- Licence needed to barber for pay
- No, voluntary trade
- Regulator
- SkilledTradesBC
- Credential
- Hairstylist certificate (Red Seal)
- Hours
- 3,150 h + 15 weeks technical training
- Red Seal
- Yes
- Exam and fees
- Level 1 and Red Seal exams; practical about $500
Who regulates barbers in British Columbia?
Nobody licenses barbers in BC. SkilledTradesBC runs the voluntary hairstylist apprenticeship and certification, and its Skilled Trades Certification list — the trades where a worker must be a registered apprentice, a trade qualifier or a certified journeyperson — covers electrical, piping, refrigeration, gasfitting and sheet metal trades, with mobile and tower crane operators announced for July 5, 2027. Hairstylist and barber are not on it.
How do you get certified as a barber in British Columbia?
Certification is optional, and the credential is the hairstylist certificate. SkilledTradesBC’s hairstylist program is 3,150 hours of work-based training plus 15 weeks of technical training over two years, with a Level 1 standardized exam and the Interprovincial Red Seal exam.
- Hours: 3,150 work-based training hours.
- Technical training: 15 weeks over two years.
- Exams: Level 1 standardized level exam and the Interprovincial Red Seal exam.
- Practical assessment: required on top of the written exam; SkilledTradesBC says the assessment agency sets the fee at approximately $500.
- Experienced stylists can apply to challenge the certification exam as trade qualifiers.
Is a barber different from a hairstylist in British Columbia?
BC has no barber trade and no barber credential. A barber who wants a certificate takes the hairstylist route; the Red Seal hairstylist standard covers barbering techniques, according to the Red Seal Program.
Can an out-of-province barber work in British Columbia?
Yes, with no paperwork from SkilledTradesBC, because no certificate is required to cut hair in BC. A Red Seal hairstylist endorsement earned elsewhere is still worth keeping current: it is the credential that moves with you if you later work in Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba or Saskatchewan.
What else does a British Columbia barbershop need?
BC’s Guidelines for Personal Service Establishments list hair and barber services, so speak to your regional health authority before you open, and get a business licence from your municipality.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a licence to cut hair in BC?
No. Hairstylist certification in British Columbia is voluntary, and neither barber nor hairstylist is on SkilledTradesBC’s list of compulsory trades.
How long is the BC hairstylist apprenticeship?
SkilledTradesBC lists 3,150 hours of work-based training and 15 weeks of technical training over two years, ending in the Level 1 and Red Seal exams.
Is there a barber certificate in British Columbia?
No. BC has no barber trade, so a barber who wants a credential earns the Red Seal hairstylist certificate, which covers barbering techniques.
Can I open a barbershop in BC without a licence?
You do not need a trade licence, but the shop needs a municipal business licence, and personal service establishments in BC follow the provincial health guidelines, so check with your regional health authority first.
- Hairstylist program — SkilledTradesBC
- Skilled Trades Certification (compulsory trades) — SkilledTradesBC
- Hairstylist (NOC 63210) trade page — Red Seal Program
- Barber in Canada: job requirements — Job Bank, Government of Canada
- Personal service establishments — Government of British Columbia
