A boil infects groups of hair follicles and the skin tissue near them. Which organism is most often the cause?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Boils
A client is nicked during a shave. Service has stopped, gloves are on and the injured area is clean. Which two steps come next in 16.34.7.9 NMAC?16.34.7.9(C)(2) NMAC
A disposable razor blade is ready to be thrown out in a New Mexico barbershop. Where does 16.34.7.9 NMAC send sharps?16.34.7.9(A)(22) NMAC
A glass bottle breaks on the floor of a shop and may be contaminated with blood. What does 29 CFR 1910.1030 say about gathering the pieces?29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(4)(ii)(D)
A sebaceous gland is a microscopic gland in the skin that secretes sebum. Into what does it open?Wikipedia, Sebaceous gland
A shop has no biohazard labels on hand for a container of regulated waste. Which containers does the federal rule accept in their place?29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(1)(i)(E)
Arteries branch again and again into microscopic arteries that regulate blood flow into the tissue capillaries. What are those microscopic arteries called?NCI SEER Training Modules, Classification and Structure of Blood Vessels
Bacteriology names bacteria by shape. Which name goes with the spiral-shaped ones?Wikipedia, Bacteria (Morphology)
Show all 60 questions (52 more)
Scientific concepts, continued
Cement, pesticides and rubber gloves can irritate the skin on contact. Which two barbershop products sit on the same list of irritants?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Contact dermatitis
The EPA calls disinfectants and similar products antimicrobial pesticides. On what are they used to destroy or suppress harmful microorganisms?EPA, What Are Antimicrobial Pesticides? (Introduction)
For what reason does 16.34.7.9 NMAC have an establishment keep a smoking restriction?16.34.7.9(A)(2) NMAC
Frontalis, orbicularis oris, buccinator and zygomaticus are named together as which group of muscles?NCI SEER Training Modules, Muscles of the Head and Neck
New Mexico's infection control rule wants visible debris off an implement before the disinfectant touches it. What reason does the rule give?16.34.7.9(B)(4) NMAC
The SEER module on the endocrine system calls hormones very potent substances. What does that potency mean?NCI SEER Training Modules, Characteristics of Hormones
Thirty-one pairs of spinal nerves leave the spinal cord. How many of them are cervical nerves, the ones of the neck?NCI SEER Training Modules, The Peripheral Nervous System
Which fibers do motor nerves contain?NCI SEER Training Modules, The Peripheral Nervous System
Which of these is on the National Cancer Institute's list of cranial bones, not its list of facial bones?NCI SEER Training Modules, Axial Skeleton
Why is disinfection counted as less effective than sterilization?Wikipedia, Disinfectant
Implements and equipment 5
Among hairbrushes, which job belongs to the paddle brush?Wikipedia, Hairbrush (Types)
How are the teeth of a common hair comb usually set out?Wikipedia, Comb
Removable guards and blades cannot go into the disinfectant jar. What does 16.34.7.9 NMAC have done with them before they are sprayed or wiped?16.34.7.9(B)(11)(a) NMAC
Some of a barber's items may not be immersed in disinfectant. How does 16.34.7.9 NMAC have them treated?16.34.7.9(B)(11) NMAC
What caution does 16.34.7.9 NMAC give about disinfectant chemicals and a barber's shears?16.34.7.9(B)(5)(c) NMAC
Hair care services 20
A client wants a style that stays stiff all day. What does hair gel do to the hair, by its definition?Wikipedia, Hair gel
A client wants to keep cornrows in for weeks at a time. What upkeep makes that possible?Wikipedia, Cornrows
A deposit-only color fades out gradually and so shows less root regrowth. About how many shampoos does it typically last?Wikipedia, Hair coloring (Demi-permanent)
A lye relaxer has a creamy consistency. Which ingredients, mixed with its lye, give it that?Wikipedia, Relaxer (Alkaline and lye relaxers)
A permanent relaxer can use the same chemical methods as a permanent wave. What is done differently?Wikipedia, Permanent wave (Cold wave)
A soft curl permanent reforms tight curls in two parts. What does the first part, the softener or rearranging cream, do?Wikipedia, Jheri curl (Application and maintenance)
Ammonia alone will not make a color last. With what is permanent color mixed so that the change is permanent?Wikipedia, Hair coloring (Permanent)
Caring for wigs and hairpieces is barber work. From what materials can a wig be made?Wikipedia, Wig
Coarse hair is to be pressed straight, a service the barber curriculum calls hair pressing. Which heated tool is made for that?Wikipedia, Hot comb
During a hair analysis a barber looks at how curly the hair is. What determines the shape of the cortex, and with it how straight or curly the fiber is?Wikipedia, Hair (Description)
How do baby shampoos, sometimes sold as tear-free, differ from other shampoos?Wikipedia, Shampoo (Specialized shampoos)
How does hair wax behave differently from most hair gels?Wikipedia, Hair wax
In a crew cut, how are the back and sides usually finished?Wikipedia, Crew cut
In a perm by the sodium thioglycolate method, how long is the hair exposed to the waving solution before the neutralizer goes on?Wikipedia, Permanent wave (Cold wave)
In a two line haircut, with what is the hairline at the nape tapered to the skin?Wikipedia, Regular haircut (Edging)
In finger waving, a style the New Mexico barber curriculum names, what is the waving lotion for?Wikipedia, Finger wave
Shampoo comes first and conditioner second. What have the cleaning surfactants done to the fibre by then?Wikipedia, Hair conditioner
Vent brushes and paddle brushes have their own uses. Which shape of brush goes with a hair dryer when the hair is to be styled and curled?Wikipedia, Hairbrush (Types)
What gives hair spray its hold?Wikipedia, Hair spray (Concentrate)
Whether or not they are disposable, which items must be replaced with clean or new ones under 16.34.7.9 NMAC?16.34.7.9(B)(10) NMAC
Facial hair and skin care services 7
A client has small, painful blisters on the lip, commonly called cold sores or fever blisters. Which virus is behind them?MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Herpes - oral
High-frequency current turns some of the oxygen around the electrode into ozone. Besides a germicidal action, what does the treatment do to the skin?Wikipedia, Cosmetic electrotherapy (High-frequency treatment)
Honing, stropping and shaving are in New Mexico's barber curriculum. What is a razor strop?Wikipedia, Razor strop
Light therapy is in New Mexico's facials unit. Which light is used to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis, acne vulgaris and eczema?Wikipedia, Light therapy (Skin conditions)
The theory of massage is part of the facials unit. What does petrissage apply?Wikipedia, Petrissage
Which facial hair design includes the chinstrap, chin curtain and brett?Wikipedia, Beard (Styles)
Why are aftershave balms often recommended for winter use?Wikipedia, Aftershave (Balm)
New Mexico barber law (extra) 10
A barber apprentice license runs while the apprentice is active in a registered program. What outer limit does 16.34.4.9 NMAC set?16.34.4.9(A) NMAC
The Act lets the holder of a barber license use a title and a barber pole. Which initials go with the title?NMSA 1978, Section 61-17A-8(C)
By the Act's definition, on which part of the body are the practices of barbering done?NMSA 1978, Section 61-17A-3
How many facial shaves does New Mexico's barber curriculum require as hands-on training?16.34.8.15(B)(9) NMAC
How many permanent waves and permanent relaxers are in the chemical texturing that New Mexico's barber course requires hands-on?16.34.8.15(B)(9)(f) NMAC
One of the three segments is failed. Under 16.34.3.9 NMAC, how much of the examination does the candidate sit again?16.34.3.9(C) NMAC
Related instruction for a barber apprentice may be given outside a licensed establishment. What may not happen there under 16.34.4.9 NMAC?16.34.4.9(C) NMAC
Section 61-17A-8 sets an age and a course length for a barber license. Which pair is it?NMSA 1978, Section 61-17A-8(A)
Which eyelash and eyebrow service does 16.34.5.9 NMAC put within a barber license?16.34.5.9(A)(9) NMAC
Which unit of New Mexico's 1,200-hour barber curriculum carries the most hours?16.34.8.15(B) NMAC
How this list was compiled: Outline: the National Barber Styling Theory Examination Candidate Information Bulletin, effective November 1, 2023, as posted for New Mexico barber candidates by the Board's testing center (https://pcshq.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/NM-Barber-092024.pdf, linked from https://pcshq.com/cosmetology-barbering-new-mexico/); and 16.34.3.9 NMAC, which scores the New Mexico licensing examination in three segments: national practical, national theory written and state law written. Facts: Title 16, Chapter 34 of the New Mexico Administrative Code, Parts 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8, on the State Records Center and Archives' site (https://www.srca.nm.gov/parts/title16/16.034.0007.html and the other part files); the Barbers and Cosmetologists Act, NMSA 1978, Sections 61-17A-3 and 61-17A-8, in Chapter 61 on the New Mexico Compilation Commission's site (https://nmonesource.com/nmos/nmsa/en/item/4397/index.do); the OSHA bloodborne pathogens standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030, in the eCFR; an EPA page on antimicrobial products; NCI SEER training modules on anatomy; three MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia articles; and Wikipedia articles on hair, hair care products, haircuts, hair chemistry, shaving, massage and electrotherapy. Each question names its rule, section or page and links to it. Read 2026-10-12. Licence: Own work. Every question, wrong choice and explanation was written for this site from the rule, statute and page text. Nothing comes from the examination, a testing vendor, a textbook, a prep course or a question pool.
How it works
This unofficial NM state board barber written exam practice test covers the national theory written segment and adds New Mexico's rules for the barber license. It is not affiliated with the New Mexico Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists or NIC.
Read the full guide
What New Mexico's barber written exam is made of
New Mexico scores its barber examination in three segments: national practical, national theory written and state law written (16.34.3.9 NMAC). The theory bulletin posted for New Mexico candidates (effective November 1, 2023; opened October 12, 2026) gives 110 items, 100 weighted, in 90 minutes: scientific concepts 35 percent, implements and equipment 10, hair care services 40, facial hair and skin care 15.
How this bank is split
Fifty questions follow the four theory domains, from 16.34.7.9 NMAC where the state's rule covers the line. Ten more are on the barber license itself: its definition, scope, 1,200-hour curriculum and apprentice license. The New Mexico cosmetology practice test drills the state law segment at length.
A barber license takes age seventeen and a barbering course of at least 1,200 hours; the holder may use the initials R.B. (Section 61-17A-8).
Hair cutting and beard trimming is the largest unit of the barber course, 250 hours, with 40 facial shaves in the hands-on list (16.34.8.15 NMAC).
Sharps ready for disposal go into approved sharps containers (16.34.7.9 NMAC).
Questions and answers
Is there a free NM state board barber written exam practice test?
Yes. Every question here is free and names the New Mexico rule or public page behind its answer. They are our own questions; none comes from the examination.
How many questions are on the New Mexico barber theory exam?
The posted bulletin gives 110 items in 90 minutes, of which 100 count toward the score. A timed round here is 60 questions at the same pace.
What is the passing score on the New Mexico barber exam?
The Board's rule sets a minimum scaled score of seventy five on each segment (16.34.3.9 NMAC), and the Board's testing center posts 70 from January 13, 2026. Ask the Board which applies to your sitting.
Does this cover the practical segment of the New Mexico barber exam?
No. The national practical segment is a hands-on demonstration. Also left out, for want of a public source: cutting technique for each hair type, the strokes of a shave and the steps of a facial.