A barber school in Virginia Beach can help you train for Virginia's barber or master barber license. Local options include a 750-hour barber course, separate master barber training and combined programs, with other campuses across Hampton Roads.
Barber school route750 hours in a licensed Virginia school
Master barber routes250 hours of master barber training or 1,000 hours in a dual program
Published local course priceLegacy Basic Barber Course: promotional $3,280 including registration; confirm availability
Examination providerProv administers the NIC theory and practical exams
Barber and master barber programs near Virginia Beach
These barber options were checked against DPOR's October 5, 2026 school list and available school pages. Short master barber extensions share a track row where appropriate; complete diploma programs remain separate, and blank fields need school confirmation.
DPOR lists 501 Lynnhaven Parkway, Suite 104; the institute website gives 1308 Kempsville Road. Confirm the approved teaching location and course details.
DPOR lists 501 Lynnhaven Parkway, Suite 104; the institute website gives 1308 Kempsville Road. Confirm the approved teaching location and course details.
Rudy & Kelly Academy, A Paul Mitchell Partner School Virginia Beach, VA
The academy's barber school license also includes a barber hybrid curriculum, distinct from its school-published dual barber and master barber program.
Legacy's basic barber course provides classroom theory and practical instruction, with a published registration-inclusive promotional price and payment plans.
Corey Eckles's Virginia Beach school license lists hybrid barber training, and the institute's website describes cutting, grooming and exam preparation.
Faith Lenise offers barbering alongside other beauty subjects, with hybrid learning options and an in-person attendance policy for students using VA benefits.
Hampton Roads Barber Academy teaches classic barbering, sanitation, customer service and Virginia exam preparation at its Lafayette Boulevard location.
Tomorrow's Image Barber & Beauty Academy Newport News, VA
Tomorrow's Image publishes a standard barber course, daytime and evening schedules, and payment options including federal student aid and veterans' benefits.
Compare the barber and master barber curricula. Virginia's curriculum regulation adds chemical waving, relaxing and lightening, among other subjects, to the master barber training outline.
2
Verify the campus and program
Find your campus on DPOR's barber school list, then ask for the curriculum and enrollment agreement for that location. Confirm any address difference before visiting or sending payment.
3
Finish the required training
DPOR's current licensing summary lists 750 school hours for barber, 250 hours of master barber training or 1,000 hours for a dual barber/master barber program. A school may publish a longer course requirement.
4
Schedule theory and practical exams
Apply through the vendor DPOR identifies as Prov. Virginia uses NIC theory and practical examinations; the published testing charges are $99 and $95, respectively.
5
Obtain your Virginia practitioner license
Submit the license application and fee and document the required examination results. The practitioner regulation also recognizes registered apprenticeship training and certain documented military experience as routes to examination eligibility.
Barber wages: Virginia figures when metro data is missing
BLS's latest OEWS release is May 2025. Its Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC table does not publish a separate barber (39-5011) estimate. The Virginia statewide estimates report 160 barber jobs, a mean wage of $24.75 per hour ($51,480 annually), and a median wage of $22.47 per hour. These are statewide occupation figures, not starting-pay offers for Hampton Roads graduates. BLS notes that OEWS does not include self-employed workers, so the figures do not represent every independent barber or shop owner's income. Before accepting work, compare employee pay with any proposed chair rental arrangement and ask who covers supplies, insurance and other business expenses.
Barber course prices and funding options
Legacy's 2026 course page advertises its Basic Barber Course at a limited-time $3,280 including registration, with a regular price of $4,100. Its separate Master Barber Course is $900 after basic training. Rudy & Kelly publishes $17,400 tuition for its dual program, before listed materials and fees. Get current charges in writing, including supplies and exam costs.
Legacy offers payment plans and says it does not provide financial aid. Rudy & Kelly's financial aid page describes FAFSA, Pell Grants and federal loans for eligible students. Tomorrow's Image's academy page lists federal student aid, GI Bill and MyCAA options; ask which benefits cover your selected barber course. A Virginia Career Works Hampton Roads planner can review WIOA eligibility and whether your chosen training provider qualifies for assistance.
How many school hours are required for a Virginia barber license?
DPOR's August 2026 licensing summary lists 750 hours in a licensed Virginia school for the barber route, followed by written and practical exams. Older sources may still show 1,100 hours. The board's curriculum notice says the reduction took effect December 1, 2025. Ask your school which curriculum and completion deadline apply to your enrollment.
What is the difference between barber and master barber training?
The master barber outline adds subjects such as chemical waving and relaxing, hair lightening or toning, wigs and limited scalp waxing under Virginia's curriculum regulation. DPOR lists 250 hours of master barber training or a 1,000-hour dual program. Compare the exact course and its admission rules, because a short master barber course is different from a beginner's combined program.
Can I use an apprenticeship instead of barber classes?
Virginia's practitioner regulation accepts a registered apprenticeship as a route to examination eligibility. DPOR's board page directs barber apprenticeship applicants to Virginia Works. Ask about registration, the workplace sponsor and required instruction before starting. A regular shop job or an informal mentoring arrangement should not be assumed to meet the registered route's requirements.
Who administers Virginia's barber licensing exams?
Prov is the exam vendor named by the Virginia Board for Barbers and Cosmetology. The board identifies NIC theory and practical tests and lists charges of $99 for theory and $95 for practical. Check the current candidate instructions for your license type. Your barber school's graduation test and its certificate or diploma are separate from the state licensing process.
Can I attend barber school while working?
Some local programs publish evening options. Tomorrow's Image lists evening school hours Tuesday through Friday from 2 to 9 p.m. Sliced Barber Academy publishes a part-time schedule Monday through Friday from 4 to 8 p.m., described as 37.5 weeks. Ask about practical attendance, makeup sessions and the final completion calendar before arranging work shifts.