California Barber Written Examination (Board of Barbering and Cosmetology / PSI)
The California Barber Written Examination, administered by PSI for the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, covers safety and infection control, client consultation and hair and skin analysis, hairstyling, haircutting, haircoloring, chemical texture services, skin care and shaving. Applicants now only need to pass this written exam before the board issues a barber license. SummitCert's portal helps you prepare with exam-style practice questions and explanations, flashcards, video lessons and a timed mock exam in the real format.
One-time purchase · lifetime access · study on any device
Everything included — in full detail
This is exactly what you unlock. No vague promises — real numbers, straight from the portal.
Your full practice pool — 350 questions total, written to mirror the real exam blueprint, with full answer explanations for every question.
Including Safety and Infection Control, Client Consultation and Hair and Skin Analysis, Hairstyling, and more.
A complete, realistic exam-day simulation with the same question count and time limit as the real thing.
Covering every key term, concept, and framework you're expected to know.
Hand-picked walkthroughs and explainers organized by topic.
Visual breakdowns of the frameworks and models the exam tests you on.
The exact formulas and calculations you need, ready to review before test day.
A searchable glossary so unfamiliar terminology never slows you down.
See your accuracy by domain, spot weak areas early, and follow a built-in study schedule.
Tailored to this exam: it knows your progress and weak areas, remembers your earlier chats, and picks up where you left off on your other devices.
Study anywhere — your progress syncs on the device you are using and picks up where you left off.
No subscriptions, no renewals — buy once and keep studying until you pass.
See the California Barber State Board Exam portal
Real screenshots — this is exactly what you'll be studying in. Click to zoom in.
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Topics you'll drill
8 core topics pulled straight from the real question bank.
- Safety and Infection Control
- Client Consultation and Hair and Skin Analysis
- Hairstyling
- Haircutting
- Haircoloring
- Chemical Texture Services
- Skin Care
- Shaving
California Barber State Board Exam exam requirements & cost
Straight from the certifying body — separate from what we charge for the study portal.
The California Barber written exam is the licensing examination for the California barber license. It is issued under the authority of the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (BBC) and administered by PSI Services LLC. The written exam has 85 scored questions plus 10 unscored pretest questions and a 120-minute time allowance (BBC and PSI bulletin). The BBC no longer requires a practical exam, so passing the written exam is the examination step. This portal's practice mock has 85 questions. No official passing standard is quoted here; published exam results data mention 70%, but confirm the current standard with the exam provider. The exam fee is not quoted here; confirm the current amount with the exam provider before you register. The content outline spreads questions across 8 areas; the largest are Safety and Infection Control (31.0%); Shaving (22.0%); Client Consultation and Hair and Skin Analysis (15.0%). The BBC sets the education, application and fee requirements for a barber licence and approves you to schedule the exam with PSI; confirm the current requirements with the BBC before you apply. This portal prepares you for the written exam; it does not replace barber school training or the BBC application.
California Barber State Board Exam exam blueprint
Real domain weighting from the certifying body's own published exam syllabus.
- Safety and Infection Control31%
- Client Consultation and Hair and Skin Analysis15%
- Hairstyling5%
- Haircutting8%
- Haircoloring7%
- Chemical Texture Services7%
- Skin Care5%
- Shaving22%
Real pass rate, retake policy, scoring, and a study timeline for California Barber State Board Exam — free, no purchase required.
Common questions
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