Sanitation is the hour TDLR will not let go of. Whether you renew with four hours or two, one of them is sanitation, every single cycle, for the length of your career.
There is a reason for that. Sanitation is what most inspection findings and most complaints actually come down to — not technique, not talent. Contact times cut short on a busy Saturday, an implement returned to a drawer instead of a disinfectant, a pedicure bowl wiped instead of cleaned.
What this hour covers
- What disinfectant labels actually require, and why contact time is the step that gets shortened first
- Cleaning versus disinfecting versus sterilizing — three different words that are not interchangeable
- Implement and tool reprocessing, and the difference between porous and non-porous items
- Single-use items, and what genuinely cannot be reused no matter how it looks
- Pedicure spa and whirlpool cleaning, the most cited area in the state
- Station reset, laundry, storage, and the documentation an inspector asks for
Who this applies to
Every Texas barber, cosmetology operator, esthetician, manicurist and eyelash extension specialist, at every renewal, including licensees of 15 years or more.
Which of our tracks carries this subject
This is not a separate purchase. The subject sits inside the approved course track for your license type, and you complete it as part of your renewal hours:
Hours shown are the TDLR renewal requirement for that license type. Course numbers and tuition will be published once TDLR approval is issued.
How you will be able to pay when enrollment opens
Card, digital wallet, bank transfer and interest-free pay-over-time will all be accepted. Cards and wallets are processed securely by Square. There is nothing to pay today — the fee is only collected once TDLR issues our provider and course numbers and enrollment opens.
Credit & debit cards
- Visa
- Mastercard
- American Express
- Discover
Digital wallets
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
Buy now, pay later
- Affirm
- Afterpay
- Klarna
Bank & mobile transfer
- ACH direct debit
- Cash App
- Zelle
- Venmo
Price and refund terms are published on this page before checkout. See every payment method and how to reach us. We never take card numbers by phone, email or through the form.
Questions about this hour
Is the sanitation hour required or elective in Texas?
Required. TDLR sets the barbering and cosmetology renewal requirement as 4 hours, of which 1 hour must be sanitation and 1 hour must be human trafficking awareness. The remaining 2 hours are the elective portion. Sanitation is never part of the elective portion.
Do I still need the sanitation hour after 15 years licensed?
Yes. At 15 years or more, TDLR waives the 2 elective hours, not the required ones. You still complete 1 hour of sanitation and 1 hour of human trafficking awareness every renewal.
Does the sanitation hour count for my laser registration too?
No. A laser hair removal certificate of registration carries its own 8 hours of continuing education, on its own schedule, and those hours are separate from the barbering and cosmetology requirement.
Check this against TDLR yourself
Do not take our word for any hour requirement. The requirement is published by the department: TDLR — Barbering and Cosmetology Continuing Education. You can also confirm which providers are approved to deliver Texas CE on the TDLR approved CE provider list.
Last updated: July 2026 · Written and reviewed by Rozmin Shirazee, Laser Hair Removal Technician (License No. ZP11290) and Cosmetology Operator (License No. 1404280).