Hairdressing and barbering industry regulatory review

Hairdressers and barbers are a vital part of every community. They make up a billion-dollar industry of more than 5,000 mostly small businesses employing around 13,000 people. 

The industry currently works with regulations dating back to 1980. They require hairdressing shops to be registered by local authorities and have rules that include:

• drinks cannot be served where hair is being cut
• dogs (apart from guide-dogs) cannot be in salons
• the intensity of lighting in the salon
• the number and location of handwashing basins, and
• the products that need to be available for use at those basins.  

The review will look at whether those rules are fit-for-purpose for an industry of this scale that is made up of mostly small businesses, while ensuring public health is protected.  

Over the past few years, hairdressers and barbers have approached the Ministry of Health and MBIE and have met with the Ministry for Regulation asking for reform.    

Business New Zealand’s report on reducing compliance in small business called the industry regulations outdated and costly and highlighted inflexible regulatory support for hairdressers and barbers.   

The review will make sure there is good reason to regulate hairdressing and barbering and make recommendations for changes to the current requirements.  

The Ministry for Regulation is leading the review, working closely with the Ministry of Health.  It is the Ministry for Regulation’s third review – the others are into early childhood education and agricultural and horticultural product regulations.  

Reducing compliance burden on New Zealand small businessesopen_in_new  

Early Childhood Education (ECE) regulatory sector review 

Agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review 

Scope of the review 

The review is expected to examine: 

• the content and implementation of the Health (Hairdressers) Regulations 1980, which are made under the Health Act 1956 
• the content and implementation of the Health (Registration of Premises) Regulations 1996, only as they apply to the requirement to register premises used for hairdressing and barber shops 
• any other legislative instruments relating to hairdressing and barbering that the Ministry for Regulation considers necessary to meet the terms of reference as revealed through the process of the review 
• requirements imposed on hairdressing shops by local authorities as part of the licencing regime or in bylaws.

The Ministry for Regulation will determine whether specific requirements in this category are considered as part of the review on a case-by-case basis. 

Hairdressing and barbering industry regulatory review: Terms of Reference (280 KB, Pdf)

Timeframe and outputs 

The review is expected to be complete in the first quarter of 2025. 

Engagement and consultation 

The Ministry will begin engaging with the industry on this review from early 2025.  We will use a range of engagement methods to gather information and ensure that those who wish to contribute to the review will have an opportunity to do so.