How to Become a Licensed Barber in California

Getting your California barber license opens the door to a stable, hands-on career. Urban Barber College is built to take you through every step of that process, from your first day of training to sitting for your state board exam.

Step 1: Meet the Enrollment Requirements

To enroll at Urban Barber College, you’ll need:

• A high school diploma or GED
• To meet the age requirement for California barber licensure
• To complete our admissions process, including a meeting with an admissions representative

No college degree or prior barbering experience is required. Our program takes you from your first day of training to licensure-ready.

Step 2: Complete 1,000 Hours of Training

California requires 1,000 clock hours of training at a state-approved barber school. At Urban Barber College, full-time students typically complete that training in 7 to 10 months, and you can train at any of our three Bay Area and Central Valley campuses: Concord, San Jose, or Modesto.

Our curriculum covers:

• Technical skills: haircutting, clipper work, straight-razor shaving, beard design, and scalp treatments
• Theory: anatomy, sanitation, product chemistry, and safety standards, taught from standard textbooks assigned by the California Board of Barbering
• Business fundamentals: client relationships, shop operations, and building a client base

Classroom instruction is paired with supervised floor time, so you build real hands-on experience before you graduate.

Step 3: Pass the State Board Exam

Once you’ve completed your hours, you’ll sit for the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology licensing exam, which includes:

• A written exam covering theory, safety, and sanitation
• A practical exam demonstrating your hands-on skills

Our licensure-ready curriculum is built around the Board’s assigned materials, so your training stays focused on what you’ll be tested on.

Step 4: Apply for Your License

After passing both exam components, you submit your application and fees to the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Once approved, you’re a licensed barber, free to work in a shop, rent a chair, or eventually open your own.

Step 5: Choose Your Path Forward

A barber license is flexible. Licensed barbers commonly:

• Join an established barbershop
• Rent a booth or chair as an independent contractor
• Build toward opening their own shop
• Specialize in areas like fades, beard design, or hair pieces and wigs

Financial Aid Options

Urban Barber College is approved to operate by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE), accredited by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences (NACCAS), and eligible to participate in Title IV federal student aid programs at all three campuses, including Modesto. Qualifying students may be able to use federal financial aid to help cover the cost of training. Our admissions team can walk you through the options that apply to your situation.