posted on: 05/02/2023
On April 20, the Montana legislature passed House Bill 353 (HB 353), which defines natural hair braiding and exempts the service from licensing regulations. As a result, any individual who performs only natural hair braiding (defined for you below) will not need to be licensed as a natural hair braider in Montana.
Natural hair braiding—the service of twisting, wrapping, weaving, extending, locking, or braiding hair by hand or with mechanical devices.
What Are You Allowed to Do?
Natural hair braiding includes the following services:
- Using natural or synthetic hair extensions, natural or synthetic hair fibers, decorative beads, or other hair accessories.
- Using topical agents, such as conditioners, gels, moisturizers, oils, pomades, and shampoos.
- Making wigs from natural hair, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, and hair extensions.
- Minor trimming of natural hair or extensions during the process of twisting, wrapping, weaving, extending, locking, or braiding.
What Are You Not Allowed to Do?
Natural hair braiding does not include any of the following services:
- Applying dyes, reactive chemicals, or other preparations to alter the color of the hair or to straighten, curl, or alter the structure of the hair.
- Using chemical hair joining agents, such as synthetic tape, keratin bonds, or fusion bonds.