Pennsylvania Health and Safety Rules
Infection control is the heart of Pennsylvania'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
Pennsylvania 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, Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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
- Pennsylvania State Board of Cosmetology
- Exam vendor
- Pearson VUE
- Prelicensing education
- 1,250 hours of schooling (or a 2,000-hour apprenticeship)
- Passing score
- 75
- Scored questions
- 135
- Time limit
- 135 minutes
How many training hours does Pennsylvania require for a cosmetology license?
Pennsylvania requires 1,250 hours at a licensed school, or a 2,000-hour apprenticeship.
Who licenses cosmetologists in Pennsylvania?
The State Board of Cosmetology, within Pennsylvania's Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, licenses cosmetologists. The exam is delivered by Pearson VUE (registration is through the state PALS system) — not PSI.
Does Pennsylvania still require a practical exam?
No. Pennsylvania states that candidates are not required to take a hands-on practical; a single computer-based exam of 135 questions (110 scored) with a 135-minute limit and a scaled passing score of 75 covers both theory and procedures.
Sources: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/department-and-offices/bpoa/boards-commissions/cosmetology, https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/pa/cosmetology.html
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