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

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Here is how to become a barber in New Jersey: complete a 900-hour barbering course at a board-licensed school, pass the theory exam, then pass the practical exam and apply for your license. Most students finish in 6 to 11 months, depending on the schedule, and walk in on day one with a kit that usually includes a clipper like the Wahl Professional 5 Star Cordless Magic Clip.

New Jersey is a school-only state with no apprenticeship route. Its barber license is also broader than in many states: the 900-hour curriculum includes hair color, lightening, relaxing and permanent waving. Barbers here are licensed by the same board that oversees cosmetologists. This guide pulls the details from the board’s rules, its own pages and its testing vendor’s bulletins.

New Jersey barber requirements at a glance

New Jersey folded its old Board of Barber Examiners into the State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling under a 1984 law, N.J.S.A. 45:5B. The rules for barbers sit in N.J.A.C. 13:28, the board’s chapter of the state administrative code.

Requirement	New Jersey barber	Source
Minimum age	17	N.J.S.A. 45:5B-16
Education	High school diploma, transcript or GED	N.J.A.C. 13:28-1.1(d)
Training	900-hour barbering course	N.J.A.C. 13:28-1.1(e)
Exams	Theory, then practical	N.J.A.C. 13:28-1.2
Renewal	Every 2 years	N.J.A.C. 13:28-1.1(i)

One point that sets New Jersey apart: the board’s FAQ says state law lets anyone who meets the requirements get a license regardless of citizenship status. A Social Security number isn’t required.

The 900-hour barber course

Under N.J.A.C. 13:28-1.1, a barber applicant must complete a 900-hour course of instruction in barbering that follows the curriculum in N.J.A.C. 13:28-6.29B. That curriculum spells out exactly where the hours go: 243 hours of class instruction and 657 hours of practical work. The biggest blocks are:

Subject	Hours	Practical share
Men’s haircutting and styling	225	200
Chemistry: straightening and perms	210	135
Shaving	125	105
Hair color and lightening	110	80
Women’s haircutting and styling	70	55
Men’s hairpiece services	55	40

The rest covers infection control (20 hours), shampooing (20), facials (15), beard and mustache trimming (15), state laws and rules (10), and smaller units on anatomy, skin and scalp disorders, electricity, honing and stropping, and barbering history. If you trained in another state or country, the rule accepts that training only if the board finds it substantially similar to a New Jersey course.

New Jersey has no barber apprenticeship route; the rule only recognizes coursework from licensed schools. If you started barbering in a high school vocational program, the board’s FAQ says you can finish your hours after graduation at a vocational or licensed private school. Your new school submits your certified high school hours with your student registration.

Student and temporary permits

Two permits let you work before you’re licensed. A student permit ($5) lets a registered student practice while still in school. The board’s FAQ says you can get one once you’ve completed half your required training. A temporary permit ($20) is issued, on request, once the board accepts your exam application. It is valid for 120 days and can be issued only once, and the FAQ is blunt: if it expires before you’re licensed, you must stop working.

The New Jersey barber exams

The exam has two parts, theory and practical, and you must pass theory with at least 75% before you’re allowed to sit for the practical (N.J.A.C. 13:28-1.2). The theory portion is the NIC New Jersey Barber Theory Examination, delivered by computer through Prometric’s Iso-Quality Testing network. According to the NJ barber candidate bulletin, it has 115 questions, 105 of them scored, and you get 120 minutes. The largest content areas are hair care services (40 items), scientific concepts like infection control, anatomy and product chemistry (35), facial hair and skin care services (15), and implements and equipment (10).

Because the license covers chemical work, expect theory questions on predisposition and strand tests, color, lightening, foiling, relaxers (hydroxide, thio and keratin) and waving. Haircutting questions cover shaping, outlining and the neck shave. Prometric’s candidate manual says first-time test takers who fail must wait 15 days before rescheduling, and rescheduling or canceling costs $15. The board exam fee covers up to two attempts at the practical; after two failures or no-shows, you pay the fee again.

Ask your school exactly what the board’s practical requires you to bring. Most candidates test with the tools they trained on: their clipper, a trimmer like the Wahl Professional 5 Star Detailer Li for outlining, and a straight razor such as the Feather Standard Styling Razor Kit for the shave work their hours focused on.

Fees

The board’s fees are set in N.J.A.C. 13:28-5.1, and the theory test fee is set by the testing vendor:

Fee	Amount	Paid to
Student permit	$5	Board
Examination (includes application)	$50	Board
Theory exam (and each retake)	$53	Prometric
Temporary permit	$20	Board
Initial license	$90 (or $45 in 2nd year of cycle)	Board
Biennial renewal	$90	Board
Late fee / reinstatement	$30 / $50	Board

On a first pass, the state and testing costs come to about $193 ($50 + $53 + $90). That drops to about $148 if your license is issued in the second year of a renewal cycle.

Step by step

1. Enroll at a board-licensed school in its 900-hour barbering program, with proof of age (17+) and your diploma or GED.
2. Get a student permit at the halfway point if you want to practice on clients during school.
3. Finish 900 hours and have your school certify them.
4. Apply to the board for the exam with the $50 fee, then register and pay $53 for the computer-based theory test.
5. Pass theory (75%+), then take the practical. Request a 120-day temporary permit if you want to work while you wait.
6. Pay the initial license fee and post your license where you work.

Renewal and continuing education

Licenses renew every two years from the last expiration date (N.J.A.C. 13:28-1.1(i)). The board must send a renewal notice at least 60 days before expiration. Renewing within 30 days after expiration adds the $30 late fee. After that the license is suspended, and reinstatement means back fees, the $50 reinstatement fee and an affidavit listing any jobs held during the suspension. If your license has been suspended more than five years, you also have to retake the exam.

The board’s rules contain no continuing education requirement for barbers, so renewal is the form and the $90 fee. Inactive status is also available if you step away from the chair for a while.

Licensed in another state?

New Jersey doesn’t offer a simple license transfer for barbers. The board’s FAQ says barbers licensed elsewhere must file an “out-of-state” application with documentation and pass the board’s examination. The application has to be requested in writing and is mailed to you. People trained in another country follow a similar “out-of-country” application and also test. Under N.J.A.C. 13:28-1.1(e)3, out-of-state training must be certified as substantially equivalent to a New Jersey course; if you have held a license and practiced barbering for at least three years in another state or country, a notarized affidavit of work experience plus a licensure certification letter can stand in for those training records. The board’s endorsement route applies only to cosmetologist-hairstylist applicants who already hold both a barber and a beautician license in another state or country. If you’re moving here, budget for the exams even with years of experience.

Recent changes

The newest change is P.L.2025, c.18, approved February 3, 2025. It created a shampoo permit for registered students, and its definition covers barbering students, who have completed 60 hours of relevant coursework. Holders can shampoo and rinse hair while still in school. The same law created a separate certified shampoo technician credential for shampoo-only work in licensed shops. The permit sections took effect 90 days after enactment. The technician sections were set for the first day of the 13th month after enactment, March 1, 2026.

Testing costs also changed: Prometric lists a $53 written exam fee effective December 1, 2023, and its current candidate manual is dated October 2025.

What barbers earn in New Jersey

According to BLS OEWS, May 2025 (SOC 39-5011), New Jersey barbers earn a mean annual wage of $54,080 ($26.00 an hour) and a median of $54,850 ($26.37 an hour). The state employment count isn’t published. That’s well above the national figures of $47,070 (mean) and $38,210 (median). OEWS counts only wage-and-salary employees, so booth renters, shop owners and other self-employed barbers, a large share of the trade, aren’t included, and tips may be under-reported.

Barber schools in New Jersey

New Jersey has many licensed schools offering the 900-hour course, often inside larger cosmetology schools. Here are three, with facts from their own sites (checked October 2026) and federal aid status from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator. For a framework to compare them, see our guide to choosing a barber school near you.

Cutting Edge Academy (Succasunna)

Cutting Edge Academy on Route 10 East runs its 900-hour barbering program on a part-time day schedule, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. That works out to 27.5 hours a week over 44 weeks. It lists tuition of about $19,600, a student kit of about $2,200 and a $100 registration fee, and says board fees are included for students paying full tuition. College Navigator lists the school as eligible for Pell Grants and other federal aid.

Rizzieri Aveda School for Beauty and Wellness (Voorhees)

In South Jersey, Rizzieri lists its barber program at $16,000 for 900 hours, with full-time schedules available. The program covers haircutting, men’s grooming, hair color, styling and an introduction to skin. College Navigator lists the school as eligible for Pell Grants and federal Direct Loans.

Blanco’s Barber & Beauty Academy (Newark)

On Bloomfield Avenue in Newark, Blanco’s describes itself as a state-approved barber and beauty academy offering bilingual English and Spanish classes, and says its founders have 45 years of experience in the beauty industry. It says its programs follow the board’s required curriculum and hours. It offers monthly payment plans and financial aid guidance but doesn’t publish tuition online. That makes it worth a call if you want to train in Spanish.

Barber school kit: what students need

Kits are expensive at New Jersey schools; Cutting Edge prices its student kit at about $2,200. Ask whether you can bring your own tools before you buy twice. Because the 900 hours include 125 hours of shaving and 225 of men’s cutting, these are the tools you’ll use most. Our guide to the best clippers for barber school covers more clipper options.

Everyday clipper. The Wahl Professional 5 Star Cordless Magic Clip is a popular school clipper because its adjustable blade handles fades and blending without constant attachment changes. It runs about about $135–155.

Check Wahl Professional 5 Star Cordless Magic Clip Price

Magnetic guard set. When you do use guards, a set built for Andis Master-style clippers like the Andis 01410 Master Dual Magnet Comb Set (about $30–40) gives you consistent lengths for clipper-over-guard work.

Check Andis 01410 Master Dual Magnet Comb Set Price

Trimmer for outlines. Outlining and the neck shave both appear in the theory exam’s haircutting content. The Wahl Professional 5 Star Detailer Li is a cordless T-blade trimmer for sharp lines, about about $110–130.

Check Wahl Professional 5 Star Detailer Li Price

Straight razor. Shaving is the third-largest block of the New Jersey curriculum. A replaceable-blade razor like the Feather Standard Styling Razor Kit (about $50–60) keeps a fresh edge for every practice shave.

Check Feather Standard Styling Razor Kit Price

Shears. With 70 hours of women’s cutting and styling in the curriculum, you’ll need real shear skills. The Equinox Professional Razor Edge Barber Scissors (about $12–20) are an inexpensive starter pair.

Check Equinox Professional Razor Edge Barber Scissors Price

Disinfection. Infection control leads the theory exam’s scientific concepts section. A Barbicide Disinfecting Jar (37 oz) (about $25–35) keeps combs and guards in disinfectant at your station.

Check Barbicide Disinfecting Jar (37 oz) Price

For the rest of the list, see our essential barber tools guide for beginners.

How to choose a New Jersey barber school

• Confirm the 900-hour barbering program. Many New Jersey schools are mainly cosmetology schools, so check that barbering is a full program with its own schedule.
• Compare total cost. Published barber program prices above run from $16,000 to about $21,900 with kit and fees. Ask exactly what the kit includes.
• Check federal aid. Some New Jersey schools are eligible for Pell Grants and federal loans, and College Navigator shows which.
• Match the schedule to your life. A part-time day program can stretch 900 hours to 44 weeks; full-time can be much faster.
• Ask about chemical training. Color, lightening and relaxers make up a large share of the hours and the theory exam, so ask how much hands-on chemical work students get.

FAQ

How many hours do you need for a barber license in NJ?
900 hours at a board-licensed school, following the curriculum in N.J.A.C. 13:28-6.29B. That’s 243 hours of class instruction and 657 hours of practical work.

Can you become a barber in New Jersey through an apprenticeship?
No. New Jersey’s rules recognize only coursework from licensed schools (or substantially similar out-of-state or foreign training). There is no shop apprenticeship route.

How long does barber school take in New Jersey?
It depends on the schedule. A part-time day program at 27.5 hours a week takes about 44 weeks. At a full-time pace of about 35 hours a week, 900 hours takes roughly 26 weeks.

What is on the New Jersey barber exam?
A 115-question NIC theory exam (105 scored, 120 minutes) covering hair care and chemical services, scientific concepts, facial hair and skin care, and implements. Once you score at least 75%, you take the practical.

Do NJ barbers need continuing education?
No. Licenses renew every two years for $90, and the board’s rules set no CE requirement.

Can I transfer my barber license to New Jersey?
Not directly. Out-of-state barbers file an out-of-state application and must pass the board’s examination.

Final take

New Jersey’s path is simple: 900 school hours, a computer-based theory exam, a practical and a $90 license, with no apprenticeship shortcut and no CE afterward. The 900 hours cover far more chemical work than in many states, and barbers here earn well above the national average. Choose a school whose schedule and aid status fit you, and build a kit you’ll use from day one through the practical, starting with a reliable clipper like the Wahl Professional 5 Star Cordless Magic Clip. For more options, see our list of the best barber schools.

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.