Under ORS 690.005, what is a certificate?
Based on: ORS 690.005(3)
Oregon Cosmetology Laws and Rules Exam · Definitions
Oregon Cosmetology Exam Practice Questions: Definitions (2026)
The definitions on the Oregon cosmetology exam come mainly from ORS 690.005 and OAR 817-005-0005, and they decide everything else on the paper: a certificate is a written authorization to perform in one or more fields of practice (ORS 690.005(3)), a facility is an establishment operated on a regular or irregular basis to provide services in a field of practice (ORS 690.005(7)), and an active authorization is one that is current and not suspended (ORS 676.562(1)). This is the second-largest topic on the exam, so learn these terms word for word.
Practice
Free practice questions
How does Oregon law define cosmetology?
Based on: ORS 690.005(4)
What does a demonstration permit authorize under ORS 690.005?
Based on: ORS 690.005(5)
Which activity falls within the statutory definition of barbering in Oregon?
Based on: ORS 690.005(2)(d)
When a barber massages the scalp, face and neck with mechanical appliances, which appliance types does the definition exclude?
Based on: ORS 690.005(2)(c)
Under ORS 690.005, barbering practices are performed for what purpose?
Based on: ORS 690.005(2)
What purpose defines the skin care and facial care practices that make up esthetics?
Based on: ORS 690.005(6)
Which service is included in the statutory definition of esthetics?
Based on: ORS 690.005(6)(c)
Which methods does the esthetics definition list for temporary removal of hair?
Based on: ORS 690.005(6)(b)
What makes an establishment a facility under ORS 690.005?
Based on: ORS 690.005(7)
The fields of practice and where their boundaries sit
Oregon defines each field of practice tightly, and the exam loves to test which service belongs to which field. Barbering includes shaving, trimming or cutting a beard or mustache, along with shampooing, styling, cutting, singeing and conditioning hair (ORS 690.005(2)(d)). Nail technology covers massaging, cleansing, treating or beautifying the hands, arms below the elbow, feet or legs below the knee (ORS 690.005(14)(b)). Esthetics covers skin care or facial care practices for the purpose of keeping the skin healthy and attractive, expressly not for medical diagnosis or treatment (ORS 690.005(6)), and the statute counts microdermabrasion as a mechanical or electrical apparatus only when it does not penetrate beyond the epidermis except through natural physiological effects (ORS 690.005(13)(a)). A typical trap question offers a nail or waxing service as an example of barbering; the boundaries in ORS 690.005 are the answer key.
- Barbering: hair, beard and mustache services (ORS 690.005(2)(d)).
- Nail technology: hands and arms below the elbow, feet and legs below the knee (ORS 690.005(14)(b)).
- Esthetics: keeping skin healthy and attractive, never medical treatment (ORS 690.005(6)).
Authorizations, people and things: the vocabulary of the rules
A second cluster of definitions describes who and what the law regulates. A certificate authorises a person to perform in one or more fields of practice (ORS 690.005(3)), while an independent contractor is a practitioner who qualifies under ORS 670.600 and is free from the control and direction of a facility license holder (ORS 690.005(11)). Authorization status has its own three-step ladder in ORS 676.562: active means current and not suspended, inactive means not current for three years or less, and beyond three years the authorization becomes expired. The housekeeping vocabulary in OAR 817-005-0005 is tested just as often: soiled means an article that has been used and has not been cleaned or disinfected for use on the next client (OAR 817-005-0005(39)), a chemical service is the use of any product that restructures or removes hair or changes the shape or appearance of skin, hair or nails (OAR 817-005-0005(7)), and a fire-retardant container is an airtight metal container for disposing of chemical waste or storing linens with chemical residue (OAR 817-005-0005(20)).
| Status | What it means | Provision |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Current and not suspended | ORS 676.562(1) |
| Inactive | Not current for three years or less | ORS 676.562(4) |
| Expired | Not current for more than three years | ORS 676.562(4) |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is a certificate under Oregon cosmetology law?
Under ORS 690.005(3), a certificate is a written authorization for the holder to perform in one or more fields of practice, such as hair design, barbering, esthetics or nail technology. It authorises a person to practise; it is not the document that authorises operating a facility or a freelance business.
What counts as barbering in Oregon?
Barbering in Oregon includes shaving, trimming or cutting a beard or mustache, along with shampooing, styling, cutting, singeing and conditioning hair, under ORS 690.005(2)(d). Nail services, permanent waving and body waxing fall under other fields of practice, which is exactly the distinction the exam tests.
What is the difference between an inactive and an expired authorization in Oregon?
Time. Under ORS 676.562(4), an authorization that has been not current for three years or less is inactive; once it has been not current for more than three years it is expired. An active authorization, by contrast, is one that is current and not suspended under ORS 676.562(1).
What does soiled mean under the Oregon Board of Cosmetology rules?
Under OAR 817-005-0005(39), soiled means an article that has been used and has not been cleaned or disinfected for use on the next client. The definition matters because the facility standards rules hinge on the difference between soiled items and items that are ready for the next client.
What makes an establishment a facility under ORS 690.005?
Under ORS 690.005(7), a facility is an establishment operated on a regular or irregular basis for the purpose of providing services in one or more fields of practice. The phrase regular or irregular is the tested detail: occasional operation still makes the establishment a facility that needs a licence.