Barber License Defense
Representation Before the State Board of Barber Examiners
The State Board of Barber Examiners licenses barbers, barber managers, barber teachers, barber shops and barber schools in the Commonwealth. The Board's inspectors examine shops and schools, and a single inspection may result in citations against both the shop and the individual licensees working there.
Board matters most often arise from inspection findings concerning sanitation, licensure of staff or the display of licenses, and from customer complaints. Many of these matters are handled through the citation program, but repeated or serious violations may lead to formal charges and action against a license.
Mimm Law, LLC represents barbers, shop owners and schools at every stage of a Board matter, from a citation or inspection through final order.
Governing Law
- Board
- State Board of Barber Examiners
- Statute
- Barbers' License Law, 63 P.S. § 551 et seq.
- Regulations
- 49 Pa. Code Chapter 3
- Licensees
- Barbers, shops and schools
- Renewal
- Biennial; licenses expire April 30 of even-numbered years
Who the Board Regulates
- Barber license
- Barber manager license
- Barber teacher license
- Barber shop license
- Barber school license
- Temporary license and registered student status
Grounds for Discipline
Section 9 of the Barbers' License Law (63 P.S. § 559) authorizes the Board to suspend or revoke a license for, among other things:
- Habitual use of alcohol, narcotics or stimulants to a degree that renders the licensee incapable of practice
- Having, or passing to a customer, a contagious or infectious disease
- Practicing in an unsanitary manner or in an unsanitary place
- Gross incompetence
- Unethical or dishonest practice, or violation of the Law
- Employing an unlicensed person
- Charging tuition to a student in a licensed shop
- Refusing to permit an inspection
Sanctions the Board May Impose
After written notice and an opportunity for a hearing, the Board may suspend or revoke a license. The Law authorizes the Board to levy a civil penalty (now up to $10,000 per violation under 63 Pa.C.S. § 3108) on a licensee who violates the Law or on a person who practices or runs a shop without a license, and a revoked licensee may not reapply for five years unless a court orders reinstatement. A citation must be admitted and paid, or denied with a request for a hearing, within 10 days of issuance, or a default judgment for the full penalty is entered.
In addition to the sanctions in the Board's own statute, Chapter 31 of Title 63 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes authorizes each licensing board to impose a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation and to assess the costs of investigation against a licensee found to have violated the law.
Obligations That Often Lead to Board Matters
Inspections
Board inspectors may enter and examine a shop or school during business hours, and a refusal to permit an inspection is itself a ground for discipline. Shops and schools must be inspected and approved before opening or relocating.
Supervision and Display
Except for one-barber shops, every shop must be under the immediate supervision of a manager-barber or another licensee designated in charge, the names of the owner and the manager-barber or designated licensee must be posted, and each licensee's license must be displayed in front of the licensee's working chair.
Staffing
Employing an unlicensed person is a ground for discipline against the shop and the manager. Owners should confirm the current license status of every person who provides services.
Matters We Handle
- Citations and civil penalties following an inspection
- Sanitation and safety findings
- Practice on an expired license or employment of unlicensed staff
- Shop licensing and ownership issues
- Criminal charges and convictions affecting licensure
- Applications and reinstatement following a lapse
How We Can Help
Board Investigations
Upon receipt of a letter of inquiry, a subpoena or contact from an investigator, the firm evaluates the allegations, reviews the licensee's records, prepares a written response and attends any investigative interview. In some matters, an early, well-documented response may resolve the matter before formal charges are filed.
Formal Charges and Hearings
When the Commonwealth files an Order to Show Cause, the time to respond is short, and a respondent who misses the deadline may be held in default and the facts alleged deemed admitted. The firm prepares and files the answer, negotiates a consent agreement where one serves the client's interests, and tries the matter before the hearing examiner or the Board where it does not.
Applications and Reinstatement
For applicants whose history may raise questions, and for licensees seeking reinstatement after suspension, revocation or lapse, the firm assembles the application and supporting record and presents the matter to the Board.
Questions Licensees Ask
I received a citation after an inspection. Should I simply pay it?
Paying a citation resolves it, but payment is entered as a plea admitting the violation. A licensee who disputes the inspector's findings, or who has received prior citations, should consider the consequences before paying. A citation must be paid or contested within 10 days of issuance; if the licensee does not respond, a default judgment for the full penalty is entered and further discipline may follow.
Can the shop be disciplined for something an employee did?
Yes. The Law makes employing an unlicensed person a ground for discipline, and conditions in the shop are the responsibility of the owner and the manager-barber. Both the shop license and individual licenses may be affected by a single inspection.
My license lapsed. Can I keep working while I renew?
No. Practice on a lapsed license is unlicensed practice and may result in a civil penalty. A licensee should stop providing services until the license is restored and should address the lapse with the Board directly. A barber, manager-barber or barber-teacher who does not renew for five years must retake the practical examination and pay back fees.
Should I speak with an investigator before I have counsel?
A licensee who receives a letter of inquiry, a subpoena or a telephone call from an investigator with the Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation should be courteous and should note the investigator's name and contact information, but should not give a substantive statement before obtaining advice. Anything said to an investigator may be included in the report reviewed by the prosecuting attorney and, later, by the Board. Counsel can determine what is being alleged, gather the relevant records and prepare a response that is accurate, complete and appropriately limited.
Must I report a criminal conviction, plea or ARD, or discipline in another state?
Yes. Pennsylvania law requires every licensee to notify the licensing board in writing within 30 days of discipline imposed by a licensing authority in another jurisdiction and of a finding of guilt, guilty plea, plea of nolo contendere, probation without verdict, disposition in lieu of trial or Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition on a felony or misdemeanor charge. Some boards' regulations impose additional or earlier reporting duties, including, for nurses and massage therapists, a duty to report the filing of criminal charges within 30 days. A failure to report is itself a ground for discipline, and it is frequently charged alongside the underlying conduct.
Meet Your Attorney
Steven A. Mimm, Esq.
Founder, Mimm Law, LLC. Admitted in Pennsylvania (2008) and New Jersey (2022).
From 2014 to 2022, Attorney Steven A. Mimm served as a prosecuting attorney bringing disciplinary actions on behalf of the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs before Pennsylvania's licensing boards. That experience informs how the firm evaluates evidence, negotiates with the Commonwealth and prepares cases for hearing. Where a licensee also faces criminal charges, the firm handles the licensing matter and coordinates with the licensee's criminal defense counsel.
Related: All Licensing Boards · Licensing and FAQs
Last reviewed September 2026. The information on this page is general in nature and is not legal advice. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship.