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Division of
Professional Regulation

Apprenticeship



When to Apply for Apprenticeship

Before applying for an apprenticeship, you must find a apprentice teacher to supervise your apprenticeship. The apprentice teacher must:

  • hold a current Delaware license as a Cosmetologist, Master Barber, Barber, Nail Technician, Electrologist or Aesthetician.
  • only supervise a maximum of two apprentices at a time.
  • be qualified to supervise an apprentice as follows:
    • A Cosmetologist, Master Barber, Barber, Nail Technician, Electrologist or Aesthetician may supervise an Apprenticeship in their own type of licensure (e.g. a Cosmetologist may supervise a Cosmetologist Apprentice.
    • A Master Barber may also supervise a Barber Apprentice.
      • Master Barber vs. Barber – You will have to choose to do an apprenticeship as either Master Barber or Barber. In Delaware, a Master Barber is allowed to perform chemical processing, but a Barber is not.
    • A Cosmetology Instructor may supervise a Barber or Master Barber Apprentice only if the Cosmetology Instructor has completed 35 hours of training in shaving.
    • A Cosmetologist may also supervise a Nail Technician Apprentice or Aesthetician Apprentice.

The shop/salon you select to work in must:

  • hold a current professional Cosmetology/Barbering Establishment license.
  • have at least one person who is licensed in the same profession (e.g. Nail Technology, Electrology, Aesthetics, Barbering, or Cosmetology) where the apprentice is training.

A shop owner cannot work as an apprentice in his/her own shop (24 Del. C. §5121 (d)).


Information on How to Apply for a License in DELPROS

All applications are submitted our online system DELPROS.

  • Click on the titles below in each section to expand the information.
In order to apply for a license or submit a service request, you must first have a DELPROS user account . To LOG IN or CREATE a DELPROS (Delaware Professional Regulation Online Services) user account:

  1. Go to: https://delpros.delaware.gov/OH_HomePage.
  2. Click GO on the Apply/Manage a License and Service Requests tile.
  3. If you do not have a DELPROS user account, click the REGISTER button on the left side of page for NEW USERS.
  4. If you already have a DELPROS user account, enter your email address and password on the right side for EXISTING USERS and click the LOGIN button.

DELPROS allows you to save your incomplete application and return to it later to finish the process. You only have six (6) months to submit your application once you begin.

  • If you do not submit your application within six months of starting it, you will be required to restart the entire online application again.

You may check the status of your application online throughout the entire application process by using the “View Application Status” feature in DELPROS on your e-License dashboard.

  1. Know the requirements for the license you are pursuing.
  2. Request and gather all documents required to upload on the Attachments page. All information and forms are located on your profession’s webpages.
On the ATTACHMENTS page of your application, you may be instructed to:

  • either “attach” or “upload” the required document(s) directly to your application. This means you will find the document(s) saved on your computer or device and upload it to your application, or .
  • click “acknowledge” . This means you will either mail the documents yourself or request the “third-party” to mail the document(s) directly to the Board office.
    • Examples of “third-party forms” are transcripts from schools, employment verifications from a supervisor, or license verifications from another state.
  • Forms requiring a supervisor signature, seal, or notary may have to be MAILED to the Board office directly UNLESS the document specifically indicates to UPLOAD the document.
In addition to submitting the application and fee in DELPROS, you must submit:

  • Proof that you have a high school education equivalent to completing at least the 10th grade. Arrange for the Board office to receive one of the following as proof of your high school education:
    • A copy of your official GED certificate or an official high school transcript if you went to high school in the U.S. or a U.S. territory.
      • The high school must send the transcripts directly to the Board office.
      • If your document is not in English, the Board office to receive a translation.
    • A credential evaluation to determine if your education is equivalent to Delaware’s requirement if you went to school outside the U.S. or its territories.
    • Agencies that provide credentialing and translation services are listed on www.naces.org.

Documenting Apprenticeship Hours

The apprentice teacher and apprentice should maintain records of the hours accrued on the Apprenticeship Log. Hours can be logged daily, weekly, or monthly. The log must be signed by both the apprentice and the apprentice teacher.

Every three (3) months, the apprentice must submit a signed log documenting clock hours obtained to date. To upload the documented clock hours apprenticeship log, the apprentice must log into their DELPROS portal dashboard. In the blue navigation banner at the top, click “SERVICE REQUEST”, and the service request type will be “Apprenticeship Documentation”.

Note: Submitting your hourly log on a 3-month basis ensures your hours are recorded in DELPROS and helps prevent misplaced logs during the apprenticeship.

LICENSE TYPE HOURS PERIOD DURING WHICH HOURS MUST BE COMPLETED
Cosmetologist 3000 18 months – 36 months
Master Barber 3000 18 months – 36 months
Barber 3000 18 months – 36 months
Nail Technician 600 6 weeks – 12 months
Electrologist 600 15 weeks – 12 months
Aesthetician 1200 30 weeks – 24 months
  • If the apprentice is unable to complete the required hours within the required timeframe, submit a request for extension to the Board in writing before the apprenticeship ends. Include a statement explaining why the apprenticeship was not completed. The Board will not accept requests submitted after the apprenticeship ends. See Section 3.0 of the Board’s Rules and Regulations.

Change in Apprentice Teacher or Shop Location

A new apprentice application is required if the apprentice changes:

  • the shop or salon where they are apprenticing, or
  • the apprentice teacher


Applying for Licensure and Registering for the Examination

When the apprenticeship hours are completed…

  • The apprentice teacher must complete, sign and submit an Apprentice Training Transcript form, to include the apprenticeship hours log to verify the apprenticeship hours accrued.
    • The apprenticeship license will be closed and terminated once the Verification of Apprenticeship Hours form is submitted.  It is illegal to practice Cosmetology in the State of Delaware without a valid license. 
  • The apprentice must submit an application for examination through our examination vendor, Prometric. For more information about exams and how to apply, please see Examinations.
    • The apprentice may be eligible to apply for a temporary permit when they submit the application for exam through Prometric.  The temporary permit would allow the apprentice to work under supervision while waiting to pass their examination Examinations.

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