The District of Columbia Board Of Cosmetology is in charge of enforcing laws and regulations through inspections, investigation into complaints submitted by consumers and conducts hearings, imposes penalties and enforces actions when they deem necessary. Through education and the enforcement of the cosmetology laws in DC, the state board ensures the safety, welfare and public health by regulating the salons, schools and individuals who practice cosmetology. The list of the board members who are part of the District of Columbia Board of Barber and Cosmetology are listed below:

State Board Members

Member Position Area
Anwar S. Saleem, PhD Chair Cosmetologist
Raymond L. Kibler - Barber
Jared Scott - Barber
Mark C. Wills - Barber
Isaac Colon - Body Artist
Eric Doyle - Body Artist
Richard A. DeCarlo, PhD - Cosmetologist
Vonetta Dumas Cosmetologist Specialty Braider
Sharon A. Young Cosmetologist Specialty Manicurist

They also issue licenses for to individuals who qualify for reciprocity or through the state boards administration of a written and practical examination to schools and salons. To find out how to apply for a new license, renew an existing one or find out how many hours for cosmetology license in District of Columbia, check out the District of Columbia Cosmetology License page for additional information. The list of categories the state board issues licenses for are below:

  • Available License Categories
  • Barbers
  • Body Artists
  • Cosmetologists
  • Braiding
  • Electrolysis
  • Esthetics
  • Manicuring

If you need to obtain a cosmetology license, renew an existing one, or want to open up a salon or go to school, then in most cases there are fees involved. We list all available fees for this state below. We recommend to call the District of Columbia State Board Of Cosmetology if you cannot find the fee information you are looking for below, or if you need to know how to pay your fees and what type of payments they accept.

Service Fee Terms
Barber Application $65 -
Barber License $110 Up to 2 years
Manager License $110 Up to 2 years
Instructor License $110 Up to 2 years
Owner License $110 Up to 2 years
Barber & Owner Renewal $110 Up to 2 years
Barber, Manager & Instructor Renewal $155 -
Late Renewal Fee $50 -
Reinstated License Renewal $155 Up to 2 years
Inactive Status Renewal $155 -
Duplicate License Renewal $30 -
Verification of Records $30 -
Cosmetologist Application $65 -
Cosmetologist License $110 Up to 2 years)
Cosmetologist Renewal $110 Up to 2 years
Cosmetologist Renewal
(Managers & Instructors)
$155 -
Cosmetologist Renewal
(Specialty Managers & Instructors)
$155 -
Cosmetologist Late Renewal Fee $50 -
Cosmetologist Reinstated License $110 Up to 2 years
Cosmetologist Reinstated License
(Managers & Instructors)
$155 -
Cosmetologist Reinstated License
(Specialty Managers & Instructors)
$155 -
Cosmetologist Inactive Status
(All categories)
$110 -
Cosmetologist Inactive Status
(Managers, Instructors & Specialty)
$155 -
Cosmetologist Duplicate License $30 -
Cosmetologist Verification of Records $30 -
Cosmetologist Temporary License
(All operators except electrologists)
$110 -

District of Columbia Cosmetology License Lookup

If you are planning to setup an appointment with a local salon, it is recommended that you first verify the professional or business license. You can do that online for the state of District of Columbia by visiting bbc.dcopla.com. From there you can search for the person or business and see if there are any disciplinary actions on record. This will allow you to make an informed decision about the person and or business providing your service.

Filing a Complaint

Part of the duties of the District of Columbia Board of Barber and Cosmetology is receiving and investigating consumer complaints involving unlawful acts which may include:

  • False advertisement
  • Violations of health
  • Deceptive statements
  • Sanitation regulations
  • Unlicensed person
  • Malpractice or incompetence

If you feel like you have experienced one of these issues listed above, or have information about a specific incident, then you would need to submit your complaint. If you have issues or questions about the complaint process outlined below, then it is recommended you contact the state board for assistance.

If you need to submit a complaint, then you can do so by accessing the online complaint form and submitting it to the Office of Consumer Protection. They ask that you fill out all required fields and be as specific as possible. While you may submit a complaint anonymously, please note it may hinder their ability to investigate a specific complaint without contact information for the complainant. The Office of Consumer Protection:

  • Can investigate "consumer" complaints only
  • Investigates cases where the goods or services offered by the business were sought by the complainant for personal use
  • Has no authority to investigate business-to-business transactions
  • Has no authority to investigate landlord-tenant complaints

If you have any other questions, please contact the DCRA Consumer Protection Hotline at 202-442-4476 or send an email to: dcra.consumerprotection@dc.gov

Here are some tips on preparing your complaint. Make a list of things you want to say. Try your best to separate your feelings from the facts. Present the events in the order of which they happened, use dates and times if possible. When submitting your complaint, please make sure to provide copies of documents, for example contracts, letters, advertisements, sakes slips, cancelled checks, warranties and any other documentation that can support your claim. Only provide copies, keep the original copies for your own record. Please remember, the complaint should describe the event or practice which misled you. If you can, please also state why the practice was misleading.

If you still have questions or issues about your complaint or about cosmetology, then use the contact information listed below. We provide the District of Columbia Board Of Cosmetology phone number, office address and how to access their departments website.

  • State Board Office Location
  • District of Columbia Board of Barber and Cosmetology
    1100 4th Street SW
    Washington, DC 20024

  • State Board Office Phone
  • You can reach the office by calling the District of Columbia State Board of Cosmetology phone number 866-270-9817. Their fax number is 202-403-3446.

  • State Board Website
  • You can acccess the District of Columbia state board online by going to www.dcopla.com.