State Law, Rules, and Salon Business Practices
Law versus rule versus guidance
A statute is passed by the legislature; the board rules are adopted by the state board and carry the operating detail (sanitation protocols, hours required, continuing education, license renewal, salon inspections); guidance is advisory. Exam questions often test which level governs a specific practice, and the practical answer is always: follow the current board rule, because it changes and your memory of last year's version may be wrong.
Know the concepts your state will test: licensure and display of license, salon license and inspection, sanitation standards and log requirements, prohibited products, scope of practice, continuing education hours, renewal dates, posting of consumer complaint information, and reporting of communicable disease concerns.
Business basics
- Employment status: an employee is directed and covered by the employer's payroll and insurance; an independent contractor rents space, sets hours and prices, and carries their own liability coverage.
- Records: keep client intake forms, service records, and consent documents per state retention rules.
- Money: price lists posted, taxes collected as required, deposits and cancellation policies stated clearly. Insurance - general liability and professional liability - is a business necessity, not a nicety.
- Minors: parental consent and a guardian present where the state requires it.
- Inventory and scheduling: track product use, discard expired product, and avoid overbooking that compromises sanitation time.
Traps to expect
- Reciting a number (renewal cycle, CE hours, basin disinfectant time) that varies by state without checking.
- Confusing a federal OSHA requirement with a board rule.
- Assuming a salon license covers each individual technician.
- Treating a booth renter as an employee.
Rule of thumb
When law and rule seem to conflict, follow the stricter standard and verify it with the current board publication.