The Tennessee Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Board) adopted new and amended rules. The rules are effective August 8, 2021. ASCP, AHP, and ANP have summarized the rule changes for you below.
The barbering rule changes affect the following areas: school licensing requirements, curriculum, barber shop requirements, inspections, instructor-training programs, and student kits.
The cosmetology rule changes affect the following areas: school licensing requirements, school equipment, and student kits.
BARBER RULES
Requirements for School License (page 35)
The new rules remove the provision that schools must have a minimum number of enrolled students.
However, the rules do require schools to have a minimum of one working restroom—a decrease from the previously required two restrooms.
The Board can now approve a school without a restroom facility if a school is located within a mall, shopping center, or other commercial property if the school owner can prove shared public restroom facilities are available. This rule also applies to cosmetology schools.
The new rules specify that schools must have a blood exposure kit, and that each student workstation must have one dry sanitary compartment and one labeled sharps container for biohazard material removal.
Previously, a new school branch was required to be closed for a period of 90 days prior to being issued a license. Under the amended rules, a branch of an existing school at a new location will be closed to the public only until it is inspected and approved by the Board to open.
Curriculum (page 37)
The new rules reduce the barber instructor training program from 450 hours to 300 hours:
- Lesson Planning: 100 hours (previously 125)
- General: 100 hours (previously 125)
- Physical: 100 hours (previously 200)
Equipment and Location Requirements for Barber Shops (page 39)
The new rules allow the Board to approve a barber shop without a restroom facility if it is located within a mall, shopping center, or other commercial property if the shop owner can prove shared public restroom facilities are available.
Barber shops must have one labeled sharps container for biohazard material removal.
Inspections (page 39)
Under the new rules, substantial changes to a school’s physical location will now be considered a relocation. A new license for a relocated school is required following an inspection. Substantial changes include, but are not limited to, a significant increase or reduction in a school’s square footage, or changes to the floor plan, physical walls, and entry doors. Schools must notify the Board in writing of any substantial changes in no less than 30 days prior to the changes being made. This rule also applies to cosmetology schools.
Instructor-training Programs (page 40)
Any online, virtual, or electronic instructor-training program submitted for approval by the Board must not allow participants to skip through content. The program must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Offer streamed or real-time presentation that allows questions, group chat, or generates responses from participants through surveys, multiple choice questions, etc.
- Require a unique login
- Monitor participation and include a testing component that requires a passing grade to complete the program
The new rules require licensed instructors attending an instructor-training program to complete at least 16 hours of actual instruction to obtain continuing credit. Time will be deducted from the amount of credit sought for failing to attend. If a licensed instructor requires an extension to complete their instructor-training program, they must submit a request to the Board.
A licensed instructor can only teach the discipline in which they are licensed. Similarly, they can only gain credit for an instructor-training program for the discipline in which they are licensed.
If a licensed instructor fails to obtain the required number of instructor-training hours before the expiration date on their certificate of registration and they are not eligible for an extension or have not been granted an extension, they cannot engage in any activity that requires an instructor’s certificate of registration. In this situation, an individual will be required to retake the instructor’s examination, complete the instructor-training hours, and pay applicable fees for the certificate of registration to be reinstated.
This section of rules also applies to licensed cosmetology instructors.
Student Kits (page 42)
The new rules amended the required materials for the barber program and the barber technician program. View the updated lists on page 42 and 43.
COSMETOLOGY RULES
Requirements for School License (page 44)
The new rules require a minimum of 15 workstations on the clinic floor—a decrease from the previously required 20 stations. Each station must have one labeled sharps container for biohazard material removal and one enclosed dry sanitary compartment. The school must have a blood exposure kit.
All schools must have a sign posted stating that all services are performed by students. All containers for cosmetic and any other products must be properly labeled.
School Equipment
The new rules amend the required equipment for the following disciplines:
- School of esthetics (page 46)
- School of natural hair styling (page 47)
- School of manicuring (page 47)
Student Kits
The new rules amend the materials required by each student in the following disciplines:
- Cosmetology program (page 49)
- Manicuring program (page 50)
- Esthetics program (page 51)
- Natural hair styling program (page 52)