Legislative auditor: Minn. cosmetology licensing too complex, burdensome

A new report says Minnesota’s complex cosmetology licensing structure and requirements are more expensive and burdensome for licensees and don’t contribute to public health or safety.

The Office of the Legislative Auditor released its report Wednesday morning, which included several recommendations for changing the state’s cosmetology licensing structure.

Last year, about 5,350 cosmetology businesses were licensed and nearly 33,000 practitioners were licensed in Minnesota, according to the report.

The auditor’s office reports that most licensees reported they were satisfied with the state’s Board of Cosmetologist Examiners, but some struggled to get clear answers to questions to the board. The report also notes that cosmetology practitioners can perform nearly all of the same services as barbers but the state has two separate boards to regulate the occupations.

Recommendations outlined in the report include simplifying the licensing structure, authorizing a specialty license for practitioners who only want to perform hair services, allowing the board to issue just one type of salon license given the health and safety requirements for all salons are the same, and clarifying the scope of practice for cosmetologists and barbers while determining whether separate regulation boards for them still makes sense.

Additionally, the office recommended the Legislature require unlicensed practitioners who perform makeup and hairstyling to register with the BCE, given the board currently has no way to enforce the requirement for those practitioners to take an alternative course instead of getting a license. The BCE also needs to post registrations on its website, the report recommended.

The full report from the Office of the Legislative Auditor can be found online.