Iowa § 157.3 - 157.3 License requirements.

§ 157.3. 157.3 License requirements.

1. An applicant who has graduated from high school or its equivalent shall be issued a license to practice any of the barbering and cosmetology arts and sciences by the department when the applicant satisfies all of the following: a. Presents to the department a diploma, or similar evidence, issued by a licensed school of barbering and cosmetology arts and sciences indicating that the applicant has completed the course of study for the appropriate practice of the cosmetology arts and sciences prescribed by the board. An applicant may satisfy this requirement upon presenting a diploma or similar evidence issued by a school in another state, recognized by the board, which provides instruction regarding the practice for which licensure is sought, provided that the course of study is equivalent to or greater in length and scope than that required for a school in this state, and is approved by the board. b. Completes the application form prescribed by the board. c. Passes an examination prescribed by the board. The examination may include both practical demonstrations and written or oral tests and shall not be confined to any specific system or method. However, a member of the board who is a licensed instructor of barbering and cosmetology arts and sciences shall not be involved in the selection or administration of the exam. 2. Notwithstanding subsection 1, a person who completes the application form prescribed by the board and who submits satisfactory proof of having been licensed in a practice of the barbering and cosmetology arts and sciences in another state for at least twelve months in the twenty-four month period preceding the submission of the application shall be allowed to take the examination for a license to practice the appropriate practice of the barbering and cosmetology arts and sciences. However, the examination requirement shall be waived for those persons who submit evidence of licensure in another state which has a reciprocal agreement with the state of Iowa under sections 147.44, 147.48, and 147.49. 3. Notwithstanding subsection 1, a person who submits satisfactory proof, signed by the supervising licensees, of having completed two thousand hours of supervised practice under an establishment training program pursuant to section 157.12D shall be allowed to take the examination for a license to practice the appropriate practice of the barbering and cosmetology arts and sciences. [C27, 31, 35, §2585-b3, -b4; C39, §2585.12, 2585.13; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, §157.3, 157.4; C77, 79, 81, §157.3] 92 Acts, ch 1097, §5; 92 Acts, ch 1205, §3; 2005 Acts, ch 89, §24; 2023 Acts, ch 99, §17 – 19; 2025 Acts, ch 140, §3 Referred to in §157.2, 157.3A, 157.12B, 157.12C NEW subsection 3 Wed Dec 10 23:08:15 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Section 157.3 (20, 1)