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

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Louisiana’s path to a barber license looks a lot like it did decades ago, and that’s part of what makes it unusual. You need 1,500 hours at an approved barber college, and you can’t start until you have a high school diploma or the equivalent. Then you pass a board-run exam that includes a three-hour practical on three live models, plus written and oral tests. Most full-time students take 11 to 13 months, and an all-day exam kit starts with a cordless clipper like the Wahl 5 Star Magic Clip Cordless.

Who licenses barbers in Louisiana

The Louisiana State Board of Barber Examiners was created in 1928 and sits under the Louisiana Workforce Commission. We couldn’t find a board website, and the state’s boards directory lists only a mailing address (4626 Jamestown Ave, Suite 1, Baton Rouge) and a phone number, 225-925-1701 (state boards listing). That means the state law, Title 37, Chapter 5 of the Revised Statutes, and the board’s administrative rules are the best written sources. They’re what this guide is built on. Where the rules (last fully republished in 1991) and the statute disagree, we follow the statute. For anything time-sensitive, call the board.

Louisiana’s license is a “certificate of registration” as a registered barber.

Three routes to the exam

Under R.S. 37:354, you can qualify to sit the barber exam in one of three ways:

• Barber college: complete a course and get a certificate of graduation from a barber college approved by the board.
• Cosmetology license: hold a current Louisiana cosmetology license.
• Apprenticeship: complete the Barber Apprenticeship Program registered with the Apprenticeship Council of Louisiana Works.

The college course must be at least 1,500 hours, with no more than eight hours in any one working day (R.S. 37:361). The statute’s wording also mentions finishing “within nine months.” In practice, Louisiana schools report average completion times of 11 to 13 months on College Navigator, so plan for about a year full-time. At eight hours a day, five days a week, 1,500 hours is about 37 weeks.

The cosmetology route is generous. A current Louisiana cosmetology license lets you sit the barber exam without extra barber-school hours. Some schools still offer cosmetology-to-barber courses for skills like shaving and tapers. Setting the Standard in Shreveport, for example, lists one.

The apprenticeship is real but less documented. The board sets no hour figure we could find, and programs are registered with the Louisiana Workforce Commission. One registered program’s handbook (a sponsor’s document, not the board’s) sets a term of at least two years and at most two and a half. It allows one apprentice per licensed barber and no more than three per shop, and applicants must be at least 17 with a 12th-grade education or equivalent. An apprenticeship certificate costs $50 a year under the fee statute. If you go this way, get the program’s terms in writing.

Age and education

You must be at least 18 to be licensed (R.S. 37:354). Barber colleges can admit students from 16 (R.S. 37:358). A 2024 amendment (Acts 2024, No. 140) also lets high school freshmen enroll in a board-approved barber college run inside a state high school.

Unlike most states, Louisiana requires a high school diploma or its equivalent to get into barber college at all (R.S. 37:361). Bring your diploma or GED to enrollment.

The board exam: three live models

Louisiana’s board runs its own exam, holding one every three months. By law it includes “both a practical demonstration and a written and oral test” (R.S. 37:366). The board’s rules (LAC Title 46, Part VII) describe one of the most demanding practicals in the country:

• Three live models: two men and one woman. You give one man a taper cut, and the other man and the woman a cut and style.
• Full service: be ready for shaves, massages and perm rod wraps, too.
• A long day: the rules tell you to “be prepared for an all day examination.” The practical runs three hours, and the written portion one hour.
• Bring everything: all your own tools, supplies, towels and other materials.

Scoring is weighted: the practical and oral parts count for 60%, and the written part for 40%. You need an average of at least 70%, with no part under 60%. If you fail, you can retest at the next quarterly exam.

Finding three reliable models for a full day is the hardest logistical part of licensing in Louisiana. Line them up early, and have a backup.

Fees

Louisiana’s fees are set in statute (R.S. 37:375):

• Exam: $40 for an in-state applicant and $80 for an out-of-state or foreign applicant. The initial exam fee is waived for graduates of a Louisiana barber college who hold a registered-student certificate. Retakes cost the same as the first exam.
• Renewal: $50 a year, rising to $60 if you renew late but before April 1, and $110 on or after April 1.
• Apprenticeship certificate: $50 a year.
• Instructor certificate: $70.

The statute doesn’t list a separate initial license fee, and the 1991 rules list an older figure, so check with the board on what’s charged when your first license is issued.

Annual renewal

Louisiana renews barber licenses every year, not every two years. Every certificate expires at midnight on January 31 and must be renewed on or before that date (R.S. 37:371). A license expired less than five years can be restored, but after five years you have to qualify again. You’ll also need new photos every five years. We found no continuing education requirement for barbers in the statute or the rules. Check with the board in case that changes.

Licensed in another state?

Under R.S. 37:369, you can be licensed without another exam if your state’s requirements are “equivalent to or exceed” Louisiana’s and your state offers Louisiana barbers the same deal. The rules list a reciprocity fee of $100 plus the license fee. Otherwise, you can take the exam ($80) if you’re at least 17, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and were practicing as a licensed barber in another state immediately before applying. Anyone holding a valid barber license from another US state or a foreign country can get a temporary permit to work until the exam.

What barbers earn in Louisiana

BLS’s May 2025 survey reported a Louisiana median of $21.36 an hour, or $44,430 a year, and a mean of $42,270 (BLS OEWS 39-5011, May 2025). The sample is tiny, about 40 payroll barbers statewide, so treat these numbers loosely. Most Louisiana barbers work on commission, rent chairs or own shops, and the survey doesn’t count them.

Louisiana barber schools

Here’s Setting the Standard from our research list, plus four Title IV schools we checked. Our guide to the best barber schools explains what to compare.

Setting the Standard Barbering & Natural Hair Academy (Shreveport)

Setting the Standard, at 711 Texas St in downtown Shreveport, has been open since 2014. It offers a 1,500-hour barbering program, a cosmetology-to-barber crossover (its page lists both 500 and 600 hours, so confirm which) and a 700-hour instructor program. The barbering program is listed at about $16,700 in total: about $13,500 tuition plus fees, kit and books. Day classes run Tuesday to Saturday, 8 to 4, and evening classes Tuesday to Thursday, 5 to 9, with starts in January, April, July and October. The site says financial aid is available, but the school didn’t appear on College Navigator when we checked, so ask whether federal Title IV aid applies (course overview, checked Oct 2026).

Setting the Standard rates 4.5 on Google (23 reviews, Oct 2026). Clients mention natural-hair services such as locs, silk presses and deep conditioning alongside cuts, and describe a calm, clean shop where staff step in to finish services.

“A young man gave me a wash and deep conditioner. He was very kind and cared for my hair and the experience.”

— Google reviewer, about Dec 2025

“Great job the students do on your hair”

— Donna S., Google reviewer, about Apr 2026

Other Louisiana barber schools with federal aid

School	1,500-hr program	2024–25 tuition and fees
Bos-Man’s Barber College (Shreveport)	avg 13 months; day or night	about $18,800 (+ about $2,000 books)
Park Place Premier Barber School (New Orleans)	avg 11 months	about $17,900 (+ about $800 books)
Celebrity Barber School (Monroe)	avg 13 months	about $18,700 (+ about $2,500 books)
Delgado Community College (New Orleans, public)	1,500 clock hours; fall and spring starts	not published on program page

Sources: College Navigator for Bos-Man’s, Park Place and Celebrity; Bos-Man’s courses page for its day (Monday to Friday, 9 to 5) and night (Monday to Friday, 5 to 9) classes; and Delgado’s Barber-Stylist page, which describes a limited-admission program. All checked Oct 2026. Delgado is the public option, so ask about its cost per credit. Our barber school near me guide lists questions for tours.

Barber school kit: what students need

Louisiana’s practical asks more of your kit than most: three live models, a taper, two cut-and-styles, and possible shaves, massages and perm wraps. And the rules say you bring all of your own tools, supplies and towels. Build your kit around that day.

For the taper, a cordless clipper keeps you moving between models without a cord in the way. The Wahl 5 Star Magic Clip Cordless is a common choice, and the Wahl 5 Star Cordless Senior adds power for bulk removal.

For outlines on all three models, the cordless Wahl 5 Star Cordless Detailer gives you crisp edges, and the Andis T-Outliner (04780) is a cheap backup.

Cut-and-style work needs even moisture and clean scissor lines. A BeautifyBeauties Continuous Spray Bottle and a pair of Equinox Razor Edge 6.5-inch shears cover both.

Keep each model comfortable with a Barber Strong The Barber Cape and a Diane Neck Duster Brush between steps.

Pack Barbicide Disinfectant Concentrate (16 oz) for your combs.

Buy the razor, towels and perm rods from your school’s list. Prices above are recent Amazon ranges and change often. Our essential barber tools guide covers the basics in more depth.

FAQ

How many hours do you need to be a barber in Louisiana?
1,500 hours at a board-approved barber college, with no more than eight hours a day. Licensed Louisiana cosmetologists can sit the barber exam without extra barber hours.

How long does barber school take in Louisiana?
About 11 to 13 months full-time, according to College Navigator averages for Louisiana schools. Part-time can take 15 to 20 months, according to Bos-Man’s Barber College’s handbook.

How much does barber school cost in Louisiana?
Private Title IV schools reported about $17,900 to $18,800 in 2024–25 tuition and fees, before books. Setting the Standard lists about $16,700 total. The exam fee is $40, and it’s waived for Louisiana graduates.

What is on the Louisiana barber exam?
A three-hour practical on three live models (a taper and two cut-and-styles, plus possible shaves, massages and perm wraps), a one-hour written test and an oral test. You need a 70% average with at least 60% on each part.

Can I become a barber in Louisiana with a cosmetology license?
Yes. A current Louisiana cosmetology license is one of the three routes to the barber exam.

How often do Louisiana barbers renew?
Every year, by January 31. Renewal is $50, and late fees apply after that date.

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.