Virginia Regulatory Town Hall View Comments

Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation

Board for Barbers and Cosmetology

Guidance Document Change: This guidance document currently provides guidance to regulated parties and the public regarding the implementation of the 1,000-hour cosmetology curriculum which became effective on September 1, 2024. The document establishes protocols for students already enrolled in a 1,500-hour cosmetology curriculum and outlines school responsibilities in meeting the 1,000-hour cosmetology program requirements. On September 29, 2025, the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology (“the Board”) amended this guidance to implement changes made to the Barbering and Cosmetology Regulations (18VAC41-20) as a result of the Board’s General Review of the Barbering and Cosmetology Regulations (Action 6339/ Stage 10871). The regulatory change (i) revised the cosmetology curricula while keeping the minimum training requirement of 1,000 hours; (ii) revised the barber curricula and reduced the minimum required training hours from 1,100 hours to 750 hours; (iii) revised the master barber curricula and reduced the minimum required training hours from 400 hours to 250 hours; and (iv) revised the dual barber/master barber curricula and reduced the minimum required training hours from 1,500 hours to 1,000 hours. The regulatory changes will become effective December 1, 2025. The amended guidance does not impose any new requirements. Please refer to the ORM review form for additional information.

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12/5/25 1:32 pm

Commenter: Janet Turnage

Request to extend Barber program transition

I am writing to express significant concerns regarding the implementation timeline for the Barber hour reduction and its impact on accredited schools and their currently enrolled students. We strongly request that the Board reconsider the deadline or provide a specific exemption for accredited institutions.

At this time, we understand that any students that can't complete the program by the deadline should transition to the new curriculum. However, this isn't practical or feasible for accredited school because these students have already been packaged for specific Title IV financial aid based upon the published program length and curriculum in place at the time they enrolled. By reducing the required hours, it reduces the amount of Title IV eligibility for those students that have already begun the education with us. We also understand that the Board's only recommendation is that we "disenroll" these studentsm which does not line up with Title IV regulations, accrediting standards or practical instruction considerations. Our goal is to educate them to the point of obtaining a license in Barbering, and to disrupt their education plan jeopardizes that goal, as well as compliance we must adhere to in multiple areas, putting us in an untenable position.

Shifting the education program in the middle of a planned curriculum after a student has faithfully begun their education, expecting to achieve the same goals we have - to prepare them to get licensed - creates substantial academic complications. Furthermore, this could place the school at risk of misrepresentation claims. We go to great lengths to ensure that our enrollment team provides fully accurate and compliant information about program length and structure to anyone interested in enrolling. A state-mandated change that invalidates previously disclosed program expectations puts institutions in direct conflict with federal rules requiring consistency and accuracy in consumer information. Changes like this need to come with rules that allow sufficient time to properly be implemented.

We raised similar concerns in 2024 when the Board reduced Cosmetology hours from 1500 to 1000. At that time, the Board ultimately established a transition deadline of 8.31.26 to protect part-time students already enrolled under the previous program structure. We greatly appreciate this consideration. We are asking the same transition opportunity be given to the Barber program moving from 1000 to 750 hours.

We respectfully request that the Board either:

Extend the transition deadline for the Barber Program, or
Create an exemption for accredited institutions allowing currently enrolled students, especially part-time students, to complete the program in which they originally enrolled, with full retention of their financial aid eligibility.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter and would appreciate your willingness to ensure that all students, including those in accredited programs, are protected during this transition. Thank you

CommentID: 238463