Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1603 is the statute governing barbering and cosmetology in Texas — the legal foundation behind your license, your renewal, and your CE requirement. The old Chapter 1601 (Barbers) and Chapter 1602 (Cosmetologists) were repealed and consolidated into Chapter 1603 by HB 1560, effective September 1, 2021.
The chapter sits in Title 9 of the Occupations Code and covers:
- Definitions and the scope of barbering and cosmetology practice
- The Advisory Board on Barbering and Cosmetology
- The Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation's rulemaking authority — CE requirements, fee schedules, licensing standards, and sanitation rules
- Complaint procedures and consumer protection
- Every license and permit category in the program
The day-to-day rules that implement the statute — disinfection procedures, CE topic lists, establishment responsibilities — live in Title 16, Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 83. When a CE course or TDLR notice cites "Chapter 1603" or "Chapter 83," this pairing is what it means: the statute sets the framework, the rules fill in the details, and TDLR administers both day to day.
What it means for your renewal
You will see this citation on TDLR notices and in CE course content. The practical takeaway: any reference you find to the old Chapters 1601 or 1602 is outdated — guidance written against them may describe requirements that no longer exist.
Authority: Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1603