If you reside in or own a business licensed by the board in any of the following counties, the rules may cover you: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Forsyth, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lee, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Nash, Polk, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey.

These counties were selected because they were covered by FEMA disaster declarations.

If you are one of the affected individuals (see Who is covered by the emergency rules? above), and your electrology license expires between September 1, 2024, and February 28, 2025, your license deadline has been automatically extended to March 1, 2025. If you renew your license by March 1, 2025, you don't need to pay late fees, and you may continue practicing as a license electrologist.

If you need a revised license to reflect the new expiration date, please contact the board at electrolysis@nc.gov.

If you are one of the affected individuals (see Who is covered by the emergency rules? above), and you submit an apprentice barber exam application between September 1, 2024, and February 28, 2025, you may request a temporary license that will last for six months. The purpose of this temporary license is to allow you plenty of time to work without having to worry about travel to take the exam during disaster recovery. The form to request a temporary permit is available here: Temporary Permit Request Form.

You are eligible for a temporary permit, even if you have failed the exam twice or received two temporary permits previously. (Normally, you cannot receive another temporary permit if you failed twice or received two previously.)

If we denied a request for a temporary permit and you believe you were eligible under these emergency rules, please contact us at barbers@nc.gov or (919) 814-0640.

If you are one of the affected individuals (see Who is covered by the emergency rules? above), the time you work under a six-month temporary permit will count toward the one-year apprenticeship you must complete before applying to become a licensed barber (previously called "registered barber"). Normally, temporary permits don't give you credit toward this apprenticeship, but these temporary permits count toward the apprenticeship, even though you aren't licensed yet.

In 2025 or later, if the board doesn't count your temporary permit toward the apprenticeship, please let us know about the mistake by sending an email to barbers@nc.gov or calling (919) 814-0640. Please note that the credit only counts for these special, six-month temporary permits.

Normally, you must apply to take the exam to become a licensed barber (previously called "registered barber") within three years of getting your apprentice license. Otherwise, you must retake the written and practical apprentice barber exams. Under the emergency rules, if your apprentice license expires between September 1, 2024, and February 28, 2025, you will be allowed to take the licensed barber exam. You still must meet the other application requirements.

The board will also issue you a temporary permit with a deadline of June 30, 2025, so that you can practice barbering while meeting the requirements to be a licensed barber. You may request a temporary permit here: Temporary Permit Request Form.

Please note that these emergency rules only apply to affected individuals (see Who is covered by the emergency rules? above).