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Virginia Administrative Code
Title 18. Professional And Occupational Licensing
Agency 41. Board For Barbers And Cosmetology
Chapter 20. Barbering and Cosmetology Regulations
12/24/2025

18VAC41-20-10. Definitions.

A. The following words and terms when used in this chapter have the meanings ascribed to them in § 54.1-700 of the Code of Virginia:

"Barber"

"Barbering"

"Barber instructor"

"Barbershop"

"Board"

"Cosmetologist"

"Cosmetology"

"Cosmetology instructor"

"Cosmetology salon"

"Master barber"

"Nail care"

"Nail salon"

"Nail school"

"Nail technician"

"Nail technician instructor"

"Physical (wax) depilatory"

"School of cosmetology"

"Wax technician"

"Waxing"

"Waxing salon"

"Waxing school"

B. The following words and terms when used in this chapter have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Apprenticeship program" means an approved cosmetology, barber, nail technician, or wax technician training program conducted by an approved registered apprenticeship sponsor.

"Barber school" means a place or establishment licensed by the board to accept and train students and that offers a barber, master barber, or dual barber/master barber curriculum approved by the board.

"Business entity" means a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or any other form of organization permitted by law.

"Clock hour" means a minimum of 50 minutes of supervised or directed instruction and appropriate breaks.

"Credit hour" means a combination of the number of hours in class each week and the number of hours per week in a laboratory by which a school may measure coursework. One unit of credit equals one hour of classroom or online study, two hours of laboratory experience, or three hours of internship or practicum or a combination of the three times the number of weeks in the term.

"Direct supervision" means that (i) a Virginia licensed barber, cosmetologist, nail technician, or wax technician is present in the barbershop, cosmetology salon, nail salon, or waxing salon at all times when services are being performed by a temporary license holder or registered apprentice or (ii) a Virginia licensed and certified barber, cosmetologist, nail technician, or wax technician instructor or a student instructor temporary license holder is present in the barber, cosmetology, nail technician, or wax technician school at all times when services are being performed by a student, student instructor, or temporary license holder.

"Each and every location" means, for the purposes of schools with multiple suites or classrooms, a single location is one that is enclosed under one roof and all classrooms or suites are within 500 feet of the main office.

"Firm" means any business entity recognized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

"Licensee" means any individual or firm holding a license issued by the board.

"Post-secondary educational level" means an accredited college or university that is approved or accredited by an accrediting agency that is recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education.

"Reasonable hours" means the hours between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.; however, if the licensee is generally not substantially open to the public during the same hours, "reasonable hours" means the business hours when the licensee is open to the public.

"Reinstatement" means having a license or certificate restored to effectiveness after the expiration date has passed.

"Renewal" means continuing the effectiveness of a license or certificate for another period of time.

"Responsible management" means the following individuals:

1. The sole proprietor of a sole proprietorship;

2. The partners of a general partnership;

3. The managing partners of a limited partnership;

4. The officers of a corporation;

5. The managers of a limited liability company;

6. The officers or directors of an association; and

7. Individuals in other business entities recognized under the laws of the Commonwealth as having a fiduciary responsibility to the firm.

"Sole proprietor" means any individual, not a corporation, who is trading under that individual's own name or under an assumed or fictitious name pursuant to the provisions of §§ 59.1-69 through 59.1-76 of the Code of Virginia.

"Substantially equivalent exam" means an examination administered by the licensing entity that covers Virginia's scope of practice for that profession.

"Substantially equivalent training" means at least 80% of the required hours in Virginia and curriculum content covering Virginia's scope of practice for that profession.

"Virginia state institution" means any institution approved by the Virginia Department of Education or the Virginia Department of Corrections.

"Wet disinfection unit" is a container large enough to hold an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered disinfectant that is a bactericidal, virucidal, and fungicidal solution in which the objects to be disinfected are completely immersed.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-201 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 19, Issue 18, eff. July 1, 2003; amended, Virginia Register Volume 33, Issue 9, eff. February 1, 2017; Volume 35, Issue 12, eff. April 1, 2019; Volume 37, Issue 26, eff. October 1, 2021; Volume 42, Issue 5, eff. December 1, 2025.

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