Exams

Application Deadline - April 20, 2013 - completed application, payment and all documentation due by this date.  You may review your exam results from the last examination, one time, before the deadline for the next examination.

The Board conducts apprentice and registered barber examinations four times per year, on the first Monday of February, May, August, and November each year.  In February and August exams are held at the Minnesota School of Barbering and in May and November at Moler Barber School. 

Applications for examination and ALL related materials are due to the Board office on or before the 20^th of the month prior to the exam. If the 20th falls on a week-end exam materials are due by the end of the day the FRIDAY before. (forms available at the link below)

Exams are always given in their entirety and include a 100 question multiple choice written exam, an oral exam based on MN Statute and Rule and practical exam consisting of a shave, haircut, facial, and rolling perm rods.  During the practical examination barbers are evaluated on the total experience including draping, sanitation procedures, precision, and overall barbering skills. You may print the appropriate examination notice below for details regarding the examination process, tools required, and other details.

To obtain an apprentice barber license a score of 70% on all three components of the exam is necessary.  Apprentice barber candidates should review their text and other barber school educational materials in preparation for the written exam.  The oral portion of the examination focuses on the Minnesota statutes and rules. Minnesota statutes and rules related to barbering may be accessed from the home page of this website.  If you fail the apprentice examination you will be required to complete an additional 500 hours of barber education, reapply for the exam and pay the examination fees to be eligible to take the examination again.

To obtain a registered (master) barber license a score of 75% on all three components of the exam is necessary.  Registered barber candidates are required to purchase a Home Study Course prior to the examination which is designed to assist the barber in preparation for the registered barber written exam. In addition candidates should review their barber school materials and have knowledge of the barber statues and rules in preparing for the oral portion.  Minnesota statutes and rules related to barbering may be accessed from the home page of this website.  If you fail the registered barber examination you will be required to complete an additional two months of supervised apprentice practice (300 hours), reapply for the exam and pay exam fees to be eligible to take the examination again.

Barbers taking the examination to reinstate a license that has been expired for more than one year are exempt from the additional education/apprenticeship requirements prior to retest. Barbers seeking to reinstate a previously held Minnesota Barber license may retest as many times as necessary to reinstate the license, fees and application deadlines apply.

If you do not attend (no show) the examination your fee will be forfeit and you will be counted as having failed the exam unless arrangements are made with the board office no later than noon on the Friday before the test.  If you are unable to contact the Board office and you have proof of an extreme circumstance that resulted in the no show you will have to request a variance of rule from the Board at a Board meeting to have your fees transferred to another test date.

 Failure of your model to come to the exam is not an excusable circumstance.

 If you are a “no show” for the exam you will be required to pay the exam fees for a new exam date.