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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

18VAC41-20-280. Grounds for license or certificate revocation, suspension, or probation; denial of application, renewal, or reinstatement; or imposition of a monetary penalty.

The board may, in considering the totality of the circumstances, refuse to issue, renew, or reinstate any license or certificate; impose a monetary penalty; place a license or certificate on probation with such terms and conditions and for such time as the board may designate; suspend a license or certificate for a stated period of time; or revoke a license or certificate issued under the provisions of Chapter 7 (§ 54.1-700 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia and this chapter if it finds that the licensee, certificate holder, temporary license holder, or applicant:

1. Is incompetent or negligent in practice or unable, as a result of any mental or physical condition, as those terms are generally understood in the profession, to skillfully and safely (i) practice as a barber, master barber, cosmetologist, nail technician, or wax technician or (ii) operate a shop, salon, or school;

2. Is convicted of fraud or deceit in the practice or teaching of barbering, master barbering, cosmetology, nail care, or waxing, fails to teach the board-approved curriculum as provided for in this chapter, or fails to comply with 18VAC41-20-210 H when making an assessment of credit hours awarded;

3. Attempts to obtain or has obtained, renewed, or reinstated a license, certificate, or temporary license by false or fraudulent representation;

4. Violates, induces others to violate, or cooperates with others in violating any of the provisions of this chapter or Chapter 7 (§ 54.1-700 et seq.) of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia or any local ordinance or regulation governing standards of health and sanitation of the establishment in which any barber, master barber, cosmetologist, nail technician, or wax technician may practice or offer to practice;

5. Offers, gives, or promises anything of value or benefit to any federal, state, or local employee for the purpose of influencing that employee to circumvent, in the performance of his duties, any federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance governing barbering, master barbering, cosmetology, nail care, or waxing as defined in § 54.1-700 of the Code of Virginia;

6. Fails to respond to the board or any of its agents or provides false, misleading, or incomplete information to an inquiry by the board or any of its agents;

7. Fails or refuses to allow the board or any of its agents to inspect during reasonable hours any licensed shop, salon, or school for compliance with provisions of Chapter 7 (§ 54.1-700 et seq.) or this chapter;

8. Fails to produce upon request or demand of the board or any of its agents any document, book, record, or copy thereof in a licensee's, certificate holder's, temporary license holder's, applicant's, or responsible management's possession or maintained in accordance with this chapter;

9. Fails to notify the board of a change of name or address in writing within 30 days of the change for each and every license, certificate, or temporary license;

10. Makes any misrepresentation or publishes or causes to be published any advertisement that is false, deceptive, or misleading;

11. Fails to notify the board in writing within 30 days of a final action or disciplinary action taken against any license, registration, certificate, or temporary license in any jurisdiction by a local, state or national regulatory body;

12. Has been convicted or found guilty, regardless of the manner of adjudication in Virginia or any other jurisdiction of the United States, of any felony, there being no appeal pending therefrom or the time for appeal having elapsed. Review of convictions shall be subject to the requirements of § 54.1-204 of the Code of Virginia;

13. Fails to inform the board in writing within 30 days of pleading guilty or nolo contendere or being convicted or found guilty regardless of adjudication of any convictions as stated in subdivision 12 of this section;

14. Allows, as responsible management of a shop or salon, a person who has not obtained a license or a temporary license to practice as a barber, master barber, cosmetologist, nail technician, or wax technician unless the person is duly enrolled as a registered apprentice;

15. Allows, as responsible management of a school, a person who has not obtained an instructor certificate or a student instructor temporary license to practice as a barber, master barber, cosmetologist, nail technician, or wax technician instructor;

16. Fails to take sufficient measures to prevent transmission of communicable or infectious diseases or fails to comply with sanitary requirements provided for in this chapter or any local, state, or federal law or regulation governing the standards of health and sanitation for the practices of barbering, master barbering, cosmetology, nail care, or waxing, or the operation of barbershops, cosmetology salons, nail salons, or waxing salons; or

17. Fails to comply with all procedures established by the board and the testing service with regard to conduct at any board examination.

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 29, Issue 26, eff. November 1, 2013; Volume 33, Issue 9, eff. February 1, 2017; Volume 35, Issue 12, eff. April 1, 2019; Volume 38, Issue 4, eff. December 1, 2021; Volume 42, Issue 5, eff. December 1, 2025.

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