If you want to go into business braiding hair in Nevada, you’d better clear your schedule. The state requires 500 hours of training and steep fees just to offer hair braiding services.
Consider this: does someone need to spend hundreds of hours learning to braid hair or lead a local tour? For high-risk jobs, like surgery or electrical work, occupational licensing makes sense. But for lower-risk trades, there are smarter ways to ensure quality service like online reviews or voluntary certifications. Let the people decide who’s qualified, not the politicians.
Why should Nevadans be restricted by red tape when we, the people, can figure it out ourselves?
The Real Costs
Studies, including one by the Federal Trade Commission, have found that heavy-handed licensing requirements can drive up prices by as much as 16% and reduce the number of workers in low-risk fields. The result? Nevadans end up paying more and waiting longer for everyday services, from haircuts to home repairs.
Even worse, these regulations hit low-income workers the hardest, shutting them out of opportunities and making entrepreneurship nearly impossible. The Institute for Justice has ranked Nevada’s licensing laws among the toughest in the nation for modest jobs.
The burden falls disproportionately on minority communities. According to the Institute for Justice, African American and Hispanic workers are more likely to enter occupations that require a license, yet they often have fewer resources to navigate costly and time-consuming requirements.
For example, in Tennessee (which has similar regulationsto Nevada) a woman named Isis Brantley, a Black hair braider who was arrested for braiding without a license, despite having decades of experience. While her case was in another state, it highlights how these laws often target people of color working in traditional, low-risk trades. The impact in Nevada follows the same pattern—hindering opportunity where it’s needed most.
A Glimmer of Change
Back in 2015, lawmakers tried to address this issue with Assembly Bill 269. The proposal aimed to distinguish between professions that genuinely pose health and safety risks—like surgeons or electricians—and those that do not, such as hair braiders or tour guides.
The idea was simple: keep licensing where public safety is truly at stake, and remove it where it only creates unnecessary barriers. Although the bill didn’t pass, it sparked an important conversation about rethinking outdated rules. Nevada now has a real opportunity to take a more targeted approach, reserving licensing for high-risk jobs while opening doors for lower-risk professions burdened by red tape.
Now is the Time
If Nevadans are going to have a fair shake, it’s up to all of us to stand up and demand change. Make reform real with the help of Nevada Policy’s Action Center. Let your politicians know it’s time for a change in their policies or a change in your vote. Their choice.
We can build a Nevada where talent and hard work aren’t suffocated by unnecessary regulations but are given room to grow.
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