A License to Clip Hair but Not for Collision Repair

by Kevin Gallerani, AASP/MA President

Every couple weeks, I get my hair cut, and each time I sit in the barber’s chair, I can’t help but notice the license hanging on his wall. Did you know that a barber must complete 1,000 hours of training in an accredited school and pass both a written and practical examination before getting a license?

Barbers can be licensed as apprentices or masters. If someone cuts hair without their license, that barber shop can be shut down by the Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering. 

So, this guy cannot trim my hair without a license, but auto body technicians are not required to be licensed. I don’t know about you, but that just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me! My barber uses clippers, scissors and a comb (though he doesn’t need to use a comb on my head since this industry is causing my hair to fall out!) for a process that takes a total of 15 to 20 minutes – and what’s the worst that could happen? He might clip someone’s ear, but the likelihood that he’s going to go full-blown Sweeney Todd or even accidentally nick someone’s carotid seems pretty far-fetched. It’s even less likely that he’s going to unintentionally hurt himself with his tools. Yet, he needs to be licensed to perform his job.

Meanwhile, collision technicians use welders, power tools, frame machines and a variety of other equipment that could fail over time, creating workplace hazards that we’re all well aware of. This isn’t the safest industry in the world, especially if someone works in a shop without the necessary training, knowledge and skill. Without being able to correctly utilize the tools and equipment that are part of our trade creates the potential for being crushed, for cutting off extremities and numerous other hazards. Think of all the risks that exist for that individual as well as their co-workers! But they don’t need to be licensed.

An untrained technician also creates perils for customers. Shops deal with ADAS, seatbelt systems, frames and wheels that need to be properly torqued. After we repair a vehicle, it returns to the roadways where it has the potential to harm not just the vehicle’s occupants but any number of people on the road should a failure occur as a result of a technician’s lack of knowledge or negligence; the potential for causing harm is HUGE if you don’t know what you’re doing! But we don’t need a license for auto body repairs. 

Yet, a barber must be licensed to maintain my buzzcut. Real estate agents must be licensed. Plumbers, electricians and sheet metal workers are all required to be licensed. It seems like licensing our field would add a layer of professionalism to what we do. We’ve been talking about the technician shortage for years, and while I personally feel like we’re seeing this trend reverse with more young people entering the trades instead of going to college, this generation wants to work in a field they can be proud of. Graduating with a license could attract more young professionals to pursue a career in collision repair, and the need to meet specific requirements to obtain licensure might also serve to help us retain employees. 

Requiring licensure and registration would protect all the shops that are doing the right thing and also make it harder for bad operators to stay in business. Perhaps it’s a way to elevate repair standards state-wide and inspire a new level of respect for what we do. I’m curious to know what other shops think, so I encourage you to reach out to the Alliance to share your thoughts on this topic and anything else that’s impacting your business.

Want more? Check out the December 2024 issue of New England Automotive Report!