North Carolina Health and Safety Rules
Infection control is the heart of North Carolina's health and safety code and a major focus of salon inspections. This chapter covers how tools, surfaces, and services must be handled to protect clients from the spread of disease.
Cleaning, Disinfection, and Single-Use Items
North Carolina rules distinguish between cleaning, which removes visible debris, and disinfection, which kills pathogens using an EPA-registered disinfectant labeled for salon use. Nonporous, reusable implements such as metal shears and nippers must be cleaned and then disinfected before each new client, while porous single-use items such as files, wooden sticks, and wax applicators must be discarded after one use because they cannot be reliably disinfected. Rinsing, wiping, or airing tools is not disinfection. Following this cleaning-then-disinfection sequence between every client is a core inspection standard.
Blood Exposure and Standard Precautions
Because blood and body fluids can transmit disease, North Carolina requires standard precautions whenever a client is cut or bleeds. The correct response is to stop the service, put on gloves, care for and cover the wound, then clean and disinfect any surfaces or reusable tools that contacted blood and discard contaminated single-use items. Shared towels and ignoring small injuries both create real infection risk. Treating every client's blood as potentially infectious keeps both the client and the practitioner safe.
Foot Spas, Basins, and Facility Sanitation
Foot spas and whirlpool basins trap skin, oils, and debris in warm water where bacteria that cause skin infections can multiply, so North Carolina rules require cleaning and disinfecting the basin, jets, and filters after every client, with periodic deeper disinfection. Work surfaces, linens, and product containers must also be kept clean, and clean supplies must be stored separately from used ones. These are public-health requirements, not cosmetic preferences, and lapses have caused documented outbreaks. Consistent facility sanitation is what makes professional services safe.
State-specific details
State exam facts
- State regulator
- North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners
- Exam vendor
- Prov (NIC exams)
- Prelicensing education
- 1,500 hours at an approved cosmetic art school
- Passing score
- 75
How many training hours does North Carolina require for a cosmetology license?
North Carolina requires 1,500 hours at an approved cosmetic art school, including required 'performances.'
Who licenses cosmetologists in North Carolina?
The North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners licenses cosmetologists. The NIC written and practical exams are delivered by Prov — not PSI.
Does North Carolina still require a practical exam?
Yes. North Carolina requires both the NIC written exam and a hands-on NIC practical exam, and a score of 75% or higher is required to pass.
Sources: https://www.nccosmeticarts.com/initiallicensing/ncstudents.aspx, https://www.ncleg.gov/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bychapter/chapter_88b.html
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