Louisiana

Louisiana Requires 500 Hours of Training To Braid Hair Professionally. This Bill Would Increase It.

Many states have deregulated hair braiding, but Louisiana lawmakers want to tighten regulations by demanding more coursework, including on the ancient origins of braiding.

Autumn Billings | 3.11.2026 11:15 AM

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Louisiana, a state notorious for high occupational licensing barriers and below-average household median income, may soon create one of the strictest hair braiding licensing requirements in the country. 

Although the Pelican State's cosmetology board already requires at least 500 hours of training to obtain an "alternative hair design" permit, House Bill 912, proposed by state Rep. Candace Newell (D–New Orleans), would increase the minimum number of hours to at least 600 over three and a half months at a registered cosmetology school. The training must cover, in part, the ancient origins of braiding, multicultural braid styles and experiences, and proper........

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