Board for Barbers and Cosmetology – Esthetics Regulations and Statutes
Chapter 7 - Barbers and Cosmetologists
§ 54.1-700. Definitions.
As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:
"Barber" means any person who shaves, shapes or trims the beard; cuts, singes, or dyes the hair or
applies lotions thereto; applies, treats or massages the face, neck or scalp with oils, creams, lotions,
cosmetics, antiseptics, powders, clays or other preparations in connection with shaving, cutting or
trimming the hair or beard, and practices barbering for compensation and when such services are not
performed for the treatment of disease.
"Barbering" means any one or any combination of the following acts, when done on the human body for
compensation and not for the treatment of disease, shaving, shaping and trimming the beard; cutting,
singeing, or dyeing the hair or applying lotions thereto; applications, treatment or massages of the face,
neck or scalp with oils, creams, lotions, cosmetics, antiseptics, powders, clays, or other preparations in
connection with shaving, cutting or trimming the hair or a beard. The term "barbering" shall not apply to
the acts described hereinabove when performed by any person in his home if such service is not offered
to the public.
"Barber instructor" means any person who has been certified by the Board as having completed an
approved curriculum and who meets the competency standards of the Board as an instructor of
barbering.
"Barbershop" means any establishment or place of business within which the practice of barbering is
engaged in or carried on by one or more barbers.
"Board" means the Board for Barbers and Cosmetology.
"Body-piercer" means any person who for remuneration penetrates the skin of a person to make a hole,
mark, or scar, generally permanent in nature.
"Body-piercing" means the act of penetrating the skin of a person to make a hole, mark, or scar, generally
permanent in nature.
"Body-piercing salon" means any place in which a fee is charged for the act of penetrating the skin of a
person to make a hole, mark, or scar, generally permanent in nature.
"Body-piercing school" means a place or establishment licensed by the Board to accept and train
students in body-piercing.
"Cosmetologist" means any person who administers cosmetic treatments; manicures or pedicures the
nails of any person; arranges, dresses, curls, waves, cuts, shapes, singes, waxes, tweezes, shaves,
bleaches, colors, relaxes, straightens, or performs similar work, upon human hair, or a wig or hairpiece,
by any means, including hands or mechanical or electrical apparatus or appliances unless such acts as
adjusting, combing, or brushing prestyled wigs or hairpieces do not alter the prestyled nature of the wig or
hairpiece, and practices cosmetology for compensation. The term "cosmetologist" shall not include hair
braiding upon human hair, or a wig or hairpiece.
"Cosmetology" includes, but is not limited to, the following practices: administering cosmetic treatments;
manicuring or pedicuring the nails of any person; arranging, dressing, curling, waving, cutting, shaping,
singeing, waxing, tweezing, shaving, bleaching, coloring, relaxing, straightening, or similar work, upon
human hair, or a wig or hairpiece, by any means, including hands or mechanical or electrical apparatus or
appliances, but shall not include hair braiding upon human hair, or a wig or hairpiece, or such acts as
adjusting, combing, or brushing prestyled wigs or hairpieces when such acts do not alter the prestyled
nature of the wig or hairpiece.