Makes the following changes to the NC Cosmetic Art Act (GS Chapter 88B), as amended by SL 2025-20 (adding references to “Space Force” in the described General Statute Provisions).

Removes the term apprentice, cosmetology, natural hair care teacher, and adds hair design, hair design teacher, hair designer, and licensee to the act’s definitions (GS 88B-2). Makes conforming changes to natural hair specialist.

Requires, in GS 88B-4, for the NC Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners (Board) to offer or approve a ten-hour course in infection control for natural hair specialists, at least one of which must be available free of charge on its website. Reduces the curriculum hours for obtaining a license to practice cosmetology from 1,500 to 1,200 hours of a cosmetology curriculum in GS 88B-7. Removes option to obtain a cosmetologist license upon completion of 1,200 hours and a six-month apprenticeship. Makes additional conforming changes.

Enacts GS 88B-8.1, creating a license for hair designers, by meeting the following three qualifications: (1) successful completion of at least 900 hours of a hair design curriculum in an approved cosmetic art school, (2) passage of an exam conducted by the Board, and (3) payment of the required fees.  

Removes licenses for apprentices, previously under GS 88-B8.

Removes option to obtain license as a natural hair care specialist under GS 88B-10.1 and replaces it with option to obtain an infection control certification for a natural hair care specialist upon completion of a 10-hour course, passage of an exam on infection control and payment of fees.

Allows licensed hair designers to qualify for the following licensures by meeting the following curriculum-hour requirements, in addition to meeting other listed qualifications: (1) an esthetician license under GS 88B-9 by completing at least 300 hours of an esthetics curriculum in an approved cosmetic art school for licensed hair designers; (2) a manicurist license under GS 88B-10 by completing at least 100 hours of a manicurist curriculum in an approved cosmetic art school.  

Creates a license to practice as a hair design teacher under GS 88B-11 for any individual who meets the described requirements including holding in good standing a cosmetologist or hair design license issued by the Board, either the requisite practice of hair design or completion of 500 hours of teacher curriculum, and passage of a teacher exam conducted by the Board. Removes provisions pertaining to licensure as a natural hair care teacher. Reduces the hours that can be met for a license as a cosmetology teacher from 800 to 500 hours of a teacher curriculum.

Adds hair designers and removes apprentices and natural hair care specialists from those persons who may qualify (1) for a temporary employment permit under GS 88B-12 and (2) comity under GS 88B-13 (applicants from other states) so long as they meet the listed requirements. Authorizes persons certified under GS 88B-10.1 to practice in the places described in GS 88B-15 (practice outside cosmetic art shops). Sets forth a $10 annual fee and late fee for hair designers in the schedule of fees in GS 88B-20.

Reduces the annual continuing education (CE) requirements for renewal of a teacher, cosmetologist, hair designer, esthetician, natural hair care specialist, or manicurist license from eight to four hours. Reduces the three-year CE requirement for a cosmetologist from twenty-four hours to twelve hours. Adds hair designers to those licensees over sixty years of age who have practiced for at least ten consecutive years who are exempt from GS 88B-21’s CE requirements. Adds hair designers, estheticians, natural hair care specialists, and manicurists to those persons with at least twenty consecutive years of experience as a cosmetologist who are also exempt from the CE requirements. Includes hair designers as those person subject to reexamination if they fail to renew their license within five years following the expiration date.

Requires, in GS 88B-23 every natural hair care specialist to conspicuously display the infection control certification issued by the Board at any place where the natural hair care specialist is practicing natural hair care.

Makes conforming, technical, and clarifying changes to GS 88B-2, GS 88B-4 (powers and duties of the Board), GS 88B-12 (temporary employee permits), GS 88B-13 (applicants licensed in other states), GS 88B-15, GS 88B-18B (exams), GS 88B-20, GS 88B-21 (license renewal, expiration and inactive status); GS 88B-22 (licenses and now certifications required), GS 88B-23, GS 88B-24 (revocation of licenses), and GS 86B-32 (persons exempt from the provisions of the article on barbers under the Barber and Electrolysis Practice Act).

Effective October 1, 2026

Provides for the following transitions from natural hair care specialist licenses to infection control certifications: (1) automatically converts those license holders to certificate holders as of October 1, 2026, free of charge; (2) specifies that applicants for natural hair care specialist licenses whose applications were submitted prior to October 1, 2026, and that are pending on that date will be granted as an infection control certification so long as the applicant has successfully completed at least 300 hours of a natural hair care curriculum in an approved school and paid the required fees. Provides for the following transitions from apprentices to cosmetologists: (1) automatically converts apprentice license holders to cosmetologist license holders as of October 1, 2026, free of charge; (2) specifies that applicants for apprentice licenses whose applications were submitted prior to October 1, 2026, and that are pending on that date will be granted as an infection control certification so long as the applicant has successfully completed at least 1000 hours of a cosmetology curriculum in an approved school, passed an exam conducted by the Board, and paid the required fees. Requires the Board to renew an expired apprentice license as a cosmetologist license without resubmission or additional qualifications.

Requires the Board to adopt rules to implement the act. Requires the Board to prominently post the following information on its website: (1) elimination of the apprentice license and transition to cosmetologist license; (2) the elimination of the natural hair care specialist license and transition to certification; (3) the requirement for the completion of the infection control course for newly certified natural hair care specialists; and (4) clear instructions to access the free Board-approved course that satisfies the requirements for infection control certification for natural hair care specialists.

Authorizes the NC Board of Barber and Electrolysis Examiners to adopt rules to implement the changes to GS Chapter 88B.