Apprenticeship
The Apprenticeship Program is a training program approved by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) and Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (Board) that allows a trainee, called an apprentice, to earn a wage while studying to become a cosmetologist, barber or electrologist under the guidance and supervision of a Board licensed trainer in an establishment licensed by the Board.
Letter to Apprenticeship Program Sponsors – July 25, 2022
Qualifications to Participate in the Apprenticeship Program
- Be at least sixteen (16) years of age and have completed the 10th grade or its equivalency.
- Have a valid social security (SSN) or individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN)
- Have a valid government-issued photo ID.
- Commit to working a minimum of 32 hours and no more than 42 ½ hours per week of On-the-Job Training (OJT) hours. Apprentice are required to complete a minimum of 3200 OJT hours over a 2-year period.
- Attend classes and complete the Related Training Hours (RTH) which are provided by your program sponsor. You will be required to complete a minimum of 220 hours over a 2-year period.
How to Become an Apprentice
To start the process of becoming an apprentice you will need to join an approved apprenticeship program (also called a program sponsor). A list of approved apprenticeship programs can be found below.
All apprenticeship programs will charge a fee to join their program. You should contact multiple apprenticeship programs and inquire about their fees, what the fee includes, and where the RTH classes are located. Unless the program sponsor has applied for and received an exemption from The Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education (Bureau), this training CANNOT exceed $2500.00. If you feel your program sponsor is charging more than $2500.00 without this exemption, please contact the Bureau (https://www.bppe.ca.gov/) with your concerns.
Complete the 39-hour Pre-Apprentice Training Class with your program sponsor. This class will provide you with the information needed to start your apprenticeship, and will include health and safety, sanitation, regulations and more.
After you complete the 39-hour Pre-Apprentice Training Class, your program sponsor will have you fill out the following forms:
- Application for an Apprentice License. You may be required to find your own trainer and establishment where you will work. Your trainer must have a valid license in the same occupation as the apprentice license you are applying for to supervise your training and the establishment where your training will take place must have a valid establishment license. Your trainer and establishment cannot have outstanding fines, currently be on, or have prior disciplinary actions in the last 2 years.
- Statement of Trainer Responsibilities. This form must be maintained on the premises of the establishment you are assigned to work in.
- Additional documents to register you as an apprentice in California with DAS.
Examination and Licensure
After completing at least 21 months of the apprenticeship program, the required OJT and the required RTH, you will apply for the licensing exam by submitting the Application for Examination, a Certificate of Completion, and the fee listed on the application. Once you pass the written examination, you will receive your professional license and will no longer have to work under a trainer as an apprentice.
*An apprentice cannot work until an apprentice license has been issued and is in the possession of the apprentice. Failure to obtain all approvals before working as an apprentice will subject the establishment owner and apprentice applicant to administrative citations and fines of up to $1,000.00. If you have any questions or concerns, please email the Board at bbcapprentice@dca.ca.gov or contact your program sponsor.
Wages and Workman's Compensation
Your apprentice license will be issued to the establishment you list on your application. Once you receive your license, you can start working in the salon with your trainer*. Your employer (establishment owner) is required to:
- Pay you at least minimum wage. As an apprentice you cannot work for commission or rent the station in the establishment you are assigned to work in.
- Obtain Workman’s Compensation for you.
Apprenticeship Information (Korean) (Spanish) (Vietnamese) (Simplified Chinese)
I want to become an Apprentice, what do I need to do?
The first thing you need to do is find a program sponsor. Please review the list of Approved Program Sponsors on the Apprentice Information page.
Will it cost me anything to become an Apprentice?
The Board requires a $25.00 licensing fee to be paid for your apprentice license. There will be additional fees charged by your program sponsor.
What other kinds of fees will I need to pay?
The Board recommends that you contact prospective program sponsors to educate yourself with the potential expenses you will have to pay before you enter the apprenticeship program. These fees can include signing up with a program sponsor, your kit, and your textbooks.
Can I be a Manicurist or Esthetician Apprentice?
No. At this time the apprentice programs are for Barber, Cosmetology and Electrology apprentices only. If you desire to become a Manicurist or an Esthetician, you will need to contact a school of cosmetology for available courses.
If I am presently attending a Board approved school of Barbering or Cosmetology and would like to become an apprentice, may I apply my school hours towards the hours required by the apprentice program?
No. Your clock-hours and operations accumulated in a Board approved school of Barbering or Cosmetology are non-transferable to the apprentice program.
Are the Related Training Hours (RTH) included in my 3,200 of On-the-Job Training (OJT) hours?
No. The Related Training Hours (RTH) are in addition to your 3,200 On the Job Training (OJT) hours. The RTH hours are given in a classroom environment by your program sponsor and will cover the Health and Safety laws of California as well as other topics the program sponsor has included in their curriculum.
I have been told that I need identification, but I don’t drive. What can I do?
All licensed individuals, including apprentices, must have a current, valid, government issued, photographic identification with them while they are working in an establishment. Acceptable forms of identification are as follows: photographic driver’s license (any state), state identification card (issued by the state Department of Motor Vehicles - any state), U.S. military identification, valid passport (valid foreign passport with valid record of arrival/departure-form I-94 or processed for I-551 stamped in a valid foreign passport), U.S. immigration and naturalization issued identification, or a certificate of United States citizenship.
Do I need a social security number to apply to be an apprentice?
The Board requires all applicants have either a valid social security number (SSN) or a valid individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN). Revised 05-2023
Will I be working on paying clients as an apprentice?
Yes. However, all work that you perform on clients must be done under the direct supervision of your designated trainer in the approved establishment listed on your license.
Does the trainer that I choose need to have any special education prior to becoming a trainer?
No. Anyone who is currently licensed by the Board as a Barber, Cosmetologist or Electrologist may become a trainer. A trainer may be the owner or employee of a licensed establishment and must be in good standing with the Board. Your trainer must be licensed in your chosen course of study (i.e., same scope of practice).
What if my trainer becomes sick or takes a leave of absence?
The Board requires that each apprentice may only work under the direct supervision of their approved trainer. If your trainer must take a day or two off due to illness, etc., you may not continue to work without your trainer present. If your trainer must take an extended leave of absence, it may become necessary for you to transfer to another trainer. You can request an additional trainer be added to your records at any time. All apprentices may have multiple trainers; however, each trainer is limited to be assigned to only 2 apprentices. Please contact your program sponsor to add additional trainers to your records.
If I decide to quit the program or need to take a leave of absence, what can I do?
If you decide to leave the program permanently or for an extended period which would prevent you from completing the required curriculum (OJT and RTH) within the period that your license is valid, your program sponsor must complete a Discontinuance Certificate. This completed and signed form must be submitted along with your apprentice license to the Board. Your earned OJT hours and operations, RTH and pre-apprentice training are retained for three years should you decide to re-enroll. After 3 years your OJT and RTH hours are no longer valid and will need to be taken again.
Do I need to be an apprentice for a full two years before I can take the licensing examination?
Under apprenticeship laws, with a twenty-four-month apprentice program, no apprentices will complete an apprenticeship earlier than twenty-one months pursuant to California Code of Regulations, Title 8, section 224 subdivision (e), which states in part the following:
The local apprenticeship program sponsor in recognition of unusual ability and progress in mastering the skills of the occupations and the related and supplemental education program may decrease the apprenticeship period for individual apprentices by not more than twelve and one-half (12 1/2) percent.
A twenty-four-month program multiplied by twelve and a half percent (12.5%) equals three months. Subtract three months from the twenty-four-month program and the minimum time the apprentice can be in the program is twenty-one months.
If I finish my requirements in 21 months, may I continue to work until my apprentice license expires?
Yes, you may work as long as your license is valid, and you are under the supervision of your trainer and working in the establishment you are approved to work in.
Can I continue to work after my license expires?
No. Once your license is expired you can no longer work. The apprentice license cannot be renewed.
Apprenticeship FAQs (Korean) (Spanish) (Vietnamese) (Simplified Chinese)
The Board of Barbering and Cosmetology is pleased to provide you with the pass and fail rates for all approved Apprentice Programs.
The pass and fail rates provided are sorted in alphabetical order by Apprentice Program name and are separated by license and examination type (written or practical).