The Barbering and Cosmetology program is the unified TDLR program under which every Texas barber and cosmetology license is issued and renewed. It is TDLR's largest program — roughly 305,000 individual licenses plus 53,000 business and facility licenses, the biggest of the agency's licensing programs by licensee count.
The program was created on September 1, 2021, when HB 1560 merged the previously separate barber and cosmetology programs. It is governed by Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1603, with administrative rules in 16 TAC Chapter 83, and an Advisory Board on Barbering and Cosmetology advises the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation on industry matters.
Licenses under the umbrella include:
- Cosmetology Operator and Class A Barber (1,000 training hours each)
- Esthetician (750 hours), Manicurist (600 hours), and the Esthetician/Manicurist combination
- Eyelash Extension Specialist (320 hours) and Hair Weaving Specialist (300 hours)
- Facility, establishment, and school licenses
All individual practitioner licenses share the same renewal mechanics: $50 every 2 years through TDLR Online Services, with 4 hours of CE per cycle (2 hours once the license has been held 15+ years).
What it means for your renewal
Whatever subtype you hold, your renewal runs through this one program — same fee, same cycle, same CE structure, same shared 4-hour course. That is why a single TDLR-approved cosmetology and barber course covers every license type in the program.
Authority: Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1603