Authorizes owners of mobile barber shops to obtain barber shop owner's licenses provided that they can furnish proof of title, possession, registration and driver's license authorizing operation of the vehicle to be used to operate the mobile barber shop and proof of proper layout, adequate equipment for the shop, sanitary conditions in the shop and good moral character.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A10137
SPONSOR: Wright TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general business law, in relation to authorizing
owners of mobile barber shops to obtain barber shop owner's licenses
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Removes the prohibition against itinerant barber shops and allows for
mobile barber shops to be licensed in the State.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one amends section 430 of the General Business Law to remove
language related to itinerant barbers.
Section two Amends Subdivision 2 of section 438 of the General Business
law to remove the prohibition against itinerant barbershops and allows
an applicant for a barber shop license to operate a mobile barber shop
provided that the applicant can produce proof of a proper layout,
adequate equipment, adequate health, safety and sanitary conditions and
satisfactory evidence of good moral character.
Section three sets the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Current law prohibits someone from owning a barber shop that is in a
properly laid out trailer or recreational vehicle. With extremely high
rents in some communities, having a physical location for a barber shop
is often financially untenable. A mobile barbershop in a modern facility
such as a properly fitted trailer or recreational vehicle would be able
to provide service to communities where there remains a need for barber
services. This legislation also removes highly concerning language like
"evil" as well as the term "itinerant" to keep our laws updated for the
21' Century.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A. 7878 (2021-22)- Committee on Economic Development
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
10137
IN ASSEMBLY
February 5, 2026
___________
Introduced by M. of A. WRIGHT -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Economic Development
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to authorizing
owners of mobile barber shops to obtain barber shop owner's licenses
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 430 of the general business law, as added by chap-
2 ter 801 of the laws of 1946, is amended to read as follows:
3 § 430. Purpose of article. The need for technical skill, training and
4 experience, good health, good moral character and other fundamental
5 qualities and qualifications in persons engaged in the practice of
6 barbering, as herein defined, having been unquestionably established and
7 demonstrated and in order to safeguard the health of the persons who
8 patronize the barber shops of our state [and because of the evils
9 connected with itinerant barbers and barber shops and because of the
10 inadequacy of local regulation, it]. It is the purpose of the legisla-
11 ture, in enacting this article, to safeguard and protect the barbers of
12 this state [from the evils of itinerant barbers and barber shops] and to
13 safeguard and protect the lives, health and well being of those persons
14 who patronize the barber shops of our state by making adequate provision
15 for the examination, licensing and regulation of the barber shops and
16 the barbers and apprentices to whom such persons submit themselves for
17 barber work.
18 § 2. Subdivision 2 of section 438 of the general business law, as
19 added by chapter 801 of the laws of 1946, is amended to read as follows:
20 2. [The establishment of itinerant shops is hereby prohibited and the
21 maintenance of a bona fide establishment with a permanent and definite
22 location shall be a prerequisite for the issuance of a barber shop
23 owner's license] An applicant may obtain a barber shop owner's license
24 to operate a mobile barber shop provided that such applicant can demon-
25 strate:
26 (a) proof of title and possession, or lease and possession, of the
27 vehicle to be used to operate the mobile barber shop;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11742-03-6
A. 10137 2
1 (b) proof of valid vehicle registration with the department of motor
2 vehicles for the vehicle to be used to operate the mobile barber shop;
3 (c) proof of valid New York driver's license which authorizes the
4 driver to operate a vehicle of the class of the vehicle to be used to
5 operate the mobile barber shop;
6 (d) proof of proper layout as determined by the department;
7 (e) proof that any equipment or tools used by any mobile barber shop
8 are appropriately maintained and meet all health, safety and sanitary
9 requirements of applicable local and state laws, rules and regulations;
10 (f) proof that such mobile barber shop vehicle is in compliance with
11 appropriate local and state laws, rules and regulations; and
12 (g) satisfactory evidence of good moral character pursuant to subdivi-
13 sion three of this section.
14 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
