Guides · for braiders
Do you need a license to braid hair in Georgia?
No. Georgia’s cosmetology law leaves out anyone who only braids, so there’s no license, registration, fee or exam for braiding. That covers twisting, interlocking and extensions, as long as you don’t cut, color, relax or perm.
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What the law says
Georgia’s cosmetology chapter defines who is a cosmetologist, then says the term does not mean an individual who only braids the hair: by hairweaving, interlocking, twisting, plaiting, wrapping by hand, chemical or mechanical devices, or using any natural or synthetic fiber for extensions. It adds that no such individual shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter. That chapter is the one the State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers licenses under, and none of its licenses is for braiding.
That list is wide: box braids, knotless braids, cornrows, twists, braids with added hair. It doesn’t matter whether you braid at home, at your clients’ places or in a chair you rent.
What a braider may also do
A 2024 law (Senate Bill 354) also leaves shampooing and blow-dry styling out of the licensed occupations, for someone who does nothing else that needs a license. Blow-dry styling means washing, conditioning, drying and styling with mechanical devices, hair sprays and topical agents such as balms, oils and serums. It doesn’t include flat irons or curling irons, cutting, or anything that colors or changes the structure of the hair.
When you do need a license
Cutting, coloring or dyeing, relaxing or straightening, and permanent waving are services of a hair designer or cosmetologist, both licensed by the board. A license takes school or an apprenticeship, then the board’s written and practical exams, and you may not perform those services until it’s active.
Questions braiders ask
Do I need a course or a certificate to braid in Georgia?
Not for the state. With braiding outside the cosmetology chapter, Georgia sets no course, hours or exam for it.
Can I wash and blow-dry the hair before I braid?
Georgia’s law leaves shampooing and blow-dry styling out of the licensed occupations. A flat iron or a curling iron falls outside that exemption.
Can I trim the ends?
Cutting is a hair designer’s or cosmetologist’s service in Georgia, so a trim takes one of those licenses.
Do I need anything else to braid from home?
Possibly a business license from your city or county, and their rules for working from home. The state doesn’t license braiding; local rules cover where you work.
Sources
- Senate Bill 354 (2024), as passed: O.C.G.A. § 43-10-1 and § 43-10-17 (PDF)
- Georgia General Assembly: SB 354 status (signed May 2, 2024)
- Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers
- Board how-to guide: hair designer license
Rules and fees change: check the source before you rely on them.
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