Chapter 10 of 1040% of exam

Colorado Health & Safety Rules

The Colorado Office of Barber and Cosmetologist Licensure enforces sanitation and infection-control standards to protect the public. These rules apply the same universal principles you learned nationally, framed as Colorado's enforceable requirements for implements, single-use items, blood exposure, and the work station.

Disinfecting Implements

Clean all reusable implements of hair and debris before disinfecting them.

Disinfect hard, non-porous tools with an EPA-registered disinfectant used at the correct dilution and full contact time.

Immerse combs, shears, and clips fully; disinfect clippers with an approved spray or wipe, not immersion.

Store disinfected tools clean and dry in a covered container, separate from soiled implements.

Single-Use Items & Station Sanitation

Discard porous single-use items (emery boards, wooden sticks, neck strips) after one client.

Use freshly laundered towels and linens for each client.

Dispense powders, creams, and lotions with a clean spatula or shaker, never with fingers.

Keep work surfaces, chairs, and shampoo bowls clean and disinfected between clients.

Blood Exposure & Universal Precautions

Treat all blood and body fluids as potentially infectious.

If a cut occurs, stop, put on single-use gloves, and control the bleeding.

Clean then disinfect any blood-contaminated surfaces and implements; discard contaminated single-use items.

Place used razor blades and other sharps in a proper sharps container.

State-specific details

State exam facts

State regulator: Colorado Office of Barber and Cosmetologist Licensure (DORA)
Exam vendor: PSI
Prelicensing education: 1,500 contact hours (not to exceed 50 credits or 1,500 contact hours)
Passing score: 70
Scored questions: 135
Time limit: 120 minutes

How many training hours does Colorado require for a cosmetology license?

Colorado is a credit-hour state; its cosmetology program is capped at the equivalent of 1,500 contact hours (not to exceed 50 credits). Sources that cite 1,800 hours are incorrect for Colorado.

Who licenses cosmetologists in Colorado?

The Office of Barber and Cosmetologist Licensure, within Colorado's Division of Professions and Occupations (DORA), issues the license and uses PSI to deliver both the written and practical exams.

Does Colorado still require a practical exam?

Yes — and unusually, you must pass the practical exam before you can schedule the written exam. The written theory exam has 135 questions (110 scored) with a 120-minute limit and a 70% passing score.

Sources: https://dpo.colorado.gov/BarberCosmetology, https://proctor2.psionline.com/media/programs/COFP/749%20CO%20Cosmetology%20CIB%20July%202020.pdf

Practice this topic →← All chapters

Studying in order?

Practice stays free. The full Cosmetology State Board study guide is the material itself, taught start to finish — a downloadable PDF + EPUB you keep.

Get the book — $14.99