South Carolina H 5699: Barbers and barbering

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 5699 Text of Previous Version (May. 13, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 5699

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH 
CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 40-7-15 SO AS TO PROVIDE LICENSURE TO 
PRACTICE BARBERING IS VOLUNTARY, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE AUTHORITY AND 
LIMITATIONS OF LICENSED AND UNLICENSED BARBERS; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-7-20, 
RELATING TO DEFINITIONS CONCERNING BARBERS AND BARBERING, SO AS TO DEFINE THE 
TERM "REGISTERED BARBER"; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-7-200, RELATING TO PRACTICING 
BARBERING IN VIOLATION OF THE CHAPTER, SO AS TO PROVIDE IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR A 
PERSON TO FALSELY REPRESENT HIMSELF AS A LICENSED OR REGISTERED BARBER OR TO 
OTHERWISE VIOLATE CERTAIN STATUTORY PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO LICENSED BARBERS; 
BY AMENDING SECTION 40-7-290, RELATING TO REQUIREMENTS FOR BARBERS WHO TRAIN 
STUDENTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE ONLY REGISTERED BARBERS MAY SUPERVISE AND TRAIN 
STUDENTS IN REGISTERED BARBER SCHOOLS; BY AMENDING SECTION 40-7-320, RELATING 
TO THE REQUIREMENT THAT BARBERSHOPS BE REGISTERED AND THE MANDATORY POSTING OF 
INSPECTION RATINGS AND REGULATIONS IN BARBERSHOPS AND BARBER SCHOOLS, SO AS TO 
PROVIDE RELATED STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS AND REGULATIONS APPLY REGARDLESS OF 
WHETHER INDIVIDUALS WHO OWN, OPERATE, OR PRACTICE WITHIN A BARBERSHOP ARE 
LICENSED BARBERS, AND TO PROVIDE A PERSON MAY OWN, OPERATE, OR WORK IN A 
REGISTERED BARBERSHOP WITHOUT BEING A REGISTERED BARBER; AND BY REPEALING 
SECTION 40-7-30 RELATING TO THE REQUIREMENT OF LICENSURE TO BE A BARBER OR 
PRACTICE BARBERING.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Chapter 7, Title 40 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

 Section 
40-7-15. (A) A person may practice 
barbering in this State without obtaining a license issued by the board.

 (B) A 
person who elects to obtain a license under this chapter:

 (1) 
may use the title "registered barber"; and

 (2) 
is subject to the jurisdiction of the board.

 (C) 
Only individuals licensed by the board may:

 (1) 
hold themselves out as a "registered barber"; or

 (2) 
perform services expressly restricted by this chapter to licensed individuals.

 (D) 
Nothing in this chapter may be construed to prohibit an unlicensed person from 
engaging in the practice of barbering, except as otherwise expressly provided 
in this chapter.

SECTION 2. Section 40-7-20 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 (3) "Registered barber" means an 
individual who is licensed pursuant to this chapter.

SECTION 3. Section 40-7-200 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
40-7-200. It is unlawful for a person to falsely 
represent himself as a licensed or registered barber or to otherwise violate a 
provision of this chapter applicable to licensed individuals. A person who 
violates this section is subject to the penalties provided in this chapter. A 
person who practices or offers to practice barbering in 
this State in violationviolates a provision 
of this chapter or who knowingly submits false information for the purpose of 
obtaining a license is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be 
imprisoned not more than one year or fined not more than five thousand dollars.

SECTION 4. Section 40-7-290 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

 (C) Only a registered barber may 
supervise and train students in a barber school.

SECTION 5. Section 40-7-320 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
40-7-320. (A) A barbershop must be 
registered with the board. Applications for registration and inspection of new 
shops must be made at least fifteen working days before opening the shop. No 
new shop may be operated until all fees are paid and the shop has passed 
inspection.

 (B) A 
copy of the inspection rating and copy of the regulations for the sanitary 
management of a barbershop, as provided for in Section 40-7-60, must be posted 
in a conspicuous place in each barbershop or barber school.

 (C) Barbershop licensure and inspection 
requirements of this chapter and regulations promulgated pursuant to this 
chapter apply regardless of whether individuals who own, operate, or practice 
in a barbershop are licensed; provided, however, that a person may own, 
operate, or work in a registered barbershop without being licensed as a 
registered barber pursuant to this chapter.

SECTION 6. Section 
40-7-30 of the S.C. Code is repealed.

SECTION 7. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on May 13, 2026 at 10:55 AM