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

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To become a barber in Kansas, you need 1,200 to 1,500 hours at a board-approved barber school, then a three-part exam: the NIC written test, a hands-on practical with live models, and a Kansas law test, scoring at least 80% on each. Kansas has its own stand-alone barber board, and its practical is demanding, with a 14-movement shave, a perm wrap, foils and a color retouch. Your kit needs a pro clipper, shears, a straight razor and an edger such as the Andis 04780 T-Outliner, and guards aren’t allowed.

Below is the full path, sourced from the Kansas Board of Barbering (KBOB), the Kansas statutes and the board’s regulations, including the exam kit list and practical procedures the board posts.

Who licenses barbers in Kansas

The Kansas Board of Barbering, created in 1913, licenses barbers. Kansas keeps barbers separate from cosmetologists: the five-member board is four licensed barbers and one public member, and the Kansas Board of Cosmetology is a different agency. The board estimates there are about 1,700 licensed barbers in Kansas (board FAQ).

The law is K.S.A. 65-1801 and following, and the rules are in K.A.R. Agency 61.

Steps to a Kansas barber license

1. Meet the basics: at least 16, of good moral character, and a high school graduate or equivalent (K.S.A. 65-1812).
2. Enroll at a board-approved barber college with a physician’s certificate, dated within 30 days, showing you’re free of contagious diseases.
3. Complete 1,200 to 1,500 hours, no more than eight hours a day.
4. Pass the NIC written exam through Prov, then the practical and the Kansas rules and regulations exam on the same day.
5. Pay for your license and renew each year.

Training hours: 1,200 to 1,500

Kansas sets a range rather than a single number: barber school must be no less than 1,200 and no more than 1,500 hours, under the board’s FAQ and K.A.R. 61-3-2. That means the program length depends on your school. Old Town Barber College and Legends Barber College run 1,200 hours; Bellus Academy’s Manhattan program is 1,500.

Crossover: licensed Kansas cosmetologists, and barbers certified by the US military, need 500 more hours at a licensed Kansas barber school before applying for the barber exam. The statute also accepts the barber course at institutions run by the secretary of corrections or at the Fort Leavenworth disciplinary barracks.

Temporary license: school graduates who apply for the next exam can get a temporary license valid until results come out, up to three times per person.

Is there a barber apprenticeship in Kansas?

No. We found no apprenticeship route in K.S.A. 65-1812 or the board’s regulations. Licensure requires a board-approved barber school (or the cosmetologist, military or corrections routes above).

The Kansas barber exams

Kansas uses a three-part exam, and you need at least 80% on each part, per the board’s license exam page:

1. NIC Barber Styling Theory written exam: 110 multiple-choice questions on computer, administered by Prov. The board pre-registers you, and Prov emails a testing voucher.
2. Practical exam, taken after you pass the written.
3. Kansas Rules and Regulations exam, on the same day as the practical.

The board holds the practical in person on set dates, at least twice a year by statute. The next one listed when we checked was Sunday, November 8, 2026, at Hutchinson Community College’s Barber Program building (200 East 3rd Ave, Hutchinson).

What the practical covers

Per the board’s practical procedures, the exam runs 2.5 hours and needs two models, which you arrange yourself:

• Model 1 (live): at least 1/2 inch of hair at the nape and one day of beard growth. A 14-movement shave, facial massage, tapered low-graduation haircut leaving at least 2 inches on top, scalp manipulations and a shampoo.
• Model 2 (live or mannequin): at least 5 inches at the nape after the cut. A 90-degree layered haircut, then four quadrants: a conventional perm wrap (four rods), a wrap of your choice, horizontal weaving highlights with foils, and a 2-inch color retouch.

Chemical services are graded, so practice them before test day, not just your cuts and shave.

The Kansas exam kit list

The board’s Barber Examination Kit List (posted May 2025) is headed “All tools must be cleaned, disinfected, and in good repair,” and the board says disposable items must be new. Required items include an infection control kit, professional barber clippers, an edger or outliner, professional barber shears, a straight edge razor with disposable blades, clipper spray or disinfectant, a water spray bottle, combs, brushes, neck strips, hair clips, a chair cloth, towels, gloves, styptic, shaving lather, massage cream, shampoo and conditioner, perm rods and end papers, a color bowl and brush, foils, and a mannequin and holder if you don’t bring a second live model.

Important: the kit list bars clipper guards and thinning shears, so practice your fades freehand and with clipper-over-comb.

The kit section below covers the tools from that list worth buying carefully.

Kansas barber fees

The fees need care because two official sources differ. The board’s exam page lists a $230 initial barber exam fee, while K.A.R. 61-7-2 and the statutory cap in K.S.A. 65-1817 set the exam fee at $100. The board doesn’t say whether the $230 bundles the NIC written fee, so check with the board before you pay.

Fee	Amount
Initial exam	$230 per the board’s page; $100 per K.A.R. 61-7-2 (check with the board)
Written re-exam	$150
Practical re-exam	$100
Rules & regulations re-exam	$50
License issuance	$80
Annual renewal	$80

Sources: KBOB license exam page; K.A.R. 61-7-2. Checked Oct 2026.

Late restoration ranges from $100 (1 to 30 days lapsed) up to $320 (731 to 1,095 days). Since 2024, military service members and spouses of active-duty members are exempt from credential application fees (HB 2745).

Renewal and continuing education

Kansas barber licenses renew every year, on a staggered schedule by last name under K.A.R. 61-4-2:

Last name begins with	Renew by
A, B, C, M, N, O	March 31
D, E, F, P, Q, R	June 30
G, H, I, S, T, U	September 30
J, K, L, V to Z	December 31

Source: K.A.R. 61-4-2 (Kansas Board of Barbering regulations).

New licensees pay a prorated first fee. We found no continuing education requirement in the statutes or the board regulations; renewal is by fee. After three or more years expired, you have to retake the exam.

Moving to Kansas: reciprocity

Under K.S.A. 65-1813, you can get a Kansas license without the exam if you’re at least 18 and licensed in a state with substantially the same requirements that also grants reciprocity to Kansas barbers. The regulations add 24 months of active licensed practice (with notarized employer statements), a good-standing letter, and a fee equal to the exam plus license fee. Barbers from states without comparable requirements must take the Kansas exam.

A 2021 law (HB 2066) requires Kansas licensing bodies to issue credentials to qualified out-of-state applicants within 60 days (30 for military members and spouses), per the legislature’s 2026 briefing book. We couldn’t confirm whether it changes the barber board’s reciprocity rule, so ask KBOB.

What barbers earn in Kansas

BLS publishes no statewide, Wichita or Topeka wage estimate for Kansas barbers. The closest official figure is the Kansas City, MO-KS metro, using BLS’s May 2025 OEWS data as shown on the Labor Department’s CareerOneStop: a median of $20.29 an hour, about $42,200 a year, with a low end of about $34,200 and a high end of about $82,300.

That metro spans Missouri and Kansas, so it’s a loose guide for the rest of the state. Self-employed barbers and booth renters aren’t included.

Barber schools in Kansas

The board keeps a list of approved barber colleges. These programs are verified on the schools’ sites, the board’s list or College Navigator (checked Oct 2026). See our best barber schools guide for what to compare.

Old Town Barber College (Wichita)

Old Town’s 1,200-hour program covers 350 hours of theory and science, 700 hours of practical work, and 150 hours of shop management (programs page). College Navigator lists it at 1211 E Douglas, with an average completion of 10 months, tuition and fees of about $16,500 (2024–25) and books and supplies of about $2,300; it’s federal-aid eligible.

Legends Barber College (Wichita)

Founded in 2017 and licensed by the board for 62 students, Legends runs a 1,200-hour course that full-time students with perfect attendance can finish in eight months (32 academic weeks). Full time is 30+ hours a week and part time 20 to 25, day classes only (school page). It doesn’t publish tuition and isn’t on College Navigator’s Kansas barbering list, so ask about cost and aid.

Hutchinson Community College (Hutchinson)

Hutchinson offers a Barbering certificate and a 62-credit-hour Barbering AAS, with students working on a public barbershop floor under licensed instructors (program page). Its barber building hosts the state practical exam. We didn’t verify its clock hours or tuition, so check with the college.

Bellus Academy (Manhattan)

College Navigator lists Bellus Academy’s Manhattan campus barbering program at 1,500 clock hours over 11 months, with tuition and fees of about $23,000 and books and supplies of about $3,000. It’s federal-aid eligible and on the board’s approved list.

Our barber school near me guide covers how to compare programs.

Barber school kit: what students need

Kansas schools list roughly $2,300 to $3,000 for books and supplies, and the board’s exam kit list tells you exactly what to bring: no guards and no thinning shears allowed. These are the tools from that list worth buying with care. Our best clippers for barber school roundup covers more clippers.

Wahl Professional 5 Star Cordless Senior

Kansas bans guards on its practical, and dense, heavy hair is where the Wahl Professional 5 Star Cordless Senior earns its place: let it take the bulk so your fade clipper is free for blending. It’s at the top of what students usually spend, an upgrade rather than a necessity. Amazon price when this was written: roughly $175–195.

Check Wahl Professional 5 Star Cordless Senior Price

Andis 04780 T-Outliner

Kansas puts an edger or outliner on its exam kit list, and the corded Andis 04780 T-Outliner fills that slot, its wide T-blade made for hairlines, necklines and around the ears. You’ll sharpen outlines on nearly every client, and it’s one of the cheaper picks here. Amazon price when this was written: roughly $60–80.

Check Andis 04780 T-Outliner Price

Equinox Professional Razor Edge Barber Scissors

Shears are on the Kansas kit list (thinning shears are banned). The Equinox Professional Razor Edge Barber Scissors is a low-cost first pair to build technique on before you upgrade. Amazon price when this was written: roughly $12–20.

Check Equinox Professional Razor Edge Barber Scissors Price

Feather Standard Styling Razor Kit

Neck shaves and razor outlines call for a straight razor with replaceable blades. The Feather Standard Styling Razor Kit is a 7.25-inch styling razor that takes single-use blades, which fits the one-blade-per-client sanitation rule schools teach. Price: about $50–60 on Amazon at the time of writing.

Check Feather Standard Styling Razor Kit Price

Clippercide 5-in-1 Clipper Spray (3-pack)

The Kansas kit list requires clipper spray or disinfectant. The Clippercide 5-in-1 Clipper Spray (3-pack) handles blades that can’t go in a soak: per its listing, it disinfects, cleans, cools and lubricates them and helps prevent rust. It’s a 3-pack. Amazon price when this was written: roughly $30–40.

Check Clippercide 5-in-1 Clipper Spray (3-pack) Price

BeautifyBeauties Continuous Spray Bottle

A continuous-mist bottle keeps hair damp for scissor work. The BeautifyBeauties Continuous Spray Bottle holds 16.9 ounces and sprays a fine, even mist. Price: about $8–12 on Amazon at the time of writing.

Check BeautifyBeauties Continuous Spray Bottle Price

AIMIKE Sectioning Clips

Sectioning clips keep longer hair out of the way during scissor work. The AIMIKE Sectioning Clips are cheap and easy to replace. Price: about $6–9 on Amazon at the time of writing.

Check AIMIKE Sectioning Clips Price

Bottom line: pick your hours, then practice the practical

Kansas lets you train in as few as 1,200 hours, but its practical is demanding, with shaving, perm wraps, foils and color on the clock and no guards allowed. Choose a board-approved school, line up two models early, and build a kit that matches the board’s list, starting with a dependable edger like the Andis 04780 T-Outliner. Our barber starter kit guide covers the rest.

FAQ

How many hours is barber school in Kansas? Between 1,200 and 1,500 hours, depending on the school. Wichita’s Old Town and Legends barber colleges run 1,200-hour programs; Bellus Academy’s Manhattan program is 1,500.

What is on the Kansas barber practical exam? A 2.5-hour exam on two models: a 14-movement shave, facial massage, taper haircut, scalp manipulations and shampoo, then a layered cut, perm wraps, foil highlights and a color retouch.

Can you use guards on the Kansas barber practical? No. The board’s exam kit list says no guards and no thinning shears are allowed.

Is there a barber apprenticeship in Kansas? No. We found no apprenticeship route in the statute or regulations; you need a board-approved barber school, or 500 hours if you’re a licensed cosmetologist or military-certified barber.

Do Kansas barbers need continuing education? No CE requirement appears in the statutes or regulations. Licenses renew every year for $80, on a schedule set by your last name.

Sources

• Kansas Board of Barbering
• KBOB FAQ
• KBOB license exam page
• KBOB practical procedures
• KBOB exam kit list
• K.A.R. Agency 61 regulations
• K.S.A. 65-1812
• K.S.A. 65-1813
• K.S.A. 65-1817
• CareerOneStop wages (BLS OEWS May 2025)
• KLRD 2026 occupational licensing briefing

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.