{"id":"nsw:act-2003-062","name":"Hairdressers Act 2003","slug":"hairdressers-act-2003","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"nsw","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"62 of 2003","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":104990,"registerId":"nsw-act-2003-062-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"Part 1","sectionType":"part","heading":"Preliminary","content":"# Part 1 Preliminary\n\nPart 1 Preliminary","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Name of Act","content":"#### 1 Name of Act\n\n1 Name of Act\n\n> This Act is the [Hairdressers Act 2003](/view/html/inforce/current/act-2003-062).","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"2","sectionType":"section","heading":"Commencement","content":"#### 2 Commencement\n\n2 Commencement\n\n> This Act commences on a day or days to be appointed by proclamation.","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"Part 2","sectionType":"part","heading":"Hairdressers must be qualified","content":"# Part 2 Hairdressers must be qualified\n\nPart 2 Hairdressers must be qualified","sortOrder":3},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Hairdressers must be qualified","content":"#### 3 Hairdressers must be qualified\n\n3 Hairdressers must be qualified\n\n> An individual must not act as a hairdresser for fee, gain or reward unless the individual is qualified to act as a hairdresser.\n> \n> Maximum penalty—20 penalty units.","sortOrder":4},{"sectionNumber":"4","sectionType":"section","heading":"When is an individual “qualified to act as a hairdresser”?","content":"#### 4 When is an individual “qualified to act as a hairdresser”?\n\n4 When is an individual “qualified to act as a hairdresser”?\n\n> > (1) For the purposes of this Act, an individual is qualified to act as a hairdresser if any one or more of the following applies to the individual—\n> > \n> > > (a) the individual has been awarded an authorised qualification by a registered training organisation,\n> > \n> > > (b) (Repealed)\n> > \n> > > (c) a determination has been made under section 37 of the [Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001](/view/html/inforce/current/act-2001-080) that the individual is adequately trained to pursue the recognised trade vocation of hairdressing (because the individual has acquired the competencies of the recognised trade vocation),\n> > \n> > > (d) the individual has at any time held, or been taken to have held, a licence under Part 6 (Regulation of the hairdressing trade) of the [Shops and Industries Act 1962](/view/html/repealed/current/act-1962-043), other than a licence limited to carrying out beauty treatment only.\n> \n> > (2) In this section—\n> > \n> > authorised qualification means—\n> > \n> > > (a) the set of nationally endorsed standards and qualifications for recognising and assessing skills known as “Certificate III in Hairdressing”, or\n> > \n> > > (b) if the Certificate III in Hairdressing is no longer nationally endorsed, the qualifications prescribed by the regulations.\n> > \n> > registered training organisation has the same meaning as in the [National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act 2011](http://www.legislation.gov.au/) of the Commonwealth.\n> \n> **s 4:** Am 2005 No 100, Sch 3.8 \\[1\\] \\[2\\]; 2013 No 95, Sch 9.4; 2017 No 22, Sch 2.17 \\[1\\] \\[2\\]; 2017 No 42, Sch 2.4; 2018 No 25, Sch 6.","sortOrder":5},{"sectionNumber":"Part 3","sectionType":"part","heading":"Miscellaneous","content":"# Part 3 Miscellaneous\n\nPart 3 Miscellaneous","sortOrder":6},{"sectionNumber":"5","sectionType":"section","heading":"Prohibition on unqualified hairdressers does not apply to apprentices, health care professionals or certain others","content":"#### 5 Prohibition on unqualified hairdressers does not apply to apprentices, health care professionals or certain others\n\n5 Prohibition on unqualified hairdressers does not apply to apprentices, health care professionals or certain others\n\n> Section 3 does not apply to—\n> \n> > (a) an apprentice (within the meaning of the [Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001](/view/html/inforce/current/act-2001-080)) who acts as a hairdresser when under the direct control and supervision of an individual who is qualified to act as a hairdresser, or\n> \n> > (b) any individual who acts as a hairdresser when engaged in the practice of his or her profession as a legally qualified medical practitioner, nurse or physiotherapist or other health care professional, or\n> \n> > (c) any individual who acts as a hairdresser when providing care for elderly or disabled people, or\n> \n> > (d) any individual who acts as a hairdresser in such other circumstances as may be prescribed by the regulations.","sortOrder":7},{"sectionNumber":"6","sectionType":"section","heading":"Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001 not affected","content":"#### 6 Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001 not affected\n\n6 [Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001](/view/html/inforce/current/act-2001-080) not affected\n\n> The operation of the [Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001](/view/html/inforce/current/act-2001-080) is not affected by this Act.","sortOrder":8},{"sectionNumber":"7","sectionType":"section","heading":"Information and documents may be required","content":"#### 7 Information and documents may be required\n\n7 Information and documents may be required\n\n> > (1) If an authorised officer has reason to believe that an individual is acting as a hairdresser but is not qualified to do so, the authorised officer may serve on that individual a notice requiring the individual to do either or both of the following for the purpose of determining whether the individual is in fact qualified—\n> > \n> > > (a) to produce specified documents for inspection or copying at any place nominated in the notice,\n> > \n> > > (b) to provide the information specified in the notice.\n> \n> > (2) An individual who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with a notice served on the individual under this section within the time specified in the notice is guilty of an offence.\n> > \n> > Maximum penalty—20 penalty units.\n> \n> > (3) In this section—\n> > \n> > authorised officer means an investigator appointed under section 18 of the [Fair Trading Act 1987](/view/html/inforce/current/act-1987-068) or an officer of a Government Department who is authorised by the Minister for the purposes of this section.\n> \n> **s 7:** Am 2019 No 14, Sch 1.9.","sortOrder":9},{"sectionNumber":"8","sectionType":"section","heading":"Proceedings for offences","content":"#### 8 Proceedings for offences\n\n8 Proceedings for offences\n\n> > (1) Proceedings for an offence under this Act may be dealt with summarily before the Local Court.\n> \n> > (2) Proceedings for an offence under this Act may be instituted only by the Minister or by a person duly authorised by the Minister in that behalf, either generally or in a particular case.\n> \n> **s 8:** Am 2007 No 94, Sch 2.","sortOrder":10},{"sectionNumber":"9","sectionType":"section","heading":"Regulations","content":"#### 9 Regulations\n\n9 Regulations\n\n> The Governor may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Act, for or with respect to any matter that by this Act is required or permitted to be prescribed or that is necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.","sortOrder":11},{"sectionNumber":"10","sectionType":"section","heading":null,"content":"#### 10\n\n10 (Repealed)","sortOrder":12},{"sectionNumber":"11","sectionType":"section","heading":"Repeal of Hairdressing Regulation 1997","content":"#### 11 Repeal of Hairdressing Regulation 1997\n\n11 Repeal of [Hairdressing Regulation 1997](/view/html/repealed/current/sl-1997-0437)\n\n> The [Hairdressing Regulation 1997](/view/html/repealed/current/sl-1997-0437) is repealed.","sortOrder":14},{"sectionNumber":"12","sectionType":"section","heading":"Review of Act","content":"#### 12 Review of Act\n\n12 Review of Act\n\n> > (1) The Minister is to review this Act to determine whether the policy objectives of the Act remain valid and whether the terms of the Act remain appropriate for securing those objectives.\n> \n> > (2) The review is to be undertaken as soon as possible after the period of 5 years from the date of assent to this Act.\n> \n> > (3) A report on the outcome of the review is to be tabled in each House of Parliament within 12 months after the end of the period of 5 years.","sortOrder":15},{"sectionNumber":"Schedule 1","sectionType":"schedule","heading":null,"content":"# Schedule 1\n\nSchedule 1 (Repealed)\n\n**sch 1:** Rep 2005 No 64, Sch 3.","sortOrder":16}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Act's scope has been amended since enactment. Section 4 records amendments to qualification criteria, other sections show later amendments (s 7, s 8) and s 10 was repealed; s 11 explicitly repeals the earlier Hairdressing Regulation 1997. These alterations and repeals refine and relist the paths to being 'qualified' (e.g. Certificate III, apprenticeship determinations, prior licences) and remove or replace earlier provisions, so the operative scope differs from the original text."},"complexity_factors":["Short, focused statute with few substantive provisions (qualification rule, exemptions, enforcement and regulation power).","Cross-references to external regimes: Certificate III and the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator Act (definition of registered training organisation).","Dependence on other statutes for apprenticeship determinations (Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001).","Delegated regulation-making power (Governor may make regulations) creates future rule complexity.","Enforcement features: authorised officers may compel documents (s 7) and only the Minister or authorised persons may institute proceedings (s 8).","Amendments and repeals noted in the text (s 4, s 7, s 8, s 10 repealed, s 11 repeal) mean current scope depends on historical changes."],"plain_english_summary":"This Act makes it an offence to work as a paid hairdresser unless you are \"qualified\"—for example by holding Certificate III in Hairdressing, an apprenticeship competency determination, or certain older licences—and creates limited exemptions (supervised apprentices, health professionals, carers and prescribed circumstances). Authorised officers can require documents to verify qualifications and there are monetary penalties and separate rules about who may bring prosecutions and about regulations made by the Governor."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Insufficient content was provided to assess whether the scope of the Act changed from its original intent. The document contains only version history and status metadata, not the legislative text. The multiple amendments since 2003 could indicate scope changes, but this cannot be confirmed from the available material."},"complexity_factors":["Only metadata and navigation elements were provided — no substantive legislative content is available for analysis","Multiple amendment versions (9 point-in-time versions since 2003) suggest the law has evolved, which could add interpretive complexity when identifying the current obligations","The ministerial responsibility (Industrial Relations) hints at potential overlap with workplace/licensing law, which can be complex in practice","Without the actual provisions, complexity cannot be fully assessed — score is therefore conservatively low"],"plain_english_summary":"This NSW Act (2003) governs the hairdressing trade and is administered via the Minister for Industrial Relations. The record provided contains only metadata and amendment history (amended multiple times, most recently Dec 2019) and confirms the Act is in force as of April 2026. It likely affects hairdressers, salon owners/employers and consumers, but the full text is required to determine specific duties, rights or obligations."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Act remains tightly focused on its original purpose: ensuring hairdressers meet minimum qualification standards. The amendments tracked in section 4 (2005, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019) appear to be technical updates—updating references to training qualifications, registered training organisations, and authorised officers—rather than expansion of scope. The review clause (section 12) suggests the legislature anticipated the Act might need updating but did not intend scope creep."},"complexity_factors":["Only 12 sections with 2 repealed (sections 10 and Schedule 1)","Single core prohibition in section 3 with straightforward exceptions in section 5","Minimal cross-referencing: only references to Apprenticeship and Traineeship Act 2001, National VET Regulator Act 2011, Fair Trading Act 1987, and repealed Shops and Industries Act 1962","Simple conditional structure: prohibition → definition of qualified → exceptions → enforcement","Only 3 defined terms across the entire Act: 'authorised qualification', 'registered training organisation', and 'authorised officer'","No nested exceptions or complex conditional logic","Straightforward penalty structure (flat 20 penalty units for offences)"],"plain_english_summary":"This law makes it illegal to work as a hairdresser for money in New South Wales unless you have proper qualifications. \n\n**Who it affects:**\n- **Hairdressers** – must hold a Certificate III in Hairdressing (or equivalent) to legally charge for their services\n- **Apprentices** – can work under direct supervision of a qualified hairdresser without being fully qualified themselves\n- **Health professionals** – doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and similar professionals are exempt when hairdressing is part of their medical work\n- **Carers** – people looking after elderly or disabled individuals are exempt\n\n**What it does:**\n- Sets out four ways someone can be \"qualified\": having the Certificate III, completing a trade apprenticeship, holding an old licence from before this Act existed, or meeting future regulations\n- Allows government inspectors to demand proof of qualifications\n- Makes it an offence (with a fine up to 20 penalty units, roughly $2,200) to work unqualified or to refuse to show your credentials\n- Only the Minister or their authorised representatives can prosecute offences\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis protects consumers from unskilled practitioners who might damage hair or scalp health using chemicals, dyes and heated tools. It ensures minimum training standards for a trade involving public health and safety."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/hairdressers-act-2003","history":"/api/acts/hairdressers-act-2003/history","analysis":"/api/acts/hairdressers-act-2003/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/hairdressers-act-2003/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/hairdressers-act-2003/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/hairdressers-act-2003/documents"}}