How to Become a Barber in South Dakota: Hours, Exams & Fees

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Here’s how to become a barber in South Dakota, and it’s simpler than in most states because there’s only one route: 1,500 hours at a board-approved barber school, then two exams at a 75% pass mark. There’s no apprenticeship, and the state lists only one barber school. Fees jumped in 2025, too: $225 to get licensed and $200 a year to renew. The curriculum includes 130 hours of shaving, so plan on a lot of time with a straight razor like the Feather Standard Styling Razor kit. Here’s every step, checked against the South Dakota Board of Barber Examiners and the state rules.

Who licenses barbers in South Dakota

The South Dakota Board of Barber Examiners is part of the Department of Labor and Regulation, at 217 W. Missouri Ave. in Pierre (605-773-6193, barber@state.sd.us). The office is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Central. The board has four members appointed by the governor: three barbers who have each held a South Dakota license for at least five years, and one public member. It licenses registered barbers, barber instructors, shops (including mobile shops) and schools. Cosmetology is regulated by a separate agency.

Requirement	South Dakota rule	Source
Training	1,500 hours, 9 months minimum	SDCL 36-14-13, -17
Age	18	SDCL 36-14-13
Exams	NIC theory + state practical, 75%	Board exams page
Initial license	$225 (exam included)	ARSD 20:39:05
Renewal	$200 a year by May 31	Renewal form

Checked October 2026. Confirm with the board.

The 1,500-hour requirement

State law requires you to complete “fifteen hundred hours of education or equivalent credit hours in a barber college or school approved by the board,” and schools must spread the course over at least nine months. Under ARSD 20:39:03:06, the hours break down like this:

Subject	Hours	Notes
Hair design, haircutting and styling	430	Includes scalp care, shampooing
Chemical services and hair coloring	280
Scientific fundamentals	220
Shaving (including straight razor)	130
Infection control, implements, first aid	100
Professional standards, business, state law	70
Skin sciences	70
Additional education	200

Schools teach 1,200 practical hours and 300 theory hours.

You must spend 150 hours in classrooms, demonstrations and practice before you work on a client, and schools can’t require more than eight hours a day. Up to 300 hours of theory can be done through distance learning. For credit-hour programs, one credit hour equals 30 clock hours.

Is there a barber apprenticeship?

No. South Dakota’s licensing statute lists only school education, and the old apprentice renewal-fee rule was repealed in November 2017. What the law does allow is work after graduation while you wait for the next exam:

“the board may permit a student to be employed at the barber profession from the time the student has completed schooling until the next examination”

SDCL 36-14-19

Cosmetologists and the barber license

The board is blunt on its licensing page:

“A cosmetologist is not licensed to work in a barbershop.”

SD Board of Barber Examiners, Licensing

Licensed cosmetologists, nail technicians and estheticians can get credit toward the barber course under ARSD 20:39:03:08. The maximums by subject add up to 1,130 hours, including the full 130 hours for shaving and 280 for chemical services, but the rule says credit “may be granted,” so the school and board decide how much you actually get. Even at the maximum, you’d still need about 370 hours of barber school.

Exams: NIC theory plus a state practical

According to the board’s exams page, “The required State Board examinations are the NIC (National-Interstate Council) written theory examination for Barber Styling AND the South Dakota Board of Barber Examiners Practical Examination.” You need at least 75% on each, a higher bar than the 70% many states use. Prov schedules the theory exam. Because the board’s $225 license fee includes the exam, you enter a coupon code when you register and the total drops to $0. Students enrolled in a South Dakota barber school can register for the theory exam early.

If you fail, you can retake an exam without the board’s permission. Cancel or reschedule at least three business days ahead, or you forfeit the fee and pay it again. Once your hours are done, you’ve passed the practical and the school sends your education record, the board says your license will be mailed within 48 hours. We found no published practical kit list or separate state law exam.

The biggest catch for anyone trained elsewhere:

“If you graduated from a barber school in another state, you are not eligible to take the South Dakota theory or practical examinations.”

SD Board of Barber Examiners, Examinations

South Dakota barber fees (2025 increase)

Fee	Amount	Notes
Initial license	$225	Includes exam
Annual renewal	$200	Was $75
Late (restoration) fee	$30	Postmarked after May 31
Expired-license fee	$25 per year	Plus renewal
Reciprocity	$225	Per the reciprocity application
Barbershop	$250 + $20 per chair	Plus $150 annual inspection

Sources: ARSD 20:39:05 (effective April 28, 2025), exam application and reciprocity application. Checked October 2026.

The board’s licensing page still lists a $150 transfer fee. The current rule and the reciprocity application say $225, so plan on the higher amount. Duplicate licenses are free.

Renewal and continuing education

Barber licenses renew every year by May 31, and an unrenewed license expires June 1. That date comes from 2025’s Senate Bill 28. If your license lapses for less than three years, you can reinstate it by paying the lapsed fees. After three or more years, you retake both the practical and written exams. South Dakota’s barber law and rules don’t include a continuing-education requirement that we could find, but confirm with the board.

Moving to South Dakota with a barber license

Under SDCL 36-14-14, anyone 18 or older can transfer a license from a state or country with “substantially the same requirements.” You can also qualify by proving through affidavits that you’ve worked as a barber for at least five years. If your state required fewer than 1,500 hours, you get 50 hours of credit for each month you’ve practiced as a licensed barber. Have your other state send a verification of all licenses directly to the board (“a photocopy of your license is NOT a license certification”), and include a 3×5 photo and the fee. You may also be eligible to skip the written theory exam.

Recent changes

• Senate Bill 28 (2025): requested by the board and passed with an emergency clause. It moved renewal to May 31 and raised fee caps (bill record).
• New fee rule (April 28, 2025): $225 initial license, renewal up from $75 to $200, shop and school fees raised and a new $150 annual shop inspection fee.
• House Bill 1231 (2025): would have merged the barber board and cosmetology commission. It got no further than introduction (bill record), and the separate barber board still operates.

What barbers earn

South Dakota gets no barber figure from BLS: its May 2025 OEWS survey leaves the state blank. As a benchmark, that release puts the national median at $38,210 a year, or $18.37 an hour. The survey skips self-employed barbers and booth renters, a big share of the trade in small markets, so nearby shop owners are your best guide to what a chair brings in.

Barber school in South Dakota

The board’s school list (posted “current as of April 2022”) names just one barber school. Because out-of-state graduates can’t take South Dakota’s exams, training in a neighboring state isn’t a shortcut to a South Dakota license.

South Dakota Barber College (Rapid City)

South Dakota Barber College, at 1601 Cambell St. in Rapid City (605-377-6444), advertises that you can “Graduate in 9 months,” with flexible schedules and scholarships. It calls itself the “First Barber College in Over 30 years!” Program hours and tuition aren’t published on its site (the state minimum is 1,500 hours), and it isn’t on College Navigator, so don’t count on federal aid. Call for a cost sheet and the next start date.

If you’d rather compare options in a bigger market, our best barber schools guide covers programs nationwide. Just remember that you’d need to get licensed in that state first and then transfer.

Barber school kit: what students need

South Dakota’s curriculum gives 430 hours to cutting and styling and 130 to shaving, so a solid clipper and a straight razor matter most. Check what the school’s kit includes before you buy anything.

An adjustable-blade clipper

The Andis 01815 Master Adjustable Blade clipper has a metal housing and an adjustable blade, and it’s long been a barbershop standard for tapers and flat-tops. A cordless alternative is the Wahl Professional 5 Star Magic Clip Cordless.

A straight razor

With 130 hours of shaving, you’ll want a razor you’re comfortable with. The Feather Standard Styling Razor kit is a styling razor kit, and a Black Widow Professional shavette with single-edge blades is a budget option.

Infection control

Infection control, implements and first aid make up 100 hours of the curriculum. Keep Barbicide Disinfectant Concentrate (16 oz) mixed in a Barbicide Disinfecting Jar (37 oz) at your station.

Finishing touches

A Diane 5″ neck duster clears clippings from the neck and face, and Graham Sanek Neck Strips (12 packs) keep capes off the skin.

Our barber starter kit guide has more picks at three budgets.

Is South Dakota a good place to start?

South Dakota is straightforward but has little choice: one route (1,500 school hours), one listed school and a 75% pass mark on both exams. Annual renewal is now $200, so factor that into your budget. If you live near Rapid City and want to work in South Dakota, the path is clear. If you’re elsewhere in the state, plan for relocation or a commute. Either way, practice your shaving with a Feather Standard Styling Razor kit early, because 130 hours of the course is shaving.

FAQ

How many hours do you need to be a barber in South Dakota? 1,500 hours at a board-approved barber school, over at least nine months.

Can you apprentice as a barber in South Dakota? No. School is the only route, and the old apprentice rule was repealed in 2017.

What score do you need on the South Dakota barber exam? 75% or higher on both the NIC theory exam and the board’s practical.

How much is a South Dakota barber license? $225 for the initial license, which includes the exam, and $200 a year to renew by May 31.

Can I take the South Dakota exam if I went to school in another state? No. Out-of-state graduates aren’t eligible for South Dakota’s exams and must get licensed at home first, then transfer.

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.