New Cosmetology Rules Hit North Carolina—Are You Affected?

The Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners (Board) adopted rules (pages 38–62 of linked document) that affect an array of subjects, including adding services to the cosmetology and esthetics curricula, adding and amending civil penalty fines, changing additional hour requirements for those who fail the practical exam, and creating program transfer credits.

The new cosmetology rules went into effect April 1, 2023. Continue reading to find out how the rules may impact you.

Definitions
The adopted rules add the following definitions:
Natural hair care school—a school that teaches only the cosmetic art of natural hair care.

Natural hair care student—a student in any school whose study is limited to the natural hair care curriculum.

Deceptive Practice
The new rules take a firm stance on licensees who make verbal or written statements to the public implying they have a license or certification they do not hold or are not recognized by the Board. This false advertising is considered practicing, or attempting to practice, by “deceptive misrepresentation.” Similarly, students cannot make public verbal or written statements implying they have completed training or hold a license or certification.

Penalties and Fines
The following civil penalties have been added and amended under the new rules.

The civil penalty for allowing a North Carolina cosmetic art graduate to practice without a temporary permit and without direct supervision results in the following fines:

• First offense: $100
• Second offense: $300
• Third offense: $500

The civil penalty for practicing in a cosmetic art shop as a North Carolina cosmetic art graduate without a temporary permit results in the following fines:

• First offense: $100
• Second offense: $300
• Third offense: $500

The civil penalty for allowing an individual to perform services the practitioner is not licensed to perform results in the following fines:

• First offense: $100
• Second offense: $250
• Third offense: $500

The civil penalty for failing to submit an application for a change in school location or ownership results in the following fines:

• First offense: $500 (previously $100)
• Second offense: $750 (previously $200)
• Third offense: $1,000 (previously $500)

Permanent Records, Forms, and Documentation
The adopted rules list the information required on graduation forms:

1. Student name and social security number
2. School code
3. Completed course type
4. Date of course completion
5. Number of hours and minutes completed
6. School owner or on-site official name and signature
7. School seal

Cosmetology and Apprentice Cosmetology Curriculum
The new rules add the following services to the cosmetology and apprentice cosmetology curricula: Lash lift and brow lamination, artificial lashes, and lash and brow tint.

Esthetics Curriculum
The new rules add the following services to the esthetics curriculum:

• Facials with machines, including Woods lamp, magnifier, galvanic current, infrared light, vaporizer, microdermabrasion, suction, and exfoliating.
• Manual extraction
• Facial or body treatments (cleansing, manipulations, masks, and chemical peels)
• Aromatherapy
• Lash lift and brow lamination
• Microneedling
• Dermaplaning
• Lash and brow tint

Instruction Guidelines
The new rules state that school instruction must be completed in the following order:

1. Guided theory
2. Demonstration
3. Guided practice
4. Independent theory
5. Practice
6. Evaluation and passage of evaluation
7. Performance

Infection control and blood exposure evaluations must be taught in this order:

1. Hand washing
2. Implement disinfection
3. Beginning and end of day infection control
4. Blood exposure (self-cut)
5. Blood exposure (client)

Internships
The adopted rules require students participating in an internship to first pass the infection control and blood exposure evaluations before beginning their internship.

Additional Hours
If a cosmetologist, apprentice, esthetician, manicurist, natural hair care specialist, or teacher candidate fails the practical section of the exam three times, they must complete additional hours of instruction before reapplying for the exam. The new rules amend the number of hours they must complete as follows:

• Cosmetologist: 40 hours (previously 100)
• Apprentice: 40 hours (previously 75)
• Esthetician: 40 hours (no change)
• Manicurist: 40 hours (previously 20)
• Natural hair care specialist: 40 hours (previously 20)
• Cosmetology teacher: 40 hours (previously 100)
• Esthetician teacher: 40 hours (previously 80)
• Manicurist teacher: 40 hours (no change)

Transfer Credits
If a licensed cosmetologist chooses to return to school and registers for an esthetics, manicurist, or natural hair care specialist program, the new rules allow the cosmetologist to request a school to apply up to 50 percent of their cosmetology program hours toward an esthetics, manicurist, or natural hair care specialist curriculum.