Indiana Salon License Defense Lawyers
It takes years of study and practice as well as business acumen, and a good bit of grit, to successfully reach the milestone of owning your own salon or barber shop. When you have built a successful business around a trade or profession you’ve worked hard to master, it is difficult to consider that a licensing problem could ruin it all. If you operate in Indianapolis or elsewhere in Indiana and your salon or barber shop license is at risk, you need the Indiana salon license defense lawyers at Keffer Hirschauer LLP. Our experienced attorneys will evaluate your case and help you determine the best path forward for your future success.
Like any professional or business owner, salon and barber shop owners must also manage significant liability issues. If you or your business are accused of negligence or wrongdoing in a professional liability claim, Keffer Hirschauer has an Indiana salon owner professional liability defense attorney who can help.
Why and When Do You Need an Indiana Salon License Defense Attorney?
Providers of cosmetology services are licensed professionals who spend years honing their trade. Establishing your own business in the cosmetology industry can be rewarding, but it certainly comes with challenges as well. The Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (IPLA) and the State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners (Board) handle the administration of Indiana laws related to cosmetology licensing, establish rules for practitioners and businesses, and manage licensing for the industry.
The requirements for obtaining and maintaining licensure for a salon or barber shop and its practitioners are extensive and specific. A professional mistake, allegation of wrongdoing, or even a personal situation can put the licenses of a salon or barber shop owner and its practitioners at risk. If you find yourself in the position of needing license defense for Indiana salons or barber shops, don’t risk going it alone in defending your rights and interests; work with an Indiana salon license defense lawyer at Keffer Hirschauer LLP.
An Indiana Salon Owner License Defense Lawyer Explains the Requirements for Indiana Salon Licensure
To obtain and keep what the state of Indiana calls a beauty culture salon license, the owner must complete and submit an application to the State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners and comply with specific criteria under Indiana law and Board rules. These requirements include:
- Having a site for the salon (unless applying for a mobile salon license)
- Having any building and zoning permits required under Indiana Code chapter 22-15-3 and Indiana Code chapter 36-7-4
- Obtaining and installing equipment and furnishings in compliance with the rules set forth by the Board
- Having a licensed beauty culture professional provide personal supervision of activities and services
- Providing proof of payment of all Indiana property taxes
Once a salon license is obtained, the salon owner must post a hard copy at the business’s entrance and the Board sanitary requirements somewhere onsite. An owner must also report any change in ownership or the location of a salon to the Board, either of which requires a new license. This even includes a change to a different suite number at the same site.
In addition to the salon license, all cosmetology practitioners working at the site must have and display relevant licensure. Cosmetology professionals required to have an active license to practice in Indiana include:
- Cosmetologists
- Barbers
- Manicurists
- Estheticians
- Electrologists
- Beauty culture instructors
Mobile salons, barber shops, beauty culture schools, and tanning facilities are also required to have licensure specific to the services they provide. For example, if your business offers tanning services (as defined by Indiana Code) in addition to the usual services provided at a salon, you must also obtain licensure as a tanning facility.
Licensed salons and cosmetology providers and facilities in Indiana are subject to inspection by the Board. Complaints against providers may also be investigated, which can result in disciplinary action taken by the Board. And a personal incident, such as a conviction for various misdemeanor or felony offenses, can be grounds for denial, suspension, or revocation of a salon or cosmetology license. A small mistake or oversight—or even an unhappy client—could put your business and your livelihood at risk. When this happens, you should contact the Indiana salon owner license defense lawyers at Keffer Hirschauer as soon as possible to start the process of crafting a solid defense.
Salons and cosmetology providers also face significant liability, from incidents on the premises to health conditions like an infection alleged to arise from a professional cosmetology treatment. In these cases, you need an Indiana salon owner professional liability defense attorney to protect both your personal and professional interests and your career.
Your Mobile Salon Owner License Lawyer in Indianapolis
Some cosmetology providers travel to various locations to provide services, whether in a mobile facility or by setting up shop where they are needed—for example, traveling to a client’s home or a medical or nursing facility to provide services. These operations must have a mobile salon license in Indiana, requiring a different application than a traditional beauty culture salon license. However, mobile salons must still comply with all applicable state laws and rules of the Board, including supervision of services by a licensed professional.
If you need a salon owner license lawyer in Indianapolis or across Indiana for issues related to a mobile salon license, the attorneys at Keffer Hirschauer are ready to help.
Indiana Salon License Defense for Barber Shops
Like other professionals licensed by the State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers, barber shop owners have completed training, honed their craft, and worked to build a reputation and business. Barbers must be licensed by the Board, and barber shops are governed by the same laws as other licensed professionals in Indiana. Additional specific requirements for barber schools and shops are set forth in article 8 of Indiana Administrative Code, title 820. When your licensure as a barber and barber shop owner is threatened, you need skilled professional license defense attorneys, like those at Keffer Hirschauer, on your side.
When Should You Seek Indiana Salon License Defense?
Failure to comply with the laws set forth in Indiana Code article 25-8 regarding cosmetology licensing and operating requirements or the laws in Indiana Code article 25-1 regarding professional licensure in general can result in fines; denial, suspension, or revocation of licenses; and even misdemeanor charges in some cases. Additionally, the rules established by the State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners are included in Indiana Administrative Code, title 820. Failure to abide by those rules, including sanitary requirements, can result in fines or loss of licensure. If your license is threatened, seeking Indiana salon license defense lawyers with the appropriate qualifications to help is key.
Criminal charges or convictions that are unrelated to your business can also be grounds for license denial, suspension, or revocation. While Indiana Code § 25-1-1.1-1 states that a criminal conviction cannot be grounds for license denial or removal, the underlying cause of the charges can be considered by the Board. Those applying for or holding professional licensure in Indiana must report any convictions to the board that regulates their profession. And, under Indiana Code § 25-1-1.1-4, boards can run a criminal background check at the time of license application or randomly during the term of licensure.
Crimes that may be considered as grounds for professional license denial, suspension, or revocation under Indiana law include, but are not limited to:
- Possession, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances, including narcotics, methamphetamine, and marijuana, or a counterfeit substance represented as a controlled substance
- Possession, manufacture, or distribution of drug paraphernalia
- Sex crimes
- Any felony that “reflects adversely on the individual’s fitness to hold a professional license”
Salon or barber shop owners facing criminal charges are also at risk of losing the professional licenses that allow them to run a business and practice their trade. With so much at risk, legal guidance from an experienced Indiana salon license defense attorney (and, when needed, a lawyer who also practices criminal defense) can make the difference between a bright future and a bleak one.
Experienced Indiana Salon Owner License Lawyers
After the years of work you have put in to master your trade, build your reputation, and establish a business, putting your life on hold or letting it all go over a mistake or misunderstanding should not be your only options. To fight the best fight for the life and business you have built, you need the support and knowledge that can only be provided by skilled Indiana salon owner license defense lawyers.
And when you are faced with threats to your business related to professional liability, you need an Indiana salon owner professional liability defense attorney who is committed to helping you through resulting claims or lawsuits with your business and reputation intact.
At Keffer Hirschauer LLP, we have years of experience in professional license and liability defense, criminal defense, and other related legal services to hundreds of clients. Let us put our skill and considerable knowledge to work so that you can continue to do the same in your career. You may contact us about our Indiana salon license defense or other legal services by calling (317) 857-0160 or by completing this online contact form today. Don’t hesitate to reach out and get the quality legal assistance you deserve.