Under OAR 817-007-0050, what may happen to someone who obstructs or hinders an Office inspection or investigation at a facility?
Based on: OAR 817-007-0050(1)(b)
Oregon Cosmetology Laws and Rules Exam · Facilities
Oregon Cosmetology Exam Practice Questions: Facility Standards (2026)
Facility standards are the largest topic on the Oregon cosmetology laws and rules exam, drawn mostly from OAR Chapter 817 Division 10. A facility must have hot and cold running water with wash basins immediately available on the premises, and also in any work area where hazardous materials that could harm the skin are in use (OAR 817-010-0014(1)). The rules then attach civil penalties: many first offenses, such as lacking immediate access to running water in a working area, carry a presumptive 300 dollar fine (OAR 817-090-0065(1)).
Practice
Free practice questions
A facility license holder's duty toward the people working on the premises is to:
Based on: OAR 817-007-0050(1)(d)
Which of the following is a facility license holder required to allow under OAR 817-007-0050?
Based on: OAR 817-007-0050(1)(b)
Who is responsible for keeping the shared or common areas of a facility clean and sanitary?
Based on: OAR 817-007-0050(2)
An authorization holder can avoid being cited for a violation found in a facility's shared area only when:
Based on: OAR 817-007-0050(3)
When tattoo or body piercing services are offered inside a cosmetology facility, OAR 817-007-0050 requires:
Based on: OAR 817-007-0050(4)
Which is true of the sign identifying a facility located in a residence?
Based on: OAR 817-007-0075(1)(b)
A facility located in a residence must comply with the standards of which OAR chapter 817 division, unless otherwise specified by rule?
Based on: OAR 817-007-0075(1)(a)
How must the living area of a home be separated from a facility located in that residence?
Based on: OAR 817-007-0075(2)
Under OAR 817-007-0075, a sink in the restroom of a residence based facility:
Based on: OAR 817-007-0075(3)
Water, linens, gloves and equipment: the sanitation backbone
The exam tests the sanitation rules at the level of specific duties. Hot and cold running water with wash basins must be immediately available on the facility premises, and additionally in any work area where hazardous materials are in use that may have a harmful effect on, or be absorbed through, the skin (OAR 817-010-0014(1)). A sink in the facility restroom qualifies as the water source only when the facility provides natural hair care services exclusively (OAR 817-010-0014(3)), a narrow exception the exam likes to probe. Reusable protective gloves must be cleaned with soap and water and disinfected after each use, while disposable gloves are discarded immediately (OAR 817-010-0068(12)). Even resale is regulated: used hair goods must be cleaned according to the manufacturer's instructions before resale and marked as used (OAR 817-010-0085(2)). And the standards do not stop at the Board's own rules: OAR 817-010-0007 requires authorization holders to observe all other applicable city, county, state and federal regulations and requirements as well.
- Restroom sink as water source: only in an exclusively natural hair care facility (OAR 817-010-0014(3)).
- Reusable gloves: soap, water and disinfection after each use (OAR 817-010-0068(12)).
- Used hair goods: cleaned per manufacturer instructions and marked as used before resale (OAR 817-010-0085(2)).
Home facilities and the penalty schedule
Two further threads run through this topic. First, facilities located in a residence must comply with all the standards in OAR Chapter 817 Division 10 unless a rule says otherwise (OAR 817-007-0075(1)(a)); a home salon gets no sanitation discount. Second, the exam tests the civil penalty schedule in the OAR 817-090 series, because the amounts are concrete and escalate by offense. Failing to have immediate access to hot and cold running water in the working area draws a presumptive 300 dollar first-offense penalty (OAR 817-090-0065(1)). Omitting the neck strip or towel that keeps a cape off the client's skin is also 300 dollars on a first offense (OAR 817-090-0105(1)), as is failing to put chemical waste in a closed container at the end of each service (OAR 817-090-0075(1)). Penalties climb with repetition: a third offense of the home facility sign identification violation is 500 dollars (OAR 817-090-0055(2)), and a third offense of failing to launder towels and linens as required reaches 1000 dollars (OAR 817-090-0070(1)). Memorise the pattern: first offenses commonly start at 300 dollars, and repeat offenses multiply.
| Violation | Offense | Presumptive penalty | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| No immediate access to hot and cold running water in the working area | 1st | $300 | OAR 817-090-0065(1) |
| No neck strip or towel between the client's skin and the cape | 1st | $300 | OAR 817-090-0105(1) |
| Chemical waste not in a closed container at the end of each service | 1st | $300 | OAR 817-090-0075(1) |
| Home facility sign identification violation | 3rd | $500 | OAR 817-090-0055(2) |
| Towels and linens not laundered as required | 3rd | $1000 | OAR 817-090-0070(1) |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What are the running water requirements for an Oregon salon?
Under OAR 817-010-0014(1), hot and cold running water with wash basins must be immediately available on the facility premises, and also in any work area where hazardous materials are in use that may harm or be absorbed through the skin. A restroom sink only qualifies as the water source when the facility provides natural hair care services exclusively (OAR 817-010-0014(3)).
How must gloves be handled in an Oregon facility?
Reusable protective gloves must be cleaned with soap and water and disinfected after each use, under OAR 817-010-0068(12). Disposable gloves are discarded immediately after use. The distinction between the two glove types, and what happens to each after a service, is a recurring exam question.
Do home salons in Oregon follow the same rules as commercial salons?
Yes. Under OAR 817-007-0075(1)(a), a facility located in a residence must comply with all the standards listed in OAR Chapter 817, Division 10, unless otherwise specified by rule. Operating from home does not relax the sanitation, water or equipment requirements, and the home facility sign identification rules carry their own penalties (OAR 817-090-0055(2)).
What is the penalty for water access violations in an Oregon facility?
The presumptive first-offense penalty is 300 dollars for failing to have immediate access to hot and cold running water in the working area, set by OAR 817-090-0065(1). Many facility standards first offenses sit at the same 300 dollar level, with penalties escalating for second and third offenses.
Can used hair goods be resold in Oregon?
Yes, but only after being cleaned according to the manufacturer's instructions and marked as used, under OAR 817-010-0085(2). The marking requirement is the detail the exam checks: cleaning alone is not enough before a used hair good is offered for resale.