District of Columbia hair braiding rules
Do you need a license to braid hair in District of Columbia?
Yes, but not a full cosmetology license. Braiding for a fee needs a cosmetology license, or a Braiders license after 100 hours of training. The Braiders license takes 100 hours of training and $175 in state fees. Below: locs (not stated), hair extensions and sew-ins (license needed) and wig installs (license needed), each answered from District of Columbia's own statutes, rules or board pages, read on October 29, 2026, with the state's own words.
- Braiding
- Braiding license
- Locs
- Not stated
- Extensions
- License needed
- Wig installs
- License needed
Licensed by the DC Board of Barber and Cosmetology.The board's site Hours and fees for each licenseThe state's own words
Hair braiding
Do you need a license to braid hair in District of Columbia?
Yes, but not a full cosmetology license. Braiding for a fee needs a cosmetology license, or a Braiders license after 100 hours of training. The Braiders license takes 100 hours of training and $175 in state fees.
- License needed
- License needed
- Licenses that allow it
- Cosmetologist, Braiders
- License for this work alone
- Braiders, 100 hours of training, $175
District of Columbia is one of 16 states that ask for a license or registration for hair braiding alone rather than a full license.
Locs
Do you need a license to do locs in District of Columbia?
Not stated. District of Columbia's official pages we read do not say whether starting and maintaining locs need a license. Ask the DC Board of Barber and Cosmetology before you offer them.
- License needed
- Not stated
Hair extensions and sew-ins
Do you need a license to do hair extensions or sew-ins in District of Columbia?
Yes. Weaves and sew-ins need a Cosmetologist license, since weaving is named in the cosmetology definition.
- License needed
- License needed
- Licenses that allow it
- Cosmetologist
- License for this work alone
- None
Wig installs
Do you need a license to install wigs in District of Columbia?
Yes. Installing wigs for a fee falls under the cosmetology license, since wigs and hairpieces are named in the cosmetology definition.
- License needed
- License needed
- Licenses that allow it
- Cosmetologist
- License for this work alone
- None
Good to know
What else District of Columbia asks of braiders
- Braiders do not take the practical exam; all other license types do.
- A braiding-only salon can be licensed as a Beauty Shop (Braiding) business.
- A salon must pass a health inspection before it can open.
- Cosmetology and specialty licenses, which include braiders, expire on April 15 of even-numbered years.
Sources
What District of Columbia's official pages say
Each answer above, in the words of District of Columbia's own statutes, rules or board pages, read on October 29, 2026. Rules change: confirm with the DC Board of Barber and Cosmetology before you start charging for a service.
- Hair braiding
“bleaching, braiding, coloring, curling, cutting, dressing, eyebrow arching, the use of devices or chemicals to straighten, curl, or wave hair, shampooing, singeing, styling, weaving, or similar work performed upon the face, hair, hairpiece, or wig of a person”
code.dccouncil.gov ““practice of cosmetology” means providing or offering to the general public for a fee any of the following services solely for cosmetic purposes: bleaching, braiding, coloring”
code.dccouncil.gov “Braiders – 100 hours”
dlcp.dc.gov “Initial Application by Exam for All License Types - $175”
dlcp.dc.gov “words describing any cosmetology specialty (“manicurist,” “braider,” etc.) that may be defined by the Board”
code.dccouncil.gov - Hair extensions and sew-ins
“bleaching, braiding, coloring, curling, cutting, dressing, eyebrow arching, the use of devices or chemicals to straighten, curl, or wave hair, shampooing, singeing, styling, weaving, or similar work performed upon the face, hair, hairpiece, or wig of a person”
code.dccouncil.gov ““practice of cosmetology” means providing or offering to the general public for a fee any of the following services solely for cosmetic purposes: bleaching, braiding, coloring”
code.dccouncil.gov - Wig installs
“bleaching, braiding, coloring, curling, cutting, dressing, eyebrow arching, the use of devices or chemicals to straighten, curl, or wave hair, shampooing, singeing, styling, weaving, or similar work performed upon the face, hair, hairpiece, or wig of a person”
code.dccouncil.gov ““practice of cosmetology” means providing or offering to the general public for a fee any of the following services solely for cosmetic purposes: bleaching, braiding, coloring”
code.dccouncil.gov - Also good to know
“All license types are required to take a practical exam, except Braiders, Master Estheticians, Managers and Owners.”
dlcp.dc.gov - Also good to know
“Beauty Shop (Braiding)”
dlcp.dc.gov - Also good to know
“Before you can open and operate a cosmetology salon, barber shop, swimming pool, or other related facility, you must receive a passing Health Inspection”
dchealth.dc.gov - Also good to know
“All cosmetology and specialty licenses expire on April 15th of even-numbered years, regardless of when they were issued.”
dlcp.dc.gov
Questions
District of Columbia hair braiding licenses, answered
Do you need a license to braid hair in District of Columbia?
Do you need a license to do locs in District of Columbia?
Do you need a license to do hair extensions or sew-ins in District of Columbia?
Do you need a license to install wigs in District of Columbia?
What do you need to open a braiding salon in District of Columbia?
Plan the rest
Ready to fill your book
- Hours, exams and fees for each District of Columbia cosmetology and barber license
- What District of Columbia requires to open a salon or shop of your own
- What District of Columbia inspectors check in a salon
- Renewing a District of Columbia cosmetology or barber license
- Renting a chair or a suite? Start from a booth rental agreement
- A deposit and cancellation policy for long appointments
Hair braiding rules in other states
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