The Virginia Board for Barbers and Cosmetology, meeting July 11, voted to work toward reducing the number of hours required to obtain a cosmetology license by 33 percent, from 1,500 to 1,000.

The board made its decision based on a panel’s report, a release from Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office said. The panel’s members represented businesses, public schools, private career and technical schools, and subject matter expertise in infection control to conduct a comprehensive review of the education and training Virginia mandates to obtain a cosmetologist license.

According to the release, the education required for cosmetology licensure costs on average more than $16,000 and takes nearly a year to complete. Virginia’s 1,500-hour training requirement was put in place in 1963. The change to 1,000 hours will undergo several regulatory steps which will include public comment, before becoming final.

While the overall hours are being reduced, greater focus within the training program will ...