Alabama Cosmetology Statutes, Board Rules, and Regulations
How the law is organized
Alabama regulates this industry through statutes in the Code of Alabama setting out the Board's authority and the scope of practice, and through administrative rules adopted by the Board that supply the operational detail: licensing, sanitation standards, curriculum requirements, inspections, fees, renewal, and disciplinary procedures. When a question asks about the source of a specific requirement, distinguish statute from rule, and remember that Board rules are what an inspector applies day to day.
Licensing and scope
Practice is limited to licensed individuals working in a licensed salon, and licenses must be available for inspection. Nail technician scope covers manicuring, pedicuring, and applying artificial nails; chemical hair services, haircutting, and facial skin care lie outside it. Working outside scope, employing unlicensed persons, or operating an unlicensed salon exposes the licensee to fines, suspension, or revocation.
Sanitation and inspections
Sanitation rules in the administrative code mirror the infection-control domain: cleaned and disinfected implements, single-use supplies, clean towels, covered waste containers, and a disinfected pedicure basin. Inspectors may enter a licensed salon during business hours without an appointment.
Traps and study advice
Questions often test whether a nail technician may perform a service outside scope, whether a license may be transferred or posted at a second location, and whether reciprocity is automatic. Specific numbers such as required training hours, fees, and renewal cycles are amended periodically, so verify them against the Board's current rules rather than memorizing a prep book figure.
Rule of thumb
If a proposed act is not clearly inside your licensed scope and the salon's license, do not do it; ask the Board.