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AB 625: Barbering and cosmetology.

California · Assembly · 2025–2026 Regular Session · last verified February 3, 2026

What AB 625 does, verified February 3, 2026

The bill aims to amend the state's regulations on barbering and cosmetology. It would repeal provisions related to hairstyling licenses and make conforming changes. The bill would remove certain practices, such as shampooing, curling, and waving, from the practices of barbering and cosmetology, respectively. It would also require establishments that provide these services to provide notice to consumers of the person's licensure status. Additionally, the bill would expand the scope of the crime of violating the regulations, imposing a state-mandated local program. The state would not be required to reimburse local agencies or school districts for the costs of implementing this bill.

Bill journey

✓IntroducedComplete

2In CommitteeCurrent

3First Chamber FloorPending

4Second ChamberPending

5GovernorPending

6ChapteredPending

Last action: From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. (2026-02-02)Alert me

Author and sponsors

Asm. Stephanie NguyenAuthor · California State Assembly

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Recent actions8 total · showing 5

Feb. 02, 2026	From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
Jan. 31, 2026	Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.
Apr. 08, 2025	In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
Mar. 05, 2025	Re-referred to Com. on B. & P.
Mar. 04, 2025	From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on B. & P. Read second time and amended.

Full action history, 3 earlier actionsConnect Plus

Latest bill textAmended version, March 4, 2025 · 2,273 words

Amended IN Assembly March 04, 2025

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 625

Introduced by Assembly Member Nguyen

February 13, 2025

~~An act to amend Section 1 of the Business and Professions Code, relating to business and professions.~~ An act to amend Sections 7316, 7389.5, and 7423 of, and to repeal Sections 7322 and 7363 of, the Business and Professions Code, relating to professions.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 625, as amended, Nguyen. ~~Business and Professions Code.~~ Barbering and cosmetology.

The Barbering and Cosmetology Act provides for the licensure and regulation of the practice of barbering, cosmetology, and hairstyling by the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology and makes liable for a misdemeanor a person, firm, association, or corporation that violates the act unless a specific penalty is otherwise provided. The act requires the board to admit to examination for a license as a hairstylist to practice hairstyling a person who has made application to the board in proper form, paid the fee required by the act, and meets certain qualifications, including that the person completed a course in hairstyling from a school approved by the board.
This bill would repeal those provisions relating to the license as a hairstylist and would make conforming changes.
The act also includes in the practice of barbering certain practices, including shampooing, arranging, dressing, curling, and waving and also the practice of hairstyling of all textures of hair by standard methods that are current at the time of the hairstyling. The act includes in the practice of cosmetology certain practices, including arranging, dressing, curling, waving, cleansing, shampooing, beautifying, or otherwise treating the hair of a person.
This bill would remove the practices described above from inclusion in the practices of barbering and cosmetology, respectively. The bill would require a person who engages in the practices of arranging, beautifying, cleansing, curling, dressing, shampooing, or waving the hair of a person at an establishment to provide notice to consumers of the person’s licensure status. By expanding the scope of the crime of violating the act, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
~~Existing law establishes the Business and Professions Code and prescribes general provisions for purposes of its interpretation.~~
~~This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to those provisions.~~

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NOYES Local Program: NOYES

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 7316 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

7316.

(a) The practice of barbering is all or any combination of the following practices:

(1) Shaving or trimming the beard or cutting the hair.

(2) Giving facial and scalp massages or treatments with oils, creams, lotions, or other preparations either by hand or mechanical appliances.

(3) Singeing, ~~shampooing, arranging, dressing, curling, waving,~~ chemical waving, hair relaxing, or dyeing the hair or applying hair tonics.

(4) Applying cosmetic preparations, antiseptics, powders, oils, clays, or lotions to scalp, face, or neck.

~~(5)Hairstyling of all textures of hair by standard methods that are current at the time of the hairstyling.~~

(b) The practice of cosmetology is all or any combination of the following practices:

(1) ~~Arranging, dressing, curling, waving, machineless~~ Machineless permanent waving, permanent waving, ~~cleansing,~~ cutting, ~~shampooing,~~ relaxing, singeing, bleaching, tinting, coloring, straightening, dyeing, applying hair tonics to, ~~beautifying,~~ or otherwise treating by any means the hair of any person.

(2) Massaging, cleaning, or stimulating the scalp, face, neck, arms, or upper part of the human body, by means of the hands, devices, apparatus or appliances, with or without the use of cosmetic preparations, antiseptics, tonics, lotions, or creams.

(3) Beautifying the face, neck, arms, or upper part of the human body, by use of cosmetic preparations, antiseptics, tonics, lotions, or creams.

(4) Removing superfluous hair from the body of any person by the use of depilatories or by the use of tweezers, chemicals, or preparations or by the use of devices or appliances of any kind or description, except by the use of light waves, commonly known as rays.

(5) Cutting, trimming, polishing, tinting, coloring, cleansing, or manicuring the nails of any person.

(6) Massaging, cleansing, treating, or beautifying the hands or feet of any person.

(7) Tinting and perming of the eyelashes and brows, or applying eyelashes to any person.

(1) Giving facials, massaging, stimulating, exfoliating, cleansing, or beautifying the face, scalp, neck, hands, arms, feet, legs, or upper part of the human body by the use of hands, esthetic devices, cosmetic products, antiseptics, lotions, tonics, or creams for the purpose of improving the appearance or well-being of the skin that do not result in the ablation or destruction of the live tissue.

(2) Tinting and perming of the eyelashes and brows, or applying eyelashes to any person.

(3) Removing superfluous hair from the body of any person by use of depilatories, tweezers, sugaring, nonprescription chemical, or waxing, or by the use of devices and appliances of any kind or description, except by the use of lasers or light waves, which are commonly known as rays.

(d) The practice of nail care is all or a combination of trimming, polishing, coloring, tinting, cleansing, manicuring, or pedicuring the nails of any person or massaging, cleansing, or beautifying from the elbow to the fingertips or the knee to the toes of any person.

(e) The practice of ~~barbering, the practice of cosmetology,~~ barbering and the practice of ~~hairstyling~~ cosmetology do not include any of the following:

(1) The mere sale, fitting, or styling of wigs or hairpieces.

(2) Natural hair braiding. Natural hair braiding is a service that results in tension on hair strands or roots by twisting, wrapping, weaving, extending, locking, or braiding by hand or mechanical device, provided that the service does not include haircutting or the application of dyes, reactive chemicals, or other preparations to alter the color of the hair or to straighten, curl, or alter the structure of the hair.

(3) Threading.
(4) (A) The practices of arranging, beautifying, cleansing, curling, dressing, shampooing, or waving the hair of a person.
~~(3)Threading. Threading is a technique that results~~
(B) A person who engages
in ~~removing hair by twisting thread around unwanted hair and pulling it from the skin and~~ the practices specified in subparagraph (A) at an establishment shall provide notice to consumers of the ~~incidental trimming of eyebrow hair.~~ person’s licensure status.

(f) Notwithstanding paragraph (2) of subdivision (e), a person who engages in natural ~~hairstyling, which~~ hairstyling is ~~defined as the provision of natural hair braiding services together with any of the services or procedures defined within the regulated practices of barbering or cosmetology, is~~ subject to regulation pursuant to this chapter and shall obtain and maintain a barbering or cosmetology license as applicable to the services respectively offered or performed.

(g) (1) Electrolysis is the practice of removing hair from, or destroying hair on, the human body by the use of an electric needle only.

(2) “Electrolysis” as used in this chapter includes electrolysis or thermolysis.

(h) ~~The practice of hairstyling is one or both of the following:~~ As used in this section:

(1) ~~Styling~~ “Natural hair braiding” means a service that results in tension on hair strands or roots by twisting, wrapping, weaving, extending, locking, or braiding by hand or mechanical device, provided that the service does not include haircutting or the application of ~~all textures~~ dyes, reactive chemicals, or other preparations to alter the color of the hair ~~by standard methods that are current at~~ or to straighten, curl, or alter the ~~time~~ structure of the ~~hairstyling.~~ hair.

(2) ~~Arranging, blow drying, cleansing, curling, cutting, dressing, extending, shampooing, waving, or nonchemically straightening the hair~~ “Natural hairstyling” means the provision of natural hair braiding services together with any of ~~any person using both electrical and nonelectrical devices.~~ the services or procedures defined within the regulated practices of barbering or cosmetology.

(3) “Threading” means a technique that results in removing hair by twisting thread around unwanted hair and pulling it from the skin and the incidental trimming of eyebrow hair.

SEC. 2.

Section 7322 of the Business and Professions Code is repealed.

7322.
The board shall admit to examination for a license as a hairstylist to practice hairstyling any person who has made application to the board in proper form, paid the fee required by this chapter, and is qualified as follows:
~~(a)Is not less than 17 years of age.~~
~~(b)Has completed the 10th grade in the public schools of this state or its equivalent.~~
~~(c)Is not subject to denial pursuant to Section 480.~~
~~(d)Has done any of the following:~~
~~(1)Completed a course in hairstyling from a school approved by the board.~~
(2)Practiced hairstyling as defined in this chapter outside of this state for a period of time equivalent to the study and training of a qualified person who has completed a course in hairstyling from a school the curriculum of which complied with requirements adopted by the board. Each three months of practice shall be deemed the equivalent of 100 hours of training for qualification under paragraph (1).

SEC. 3.

Section 7363 of the Business and Professions Code is repealed.

7363.
~~(a)A course in hairstyling established by a school shall consist of not less than 600 hours of practical and technical instruction.~~
~~(b)The curriculum for a hairstyling course shall include, at a minimum, technical and practical instruction in the following areas:~~
(1)One hundred hours in health and safety, which includes hazardous substances, chemical safety, safety data sheets, protection from hazardous chemicals, preventing chemical injuries, health and safety laws and regulations, and preventing communicable diseases.
(2)One hundred hours in disinfection and sanitation, which includes disinfection procedures to protect the health and safety of consumers as well as the technician and proper disinfection procedures for equipment used in establishments.
(3)(A)Two hundred hours in hair styling services, which includes arranging, blow drying, cleansing, curling, dressing, hair analysis, shampooing, waving, and nonchemical straightening, and hair cutting including the use of shears, razors, electrical clippers and trimmers, and thinning shears, for wet and dry cutting.
(B)Instruction in hairstyling services shall include instruction regarding the provision of services to individuals with all hair types and textures, including, but not limited to, various curl or wave patterns, hair strand thicknesses, and volumes of hair.

SEC. 4.

Section 7389.5 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

7389.5.

A course of training in ~~barbering, cosmetology,~~ barbering or ~~hairstyling~~ cosmetology established by federal or state correctional institutions in California may qualify a person thereby trained to take the examination for licensure as a ~~barber, cosmetologist,~~ barber or ~~hairstylist, provided~~ cosmetologist if the course complies with all applicable provisions of this ~~act~~ chapter and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

SEC. 5.

Section 7423 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:

7423.

The amounts of the fees required by this chapter relating to licenses for individual practitioners are as follows:

(a) (1) Cosmetologist application and examination fee shall be the actual cost to the board for developing, purchasing, grading, and administering the examination.

(2) A cosmetologist initial license fee shall not be more than fifty dollars ($50).

(b) (1) An esthetician application and examination fee shall be the actual cost to the board for developing, purchasing, grading, and administering the examination.

(2) An esthetician initial license fee shall not be more than forty dollars ($40).

(c) (1) A manicurist application and examination fee shall be the actual cost to the board for developing, purchasing, grading, and administering the examination.

(2) A manicurist initial license fee shall not be more than thirty-five dollars ($35).

(d) (1) A barber application and examination fee shall be the actual cost to the board for developing, purchasing, grading, and administering the examination.

(2) A barber initial license fee shall be not more than fifty dollars ($50).

(e) (1) An electrologist application and examination fee shall be the actual cost to the board for developing, purchasing, grading, and administering the examination.

(2) An electrologist initial license fee shall be not more than fifty dollars ($50).

(f) An apprentice application and license fee shall be not more than twenty-five dollars ($25).

(g) The license renewal fee for individual practitioner licenses that are subject to renewal shall be not more than fifty dollars ($50).

~~(h)A hairstylist application and examination fee shall be the actual cost to the board for developing, purchasing, grading, and administering the examination.~~
~~(i)A hairstylist’s initial license fee shall be no more than fifty dollars ($50).~~
~~(j)~~

(h) Notwithstanding Section 163.5 the license renewal delinquency fee shall be 50 percent of the renewal fee in effect on the date of renewal.

SEC. 6.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.

SECTION 1.Section 1 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:
1.
~~This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the Business and Professions Code.~~

Text of AB 625 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions