Indiana hair braiding rules

Do you need a license to braid hair in Indiana?

Q: Do you need a license to braid hair in Indiana?

No license needed. Natural hair braiding does not need a license in Indiana, as long as it avoids dyes, reactive chemicals, and chemical hair joining agents such as tape, keratin, bonds, or fusion bonds.

Q: Do you need a license to do locs in Indiana?

No license needed. Starting and maintaining locs does not need a license in Indiana under the natural hair braiding exemption, as long as no dyes, reactive chemicals, or chemical hair joining agents are used.

Q: Do you need a license to do hair extensions or sew-ins in Indiana?

Yes. Indiana's health department lists hair weaves and extensions as regulated by the cosmetology board; extensions braided or woven in by hand fall under the natural hair braiding exemption, but tape, keratin or fusion bonds do not.

Q: Do you need a license to install wigs in Indiana?

No license needed. Wig installation done outside traditional salon services is not regulated by the state cosmetology board, so it does not need a board license.

No license needed. Natural hair braiding does not need a license in Indiana, as long as it avoids dyes, reactive chemicals, and chemical hair joining agents such as tape, keratin, bonds, or fusion bonds. Below: locs (no license needed), hair extensions and sew-ins (license needed) and wig installs (no license needed), each answered from Indiana's own statutes, rules or board pages, read on October 29, 2026, with the state's own words.

Braiding: No license needed
Locs: No license needed
Extensions: License needed
Wig installs: No license needed

Licensed by the Indiana State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners.The board's site Hours and fees for each license The state's own words

Hair braiding

Do you need a license to braid hair in Indiana?

No license needed. Natural hair braiding does not need a license in Indiana, as long as it avoids dyes, reactive chemicals, and chemical hair joining agents such as tape, keratin, bonds, or fusion bonds.

License needed: No license needed
Exemption: Natural hair braiding is exempt from regulation if it uses no dyes, reactive chemicals, or chemical hair joining agents such as synthetic tape, keratin, bonds, or fusion bonds.

Indiana is one of 35 states whose official pages exempt hair braiding from licensing.

Locs

Do you need a license to do locs in Indiana?

No license needed. Starting and maintaining locs does not need a license in Indiana under the natural hair braiding exemption, as long as no dyes, reactive chemicals, or chemical hair joining agents are used.

License needed: No license needed
Exemption: Starting and maintaining locs is exempt as natural hair braiding if no dyes, reactive chemicals, or chemical hair joining agents are used.

Indiana is one of 25 states whose official pages exempt starting and maintaining locs from licensing.

Hair extensions and sew-ins

Do you need a license to do hair extensions or sew-ins in Indiana?

Yes. Indiana's health department lists hair weaves and extensions as regulated by the cosmetology board; extensions braided or woven in by hand fall under the natural hair braiding exemption, but tape, keratin or fusion bonds do not.

License needed: License needed
Licenses that allow it: Not stated
License for this work alone: None
Exemption: Sew-in weaves and extensions done as natural hair braiding are exempt if no chemical joining agents such as tape, keratin, bonds, or fusion bonds are used.

Wig installs

Do you need a license to install wigs in Indiana?

No license needed. Wig installation done outside traditional salon services is not regulated by the state cosmetology board, so it does not need a board license.

License needed: No license needed
Exemption: Wig installation is not regulated by the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners when it is not provided in conjunction with traditional hair salon services.

Indiana is one of 3 states whose official pages exempt installing wigs on a client from licensing.

Good to know

What else Indiana asks of braiders

Natural hair braiding excludes the use of chemical hair joining agents such as synthetic tape, keratin, bonds, or fusion bonds, so the exemption does not cover those methods.
The cosmetology definition excludes the act of natural hair braiding.
The Indiana Department of Health lists hair weaves and extensions as regulated by the Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners.

Sources

What Indiana's official pages say

Each answer above, in the words of Indiana's own statutes, rules or board pages, read on October 29, 2026. Rules change: confirm with the Indiana State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners before you start charging for a service.

Hair braiding: “The practice of natural hair braiding (as defined in IC 25-8-2-20) is exempt from regulation under this article.”
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“Natural hair braiding is exempt from the cosmetologist practice”
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“the application of dyes, reactive chemicals, or other preparations to alter the color of the hair or to straighten, curl, or alter the structure of the hair”
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“the use of chemical hair joining agents such as synthetic tape, keratin, bonds, or fusion bonds.”
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Locs: “twisting, wrapping, weaving, extending, locking, or braiding hair by hand or with mechanical devices”
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“the use of chemical hair joining agents such as synthetic tape, keratin, bonds, or fusion bonds.”
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Hair extensions and sew-ins: “Wig installation is not regulated by BOC however hair weaves/extensions are regulated by BOC.”
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“(1) the use of natural or synthetic hair extensions, natural or synthetic hair and fibers”
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“the use of chemical hair joining agents such as synthetic tape, keratin, bonds, or fusion bonds.”
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Wig installs: “Wig installation is not regulated by BOC however hair weaves/extensions are regulated by BOC.”
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“Other hair related services not provided in conjunction with traditional hair salon services (hair braiding/wig installation)”
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Also good to know: “the use of chemical hair joining agents such as synthetic tape, keratin, bonds, or fusion bonds.”
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Also good to know: “(c) "Cosmetology" does not include performing the following: (1) The act of threading. (2) The act of natural hair braiding.”
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Also good to know: “hair weaves/extensions are regulated by BOC”
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