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For Craig Hunt, barbering is more than just cutting hair—it’s mentorship, community, and a path forward. His barbershop isn’t just a business; it’s a space where young men find guidance, discipline, and a trade that can provide for their future. But Craig’s own journey into barbering was anything but easy.
At 19 years old, Craig began barber school, investing 1,100 hours into the required 2,100-hour program before life got in the way and he had to drop out. Even though he continued cutting hair on the side, Iowa’s licensing laws forced him to start over from scratch 15 years later—as if his previous experience meant nothing. He had to pay for school again, go through the same training, and follow a system that prioritized bureaucracy over real-world skill.
“The system is broken,” Craig said during our interview. “If you can prove you can cut hair, that should mean something. Why should someone have to pay thousands of dollars and go back through school when they’ve already been doing the job?”
This is exactly why HF 711 is critical. The bill, which will be debated in the Iowa House on Monday, introduces an apprenticeship-based pathway for barbers and hairdressers, allowing them to gain real-world experience under the guidance of licensed professionals instead of being forced into costly, rigid schooling.
Barbershops: More Than Just a Business
Craig’s barbershop, Universal Barbershop in Windsor Heights, is a hub for mentorship and community. In many ways, barbers serve as life coaches, father figures, and role models, particularly for young men who may not have strong guidance elsewhere.
"When young men come in, it’s not just about a haircut,” Craig shared. “It’s about giving them a place where they feel comfortable, where they learn how to present themselves, where they get advice about life.”
The hurdles to becoming a barber in Iowa have only gotten higher. Currently, the state requires 2,100 hours of schooling or 2,380 hours of apprenticeship to obtain a license—one of the most burdensome requirements in the country. This extensive training comes at a steep cost, often exceeding $25,000 in tuition and fees, making it nearly impossible for many aspiring barbers to enter the profession.
This battle to bring common sense back to barbering is happening across America. Meanwhile, some of the top barbers in the world come from countries where there are no licensing laws at all—proving that skill, experience, and mentorship—not government red tape—are what truly make a great barber.
HF 711: A Smarter Path to Licensing
One of the biggest misconceptions about HF 711 is that it lowers industry standards. The reality is, it maintains high standards while making licensing more practical and accessible.
Here’s what the bill actually does:
✅ The current requirement for barbering school is 2,100 hours in Iowa.
✅ HF 711 introduces an apprenticeship-based pathway requiring 2,000 supervised hours of on-the-job training in a registered barbershop.
✅ Apprentices must train under a licensed barber, following all sanitation, safety, and licensing regulations.
✅ After 2,000 hours, apprentices can take the licensing exam, just like traditional barber school graduates.
✅ This maintains high professional standards while making the process more accessible and cost-effective.
This isn’t about lowering the bar—it’s about restoring common sense to licensing and ensuring that skilled professionals aren’t shut out of a career because of unnecessary red tape.
Restoring Common Sense to Licensing
Iowa’s current system is not about protecting public health and safety—it’s about gatekeeping and financial gain for licensing boards and schools. The bill does not lower standards for barbers or cosmetologists; it simply gives them an alternative route to meet the same training requirements in a hands-on environment.
Critics claim that reducing schooling requirements could hurt industry standards, but the truth is, most people learn more from real-world training than from a classroom.
“In a shop, you learn how to handle different types of hair, different personalities, how to run a business,” Craig explained. “They don’t teach you that in school. And when you leave barber school, you’re still not fully prepared. The real learning happens in the shop.”
Iowa is one of the last states still requiring such extreme hours and schooling for barbers. Many other states have moved to apprenticeship models with no negative impact on health and safety. If this works in other states, why wouldn’t it work in Iowa?
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Take Action – Contact Your Legislator Today!
HF 711 is about removing barriers to opportunity. It’s about ensuring that hardworking people like Craig—and the next generation of barbers—aren’t shut out of a profession they love because of unnecessary red tape.
📢 The bill is being debated MONDAY, and your voice matters. Contact your legislators and tell them to support HF 711.
📍 Find Your Legislator Here: legis.iowa.gov/legislators/find
📩 Email ALL Iowa House Representatives at:➡️ hr@legis.iowa.gov
Craig Hunt’s story is one of resilience, mentorship, and passion for his craft. It’s time we make sure that others who want to follow in his footsteps aren’t held back by a broken system.
This is about freedom, opportunity, and restoring common sense to an industry that has been overregulated for too long.
Watch the full interview now and take action today!