§ 401. License required. 1. No person shall engage in the practice of nail specialty, waxing, natural hair styling, esthetics or cosmetology, as defined in section four hundred of this article, without having received a license to engage in such practice in the manner prescribed in this article. No person shall act as a trainee or perform any service as such unless he or she has obtained a certificate of registration pursuant to this article.

Terms Used In N.Y. General Business Law 401

  • Appearance enhancement business: means the business of providing any or all of the services licensed pursuant to this article at a fixed location. See N.Y. General Business Law 400
  • cosmetology: means providing the services described in subdivisions four, five and six of this section, providing service to the hair, head, face, neck or scalp of a human being, including but not limited to shaving, trimming, and cutting the hair or beard either by hand or mechanical appliances and the application of antiseptics, powders, oil, clays, lotions or applying tonics to the hair, head, or scalp, and in addition includes providing, for a fee or any consideration or exchange, whether direct or indirect, services for the application of dyes, reactive chemicals, or other preparations to alter the color or to straighten, curl, or alter the structure of the hair of a human being. See N.Y. General Business Law 400
  • esthetics: means providing for a fee, or any consideration or exchange, whether direct or indirect, services to enhance the appearance of the face, neck, arms, legs, and shoulders of a human being by the use of compounds or procedures including makeup, eyelashes, depilatories, tonics, lotions, waxes, sanding and tweezing, whether performed by manual, mechanical, chemical or electrical means and instruments but shall not include the practice of electrology. See N.Y. General Business Law 400
  • nail specialty: means providing services for a fee or any consideration or exchange to cut, shape or to enhance the appearance of the nails of the hands or feet. See N.Y. General Business Law 400
  • natural hair styling: means providing for a fee, or any consideration or exchange, whether direct or indirect, any of the following services to the hair of a human being: shampooing, arranging, dressing, twisting, wrapping, weaving, extending, locking or braiding the hair or beard by either hand or mechanical appliances. See N.Y. General Business Law 400
  • Person: means an individual, firm, limited liability company, partnership or corporation. See N.Y. General Business Law 400
  • Trainee: means a person pursuing in good faith a course of study in the practice of nail specialty under the tutelage, supervision and direction of a licensed nail practitioner. See N.Y. General Business Law 400
  • waxing: means providing for a fee, or any consideration or exchange, whether direct or indirect, services to enhance the appearance of the face, neck, arms, legs, or shoulders of a human being by the removal of hair by the use of depilatories, waxes or tweezing but shall not include the practice of electrology. See N.Y. General Business Law 400

2. No person shall own, control or operate, whether as a sole proprietor, partner, shareholder, officer, independent contractor or other person, an appearance enhancement business without having received a license for such business in the manner provided in this article.

3. A person licensed by any other state or country to practice nail specialty, waxing, natural hair styling, esthetics or cosmetology shall be allowed to practice in New York state for three months or less within any calendar year for the purpose of giving to, or receiving from, persons who are licensed under this article training in current styles, techniques or materials, provided however, that no such unlicensed person may provide services to the public for any fee, or other compensation, whether direct or indirect.