Registered Barber	$80	Board
Upgrade to Master Hair Care	$100	Board
Renewal (Registered Barber)	$125 every 2 years	Board
Reciprocity license	$140	Board

Sources: board fee schedule (updated March 23, 2022), exam application (Rev. 09/2025) and Prov. Checked October 2026.

Master Hair Care renewal is $150, and reinstating a lapsed Registered Barber license costs $150.

Renewal and continuing education

Every Registered Barber and Master Hair Care license expires on June 30 of odd-numbered years. The next deadline is June 30, 2027. If yours lapses, the board says you have three years to reinstate it before you must pass the exam again. South Carolina’s barber law and regulations set no continuing-education requirement that we could find, but confirm with the board when you renew.

Moving to South Carolina with a barber license

South Carolina accepts out-of-state barbers who passed the NIC theory and practical exams, hold a 9th-grade education, met requirements similar to or higher than South Carolina’s, and were licensed and actively practicing for the preceding calendar year. Your current state sends a verification showing your exam, license status and discipline record, and the reciprocity fee is $140. Two firm limits apply: South Carolina doesn’t accept apprentice licenses, and as the FAQ puts it:

“South Carolina does not accept on-the-job training or apprentice hours from another state.”

SC Board of Barber Examiners, FAQ

If you didn’t take the NIC exams, you’ll test in South Carolina before a license is issued.

Recent changes

South Carolina’s barber hours haven’t changed recently. The board’s regulations were last amended in May 2022. What has changed is the paperwork: the exam vendor is now Prov, and the board revised its exam application (September 2025), student permit and apprentice forms (fall 2025) and upgrade form (January 12, 2026). A 2026 law (Act 146, effective May 15, 2026) updated the health department’s name in the barber statute without changing any requirements.

What barbers earn in South Carolina

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ OEWS survey (May 2025) puts South Carolina’s median barber wage at $32,900 a year ($15.82 an hour). The mean is $44,600, and the top 10% earn about $74,570 or more. That spread shows how much a full book of clients matters. The national median is $38,210. The state figures cover about 220 wage-and-salary barbers; self-employed barbers and booth renters aren’t counted.

Barber schools in South Carolina

South Carolina has many 1,500-hour barber colleges. All four below appear on College Navigator. Costs come from each school’s own pages where published. For more on choosing, see our best barber schools guide.

Barber Tech Academy (Columbia and Orangeburg)

Barber Tech’s programs page lists a 1,500-hour NACCAS-accredited program, full-time (30 hours a week) or part-time (20 hours a week), with new students starting every Tuesday. Tuition is about $18,500, and the published total cost of attendance is about $21,700, which covers books, a kit, uniforms, lab and technology fees, the student permit, registration and testing. The school says the kit includes a clipper, outliner, shaver, shears, dryer, irons and mannequins. Both campuses are on College Navigator, and the school lists Pell Grants, Direct Loans and VA benefits.

Top of the Line Barber College (Charleston)

Top of the Line publishes a detailed tuition page: about $18,500 for 1,500 hours, $800 for textbooks, $2,000 for the training kit and supplies, $500 for uniforms, $175 for testing and licensure and a $200 registration fee, for a total of about $22,200. You can pay in full, or put down a $5,000 deposit and use a payment plan. It’s on College Navigator.

Paul Mitchell The School Columbia (West Columbia)

Paul Mitchell’s Columbia campus runs a barbering program and is listed on College Navigator. Its tuition table didn’t load in our reads, so check the program page or call admissions for current hours and cost.

Personal Touch Beauty and Barber College (Kingstree)

College Navigator lists Personal Touch’s barbering program at 1,500 clock hours, with tuition and fees of about $16,500 plus about $2,000 for books and supplies (2024–25). The school’s own site lists its barber curriculum by subject.

Touring schools? Our barber school near me guide lists the questions to ask.

Barber school kit: what students need

Kits at the schools above run about $1,300 to $2,000, and Barber Tech’s includes a clipper, outliner and shaver. These are the upgrades students most often add, and the tools you’ll keep using as an apprentice.

A cordless clipper

The Wahl Professional 5 Star Magic Clip Cordless is built for fading, with a stagger-tooth blade, and it’s cordless, which helps in a busy clinic. For more bulk-removal power, the Wahl Professional 5 Star Cordless Senior is the usual step up.

An outliner

A cordless outliner such as the Wahl Professional 5 Star Cordless Detailer makes line-ups and beard work quicker. If you want to keep costs down, the corded Andis 04780 T-Outliner is the classic budget option.

A foil shaver for finishing

Skin fades and head shaves need a finishing shaver. The Andis TS-1 Pro Foil Lithium shaver is a low-cost foil shaver, and the Wahl Professional 5 Star Vanish foil shaver is a premium alternative.

Shears and sanitation

Kits include shears, but students often buy a spare pair for practice, and the Equinox Razor Edge Series barber shears are inexpensive.

For station sanitation, a pint of Barbicide Disinfectant Concentrate (16 oz) lasts a long time. Our barber starter kit guide has more picks at three budgets.

Is South Carolina a good place to start?

South Carolina is accessible: a 9th-grade education is enough, there are three training routes, and you can test early. The trade-off is the required apprentice year, so think of the full license as a two-year path. Budget about $18,500 to $22,200 all-in (tuition, books and kit) for a private barber college, and line up a barbershop where a licensed barber can supervise your apprenticeship before you graduate. A cordless clipper like the Wahl Professional 5 Star Magic Clip Cordless will carry you through both school and the apprentice year.

FAQ

How many hours do you need for a barber license in South Carolina? 1,500 hours at a barber college, 1,540 in a board-approved high school program or 1,920 hours of on-the-job training, followed by a 1,920-hour apprenticeship after the exams.

What education do you need to be a barber in South Carolina? At least a 9th-grade education or its equivalent. The apprentice license requires age 16, and the full Registered Barber license requires 17.

Who gives the South Carolina barber exam? Prov delivers the NIC theory and practical exams. Fees run $78 to $89 per exam, and practicals are held in Columbia, Greenville and North Charleston.

Can a cosmetologist become a barber in South Carolina? Yes, as a Master Hair Care Specialist. With two or more years of experience you pass a practical exam that includes a tapered haircut; with less, you also need 375 hours of barber school.

Do South Carolina barbers need continuing education? We found no CE requirement in the barber law or regulations. Licenses renew every two years on June 30 of odd years.

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.