Two separate boards, two sets of rules — training hours, fees, renewal and every practical exam, read from the Maryland Department of Labor and the PSI bulletins.
The Board of Barbers sits under Title 4 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article, the Board of Cosmetologists under Title 5 — different hours, different fees, and only one of them requires continuing education.
Maryland runs two different systems. The barber exams are Maryland-specific and come with an itemised kit. Everything under the cosmetology board uses the PSI National Practical test, for which PSI states there are no supply lists — you bring what you would use at work.
Barber figures come from the Board of Barbers, cosmetology from the Board of Cosmetologists. The two are not interchangeable.
| Licence | Board | School hours | Apprentice route |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barber | Barbers | 1,200 | 2,250 hrs |
| Barber-Stylist Limited | Barbers | 900 | 1,650 hrs |
| Master Barber | Barbers | — | see guide |
| Shop Owner | Barbers | — | see guide |
| Cosmetologist | Cosmetologists | 1,500 | see guide |
| Limited Hairstylist | Cosmetologists | 1,200 | see guide |
| Limited Blow Dry Stylist | Cosmetologists | 350 | see guide |
| Limited Esthetician | Cosmetologists | 600 | see guide |
| Limited Nail Technician | Cosmetologists | 250 | see guide |
| Senior Cosmetologist | Cosmetologists | — | see guide |
Straight to the source. Barbering and cosmetology in Maryland are regulated by the Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing.
Everything we've documented from the Maryland Department of Labor and the PSI candidate bulletins — sourced, dated, and separated by licence because the requirements genuinely differ.
What each Maryland licence requires, with the hours and fees named to their source on the Department of Labor's own pages.
Maryland still requires a hands-on exam — six of them, one per licence. The graded sections and the time on each, from the PSI bulletins.
Every item you bring, and the labelling rules that cost candidates points before they start. Maryland publishes a kit list; most states don't.
Renewal cycles, fees and the late bands, per licence.
The directory covers Texas and California shops, salons, schools and supply stores. Maryland here is licensing information only — we would rather say so than show you an empty search box.
Checked 2026-08-10. Maryland publishes almost none of this as a PDF; the fee tables and hour requirements exist only as web pages that carry no version and change without notice. Every figure names its source — confirm against it before you rely on it.