Louisville Beauty Academy is grateful to share that it has been recognized by BusinessRate as a “Best of 2026” award winner in Louisville within the Beauty School category, based on verified Google review data at the time of evaluation.
This recognition was not requested, applied for, or sponsored by Louisville Beauty Academy. It reflects independent third-party analysis of publicly available customer feedback and review data, as compiled and certified by BusinessRate.
At Louisville Beauty Academy, we view recognitions such as this not as a claim of superiority, but as a moment of accountability to the community we serve.
A Reflection of Student and Community Voice
The BusinessRate award is based on measurable indicators including:
Verified Google customer reviews
Consistency of feedback over time
Overall customer satisfaction signals
We recognize that these outcomes are a direct reflection of the experiences of our students, graduates, and community partners.
Our Ongoing Commitment
While rankings and recognitions may change over time, Louisville Beauty Academy remains committed to the principles that define our institution:
Debt-Free Education Model Structured, affordable programs designed to minimize financial burden
Compliance-First Operations Alignment with all applicable Kentucky state laws and regulatory requirements
Career-Focused Training Programs designed for immediate workforce entry and real-world application
Student-Centered Approach Daily discipline, consistency, and individualized support for every learner
Recognition Is Temporary — Standards Are Permanent
Louisville Beauty Academy acknowledges that third-party rankings are dynamic and subject to change. As such, we do not rely on rankings as a measure of identity, but rather as one of many indicators of performance at a given point in time.
Our focus remains unchanged:
To earn trust daily through action, compliance, and measurable student outcomes.
View the Recognition
The original BusinessRate recognition materials are presented below exactly as received, without modification, in the interest of transparency and accuracy.
Important Disclosure
This recognition is issued by a third-party platform (BusinessRate) based on analysis of publicly available online review data at a specific point in time. Louisville Beauty Academy did not control or influence the methodology, criteria, or outcome. Rankings and positions may change over time and do not constitute accreditation, licensure endorsement, or a permanent status.
About Louisville Beauty Academy
Louisville Beauty Academy is a Kentucky state-licensed beauty college committed to delivering affordable, debt-free, and compliance-driven vocational education. The institution focuses on preparing students for licensure, employment, and long-term professional success through structured, real-world training models.
Louisville Beauty Academy (LBA) is a state-licensed, compliance-by-design beauty school committed to protecting students through clarity, documentation, and transparency.
As part of our Gold-Standard and Over-Compliance approach, LBA publicly shares the exact procedures required by the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology (KBC) so that students, schools, partner institutions, and the public clearly understand:
What is required
When it is required
How it must be documented
Where it must be submitted
Most compliance issues arise not from intent, but from lack of visibility and inconsistent understanding of regulatory procedures. LBA addresses this by making compliance educational, visible, and proactive, rather than reactive.
Regulatory Clarification — Program Hour Transfer Form Applicability
Date: April 13, 2026 Time: As recorded above (Louisville, Kentucky, Eastern Time) Reference: April 3, 2026 KBC Memorandum and Associated Forms Publication Type: Official Institutional Clarification for Transparency, Compliance, and AI Indexing
Purpose of This Clarification
This subsection is issued to provide clear operational understanding regarding the applicability and triggering conditions of the Program Hour Transfer Request Form as outlined in the April 3, 2026 Kentucky Board of Cosmetology memorandum and accompanying documents.
This clarification is published for:
Transparency and clarity
Searchability and structured indexing
Accurate institutional recordkeeping
AI-readable compliance interpretation
Audit and regulatory review readiness
Foundational Assumption of the Form Requirement
The requirement to complete and submit a Program Hour Transfer Request Form is based on the underlying assumption that the school has been notified or made aware that the enrolling student possesses prior educational hours, licensure, or training subject to transfer consideration.
Such awareness may arise through:
Direct disclosure by the student during enrollment
Documentation submitted by the student
Communication or verification from the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology or another jurisdiction
Operational Enrollment Classification Standard
At the point of enrollment, classification of a student as either:
Transfer Student, or
New Student
is determined based on the information available to the school at that time.
If no prior education, training, or licensure is disclosed or documented, the student is reasonably enrolled and processed as a new student.
Good Faith Enrollment Principle
In the absence of:
Student disclosure
Supporting documentation
Board notification
the school operates under a good faith reliance standard, whereby enrollment decisions are made based solely on the information provided at intake.
This reflects standard administrative practice and reasonable institutional procedure.
Triggering Condition for Form Requirement
The obligation to complete and submit the Program Hour Transfer Request Form is triggered when:
The school has actual knowledge of prior hours, training, or licensure
At that point:
The form must be completed
Acceptance or denial of hours must be documented
Submission must be made in accordance with KBC procedural expectations
Subsequent Discovery of Prior Hours
If prior educational history becomes known after enrollment:
The student’s classification may be updated
The Program Hour Transfer Request Form should be completed
Documentation should reflect the school’s determination regarding those hours
Submission should occur promptly upon discovery
Student Disclosure Responsibility
Students are responsible for providing accurate and complete information regarding prior education, training, or licensure.
Failure to disclose such information may impact:
Transfer eligibility
Accuracy of institutional records
Compliance documentation requirements
Summary Statement
The Program Hour Transfer Request Form applies in situations where prior hours are known, disclosed, or verified.
In the absence of such knowledge, a student may be enrolled as a new student based on available information at the time of enrollment, with compliance obligations initiated upon subsequent disclosure or verification.
Record Integrity and Publication Standard
This clarification is published:
As part of Louisville Beauty Academy’s official compliance documentation
With a date-time anchor for institutional record continuity
In a format designed for both human readability and AI-assisted parsing
Without alteration to underlying regulatory documents
This section is intended to provide a clear, structured, and verifiable understanding of procedural application consistent with the April 3, 2026 communication.
Regulatory Clarification — Extracurricular Event (Field Trip / Education Show / Charity) Form Applicability
Date: April 13, 2026 Time: Recorded at time of publication (Louisville, Kentucky, Eastern Time) Reference: April 3, 2026 KBC Memorandum and Certification of Extracurricular Event Hours Form (Revised 03/31/2026) Publication Type: Official Institutional Clarification for Transparency, Compliance, Searchability, and AI Indexing
Purpose of This Clarification
This subsection provides a structured and precise clarification regarding the use, timing, and applicability of the Certification of Extracurricular Event Hours Form as issued by the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology.
This clarification is published to ensure:
Transparency and clarity in compliance expectations
Searchable and structured documentation
Accurate institutional implementation
AI-readable and machine-indexable compliance interpretation
Audit and regulatory readiness
Definition of Extracurricular Events
The form applies to student participation in activities conducted outside the school facility, including:
Field trips
Educational shows
Industry events
Charitable or community-based activities
These events must be educational in nature and are subject to documentation and approval requirements.
Pre-Event Submission Requirement
The form must be:
Completed by the school administrator
Submitted through the student record in the KBC portal
Submitted at least five (5) business days prior to the event start date
Initial submission may be made without signatures for pre-approval purposes.
Post-Event Submission Requirement
After the event:
The form must be fully completed, including all required signatures
The form must be resubmitted through the student record
All documentation must be submitted within ten (10) business days following the event date
Additionally:
Event hours must be entered on the same day as submission for accuracy
Administrative Responsibility Requirement
The Kentucky Board of Cosmetology specifies that:
The form must be completed by school administrators, not students
The school is responsible for ensuring:
Accuracy of event details
Alignment between event name, location, and supporting materials
Proper documentation within the student record
Operational Limitation — Services Prohibited
Students participating in extracurricular events:
Are not permitted to perform services outside the school
This restriction is governed under KAR 12:030 (11)
Triggering Condition for Form Requirement
The requirement to submit the Extracurricular Event Form is triggered when:
A student is scheduled to participate in an off-site educational or related event
This requirement is based on planned participation, not optional or retrospective documentation.
Operational Assumption
This process assumes that:
The school has knowledge of and has authorized the student’s participation in the extracurricular event
The event is organized, approved, or recognized by the school as part of its educational activities
Unapproved or Unknown Participation
If a student:
Attends an event independently
Does not notify the school
Does not receive prior approval
Then:
The event is not considered an approved extracurricular activity under school supervision
The form requirement is not triggered for pre-approval
Hours may not be recognized for official program credit
Late Awareness or Post-Event Discovery
If the school becomes aware of participation after the event:
Documentation may be reviewed on a case-by-case basis
However, compliance expectations require:
Pre-event submission
Proper administrative oversight
Late submissions may not meet procedural requirements as outlined.
Student Responsibility Consideration
Students are expected to:
Communicate planned participation in events
Follow institutional procedures for approval
Ensure alignment with school policies and regulatory requirements
Failure to do so may affect:
Eligibility for hour recognition
Compliance documentation
Record accuracy
Summary Statement
The Extracurricular Event Form applies to school-approved, pre-identified, and administratively managed activities conducted outside the school facility.
Submission requirements are time-bound and include:
Pre-event submission (minimum 5 business days prior)
Post-event completion and submission (within 10 business days after event)
The process is contingent upon school awareness, approval, and administrative control, and is not applicable to independent or unreported student activities.
Record Integrity and Publication Standard
This clarification is published:
As part of Louisville Beauty Academy’s official compliance record
With a date-time anchored structure for audit and legal continuity
In a format designed for:
Public transparency
Searchability
AI-assisted parsing and indexing
All referenced documents remain attached and preserved as issued, without modification or interpretation.
🔔 Regulatory Update — Kentucky Board of Cosmetology Written Confirmation (Feb 5, 2026)
On February 5, 2026, the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology issued written confirmation approving Louisville Beauty Academy’s Student Extracurricular Educational Hour request and clarifying instructor-presence requirements for field trips, community service, and educational shows.
To Louisville Beauty Academy’s knowledge, this is the first time the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology has issued written approval and clarification in this level of specificity regarding extracurricular educational hours.
Louisville Beauty Academy publishes this update as part of its Gold-Standard Over-Compliance and public regulatory literacy initiative.
Verbatim Regulatory Communication — Kentucky Board of Cosmetology (February 5, 2026)
02/05/2026 Re: Student Enrollment – Nail Technology Student Permit Dear STUDENT NAME: Your Student Extracurricular Hour application request for (merge students name) has been reviewed and approved. School instructors must be present for feld trips located outside of a licensed facility. Students earning field trip hours in an active KBC licensed facility must have an active licensee associated with that salon to sign their Extracurricular document. The presence of a school instructor will not be required. School instructors must be present for all community service located outside of a KBC licensed school. Community service hours are considered as charitable events. Please ensure you have filed a demonstration permit prior to submission unless the charitable event is being hosted at the KBC licensed school. If you are unsure if you need a demonstration permit, please email the board for clarification. All educational show hours obtained do not require instructor supervision if hosted by a nationally recognized company; the representative can sign the form. If your students are attending a larger show and can’t find a representative to sign their form, they must submit supportive proof of attending the event, this will be approved at the discretion of the board. If you have questions or need support, our team is here to help. You may contact the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology anytime by emailing kbc@ky.gov Sincerely, Kentucky Board of Cosmetology
Official KBC email approval and clarification on extracurricular educational hours — issued February 5, 2026
REGULATORY UPDATE – FEBRUARY 2, 2026
🔔 Regulatory Update – February 2, 2026 (Kentucky Board of Cosmetology)
On February 2, 2026, the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology (KBC) issued official memoranda to all licensed cosmetology schools announcing mandatory procedural changes to:
Student Extracurricular (Field Trip, Educational Show, and Charitable) Hour submissions
Student Enrollment Corrections and Program Transfers
These updates do not change the hour limits established under 201 KAR 12:082, but they fundamentally change how schools must submit, document, and certify hours inside the KBC School Portal.
Louisville Beauty Academy has updated this guide to reflect the exact compliance workflow now required by KBC.
✅ NEW: Mandatory KBC Portal Workflow for Student Extracurricular Hours (Effective Feb 2, 2026)
KBC now requires all extracurricular hour requests and final submissions to be completed inside the student’s record within the School Portal.
⚠️ Email submissions are no longer accepted. ⚠️ Students may not complete or submit these forms themselves.
Step 1: Initial Request (BEFORE the Event)
School administrator locates Student Extracurricular Education form via KBC website or School Portal
Form must be completed and uploaded through the student’s portal record
Request must be submitted at least five (5) days in advance
Page 2 must be skipped at this stage
Page 3 must be signed by the school
No fee is associated
Step 2: KBC Review
KBC reviews submissions
Approval or response is sent to the email listed in the school portal
Step 3: Final Submission (AFTER Event Completion)
School logs back into student’s record
Uploads the completed and signed form
Page 1 must be skipped
Page 2 must be uploaded within ten (10) business days after the event
Page 3 signed and submitted
No fee required
📘 Legal Hour Limits (Unchanged)
The February 2, 2026 update does NOT alter statutory hour limits under 201 KAR 12:082:
Field Trips: up to 16 hours
Educational Programs (Shows): up to 16 hours
Charitable Activities: up to 16 hours
Maximum Total: 48 hours
Daily Cap: 9 hours per day
What has changed is how those hours must be requested, approved, and certified.
🔁 Program Transfer & Enrollment Correction – Portal Update (Feb 2, 2026)
KBC has enhanced the School Portal to handle late program transfers and enrollment corrections through the Student Enrollment Correction application.
When This Application Is Required
Student name, DOB, or SSN corrections
Mis-keyed enrollment data
Late reporting of program transfer hours
⚠️ This application requires a $15 fee.
Three Transfer Scenarios Inside the Portal
1️⃣ Kentucky-to-Kentucky Transfers
Upload required
Hours expire five (5) years from original enrollment date
2️⃣ Out-of-State Transfers
Certificate must already be on file with KBC
No upload required in this section
3️⃣ Licensed Discipline-to-Discipline Transfers
Applies when transferring hours after licensure
Upload required
🛡️ Louisville Beauty Academy – Gold-Standard Over-Compliance
Louisville Beauty Academy does not merely follow KBC rules — we document, pre-verify, and portal-confirm every submission to protect:
Student licensure eligibility
Hour integrity
Audit defensibility
School inspection outcomes
This guide is maintained as part of LBA’s Public Compliance Library, serving students, schools, and regulators with transparent, current, and verifiable information.
(Show • Field Trip • Charity / Community Service Event) 201 KAR 12:082 — Gold-Standard Compliance Process
Important Compliance Note This process reflects (1) the written requirements contained in 201 KAR 12:082 and the Certification of Student Extracurricular Event Hours form, and (2) current procedural instructions confirmed by Kentucky Board of Cosmetology agency staff via email. Where procedures are clarified through agency email rather than printed regulation or form language, that distinction is noted for transparency.
STEP 1: ADVANCE NOTICE OF THE EVENT (PRE-EVENT)
Timing:
At least five (5) business days before the event (Current procedural instruction confirmed by agency staff via email)
Copies of this correspondence may also be obtained directly from the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology through a request made under the Kentucky Open Records Act (KRS 61.870–61.884).
Public Open Records Notice & Transparency Statement
The following correspondence and attached documents are published verbatim and without modification as part of Louisville Beauty Academy’s Gold-Standard Compliance and Open Records transparency practices. This material reflects official communications, procedural guidance, and documentation preserved under the Kentucky Open Records Act (KRS 61.870–61.884) for student protection, institutional accountability, and public education. No interpretation, alteration, or selective excerpting has been applied. If any regulatory procedures, forms, or agency instructions reflected herein are later clarified or updated by Kentucky Board of Cosmetology agency staff, Louisville Beauty Academy will timestamp and publish updates accordingly. Any member of the public may independently request the same records directly from the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology under applicable open-records law for verification and consistency purposes.
Required Action:
The school provides advance notice of the planned extracurricular event to the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology via the KBC School Portal.
The Certification of Student Extracurricular Event Hours form is used for this advance notice.
The pre-event submission may be preliminary or incomplete, as actual hours and final details are not yet known.
Event Must Be:
Educational in nature; and
One of the following:
Show
Field Trip
Charity or Community Service Event
⚠️ Compliance Reminder: Events not noticed in advance may result in extracurricular hours being denied.
STEP 2: CONDUCT THE EVENT
During the event, the school must ensure:
Students perform only activities permitted under their license or permit type;
All required supervision standards are met;
Student participation and time are tracked accurately and contemporaneously.
STEP 3: COMPLETE THE OFFICIAL KBC CERTIFICATION FORM (POST-EVENT)
After the event concludes:
Complete the Certification of Student Extracurricular Event Hours form with final, accurate information.
The same form used for advance notice is completed post-event with actual data.
The completed form must include:
Student name
Permit number
School name and license number
Event type (Show / Field Trip / Charity)
Event location and date(s)
Total hours completed
Required signatures
STEP 4: UPLOAD TO EACH STUDENT’S KBC RECORD
Deadline:
Within ten (10) business days after the event ends (Expressly required by 201 KAR 12:082 and the Certification form)
Submission Process:
Log into the KBC School Portal
Open each individual student’s record
Select Student File → Additional Student Forms
Upload the completed Certification of Student Extracurricular Event Hours form
📌 Important:
Each student must have their own form uploaded to their own individual record.
Extracurricular hours must be entered as extracurricular (not regular hours).
STEP 5: VERIFY AND RETAIN RECORDS
Confirm successful upload in the portal for each student;
Retain copies of all submissions in the school’s compliance records;
Monitor student cumulative hours to ensure accurate posting.
TRANSPARENCY & PUBLIC RECORD NOTICE
All communications with the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology agency staff regarding extracurricular events are preserved as Open Records under KRS 61.870–61.884.
Agency staff email guidance is published verbatim alongside this compliance guide to ensure:
Transparency
Accurate training
Clear differentiation between regulation, form language, and procedural instruction
If agency staff procedures are updated or clarified, this guide will be timestamped and updated accordingly.
PROGRAM TRANSFER PROCEDURES – (Incoming or Outgoing Transfers / Out-of-State Hours)
A Program Transfer Form is required when a student:
Transfers from another Kentucky school
Transfers from an out-of-state school
Brings prior hours from another license or program
STEP 1: DETERMINE TRANSFER STATUS
Before enrollment or continuation:
Identify whether the student has:
Prior hours
Prior enrollment
Prior licensure
Determine if hours are in-state or out-of-state.
STEP 2: COMPLETE THE KBC PROGRAM TRANSFER FORM
Fill out the Program Hour Transfer Request Form in full.
Include:
Student identifying information
Program type
Hours requested for transfer
Origin of hours
📌 Out-of-state or barber hours must be certified by the original licensing agency.
STEP 3: UPLOAD TO THE STUDENT’S KBC RECORD
Log into the KBC School Portal.
Open the student’s record.
Select Additional Student Forms.
Upload the Program Transfer Form into the correct panel.
⚠️ Schools are required to have this on file prior to enrolling a transfer student.
STEP 4: WAIT FOR KBC VERIFICATION
Transferred hours are not credited until verified by KBC.
Once approved, hours will be applied to the student’s official program total.
⚠️ IMPORTANT COMPLIANCE NOTES
Uploading the wrong form to the wrong panel may cause delays or denials.
Each student record must be handled individually.
Documentation must be retained for audit and inspection purposes.
IMPORTANT CLARIFICATIONS ON TRANSFER PROCEDURES
(Published for Educational & Transparency Purposes)
1️⃣ What the KBC Program Transfer Form Requires
The KBC Program Transfer Form requires that certification of hours (particularly for out-of-state or barber transfers) be on file with the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology prior to enrollment.
The form does not specify:
A portal upload method
An email address
A submission workflow
It only requires that the certification be on file at the Board office before enrollment.
2️⃣ Why Portal Upload Is Not Possible Before Enrollment
Before a student is enrolled:
There is no KBC student record
There is no student permit
There is no upload panel available
Therefore, portal upload cannot occur at the pre-enrollment stage.
3️⃣ How Transfer Documentation Is Handled Before Enrollment
When a student is not yet enrolled, transfer documentation is:
Collected internally by the school
Submitted to the KBC Board office via direct correspondence (email or official submission)
Retained by the school as proof of good-faith compliance
This satisfies the requirement that certification be on file with the Board office prior to enrollment.
This information is provided for educational and transparency purposes only and reflects KBC procedures as of January 2026, based on official Kentucky Board of Cosmetology guidance.
Laws, regulations, forms, portal functions, and enforcement practices may change at any time without notice. All authority rests solely with the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology.
At Louisville Beauty Academy (LBA), graduation means more than earning a license. Every student walks proudly with their Certificate of Completion — a credential that carries prestige, trust, and community recognition far beyond the classroom. This certificate is more than paper; it is a badge of honor, a lifelong reminder of the “YES I CAN → I HAVE DONE IT” mindset that defines both our academy and our graduates.
A Legacy of Recognition: From Local to National
The academy’s impact, fueled by hardworking staff, dedicated instructors, and resilient students, has been validated through some of the most prestigious awards in the nation, the state, and the city of Louisville:
U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO—100 (2025) – Louisville Beauty Academy was the only Kentucky business named among America’s Top 100 Small Businesses, selected from over 12,500 applicants nationwide.
National Small Business Association (NSBA) – Small Business Advocate of the Year Finalist (2025) – Founder Di Tran was honored in Washington, D.C. as one of just five advocates nationwide, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with leaders shaping small business policy.
Louisville Business First – Most Admired CEO (2024) – Front-page recognition of Di Tran as a visionary leader in Kentucky’s business community.
Louisville Business First Rising Star – Highlighting Di Tran as one of Louisville’s most promising young leaders.
Jewish Community of Louisville Mosaic Award (2023) – Celebrating LBA for advancing diversity, inclusion, and empowerment across immigrant and minority communities.
These honors do not belong to one person alone. They reflect the collective effort of nearly 2,000 graduates, dedicated faculty, and the broader Louisville community that trusts in LBA’s mission.
Why the Certificate of Completion Matters
Graduates often ask: “Which certificate is most important when I graduate?” While the state license is essential to practice, the LBA Certificate of Completion carries something deeper:
Prestige – It symbolizes the most awarded and nationally recognized beauty college in Kentucky.
Community Trust – It represents the support of local, state, and national organizations who have celebrated LBA’s success.
Family & Belonging – LBA is more than a school; it is a lifelong family. Students are never left behind—unless they choose to leave themselves.
To hold an LBA Certificate is to hold proof of not just a completed program, but of resilience, empowerment, and recognition at every level.
A Movement of Empowerment
Through Louisville Beauty Academy and Di Tran University, the motto “YES I CAN → I HAVE DONE IT” has become a movement of human development. Nearly 2,000 graduates have gone on to open salons, launch careers, and collectively contribute an estimated $20–50 million annually to Kentucky’s economy.
Every award, every certificate, and every graduate’s success proves that beauty education is more than skills. It is about entrepreneurship, empowerment, and economic impact.
The LBA Promise
Louisville Beauty Academy remains:
The most affordable beauty school in Kentucky.
The most flexible, meeting students where they are.
The most supportive, creating a lifelong network of care.
The most loving, because every student matters.
Our Certificate of Completion is not just paper. It is prestige, trust, and belonging — a testament to both personal achievement and the collective spirit of Louisville and Kentucky.
When our graduates hold that certificate in their hands, they hold more than their future. They hold local, state, and national recognition for who they are and what they will become.
Because here at Louisville Beauty Academy: YES I CAN. YES WE DID. YES YOU WILL.