Alaska: Permanent Makeup & Nano Brows Regulation
Verified against official sources, 2026-07-14.
How can you check Nano Brows providers in Alaska?
Online lookup available: You may search the issuing agency's public lookup for the provider or establishment.
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Who regulates it
Board of Barbers and Hairdressers (Dept. of Commerce, CBPL) — cosmetology-adjacent model (second in DB after KS): NAMED license categories for Tattooing and 'Permanent Cosmetic Coloring' under AS 08.13; DEC inspects shops
Does it cover permanent makeup / nano brows?
Coverage: explicitly-covered
AS 08.13.220(12), verbatim: "'permanent cosmetic coloring' means tattooing for the purpose of simulating hair or makeup, such as permanent eyeliner, lip color, eyebrows, and eyeshadow." AS 08.13.220(16): "'tattooing' means the process by which the skin is marked or colored... by inserting or ingraining an indelible pigment into or onto the skin, microblading, or microneedling" — microblading and microneedling NAMED in the tattooing definition. Exemption: licensing provisions "do not apply to... a licensed health care professional" (AS 08.13.160(d)(2)) — scope undefined, UNRESOLVED for e.g. an RN outside a shop.
Artist requirements
| License required | Yes |
|---|---|
| Training | Permanent Cosmetic Coloring: 250 hours per 12 AAC 09.168 (components reported as 125 theory + 75 practical incl. 8 lips/8 liners/8 brows per phase — component sum below the 250 total as reported; rule re-read queued). Tattooing: 1,000 hours (270 theory + 150 practical) (12 AAC 09.169). Both tracks: CPR + bloodborne-pathogens cards; trainees 18+ at training start (AS 08.13.082(d)) |
| Exam | written exam required (vendor: Prov); practical exam optional at the Board's discretion (AS 08.13.080(d)) |
| Bloodborne pathogen | yes |
| Minimum age | 18+ (trainee floor); CLIENTS: FLAT BAN — "A person may not practice tattooing or permanent cosmetic coloring on a minor" (AS 08.13.217(a)), NO parental-consent exception (unlike piercing); class B misdemeanor + civil penalty up to $5,000/offense (AS 08.13.195) |
| Fee | $330 initial ($150 application + $180 license); 120-day temporary license +$100 (AS 08.13.175) |
| Renewal | biennial, expires Aug 31 of odd years |
Facility requirements
| License required | Yes |
|---|---|
| Inspection regime | shop must be inspected and certified by the Dept. of Environmental Conservation BEFORE licensure (AS 08.13.120); DEC inspects licensed shops annually (AS 08.13.210(b)); owner licensed without exam but must employ a licensed practitioner-manager if not one; temporary shop licenses for conventions/workshops |
| Fee | per CBPL fee schedule |
| Renewal | per Board cycle |
Local variation
County-level variation: No
Statewide Board scheme; no local body-art layer identified.
Reciprocity
TRUE ENDORSEMENT (strongest reciprocity in the DB): an out-of-state licensee "is entitled to a license or endorsement under this chapter without examination or a new period of training" given a valid license + training/testing/experience meeting AK minimums (AS 08.13.100(d)); 6-month temporary permit pending review (AS 08.13.170).
Pending / recent changes
Active changes: Yes
HB 243 (34th Leg.) — Board of Barbers and Hairdressers powers/duties — passed House 39-0 / Senate 20-0, became law WITHOUT the governor's signature as ch. 43 SLA 26, EFFECTIVE 2026-07-03 (eleven days before this entry's date). Substantive PMU impact UNRESOLVED (sectional analysis not retrieved) — HIGH-priority re-read queued; entry may need amendment. No tattoo/PCC rulemaking notices found since 2023.
What this means before you book
Alaska licenses PMU as its own 'Permanent Cosmetic Coloring' license through the Board of Barbers and Hairdressers — 250 training hours, a written exam, CPR and bloodborne-pathogen cards — with shops inspected by the state environmental agency before and after licensure; you can check any license in the state's public search. PMU on anyone under 18 is flatly banned with no parental-consent exception. NOTE: a Board statute amendment took effect 2026-07-03; its effect on these requirements is still being confirmed.
Statutes & sources cited
- AS 08.13 (Board of Barbers and Hairdressers; tattooing + permanent cosmetic coloring: .030 authority, .080 exams, .100 licensing/endorsement, .120 shops, .160 exemptions, .175 temp, .210 DEC inspections, .217 minors, .220 definitions) — official statutes/regs booklet (June 2025)
- 12 AAC 09 (Board rules; .168 permanent cosmetic coloring training; .169 tattooing training; .002(r) exam-waiver checklist)
- HB 243 (34th Leg.) — ENACTED as ch. 43 SLA 26, eff. 2026-07-03 (Board powers/duties; substantive PMU content UNRESOLVED — text re-read queued)