A court decision yesterday straightened out any confusion: Bantu knots, cornrows, Senegalese twists and fishtails are not subject to state licensing regulations.

King County Superior Court tossed out a lawsuit yesterday involving Seattle hair braider Benta Diaw, who was worried the state would force her to get a costly cosmetology license in order to braid hair in the African style she learned from her grandmother in Senegal.

The court found that a January policy clarification issued by the state Department of Licensing — which specifically exempts African hair braiding from cosmetology regulations — rendered the case moot.

The case arose after a licensing department advisory board last year recommended that braiders be subject to licensing laws. Cosmetologists must spend about $7,500 and attend 1,600 hours of training to get a license.

But in the end, the department ignored its own advisory board.

"There were no cases on file from any consumers concerned about the braiding issue," said department spokeswoman Gigi Zenk. "It's not a threat to health. There are no chemicals, no scissors. It's just braiding."

Zenk emphasized that, throughout the dispute, the state never did require braiders to get licenses.

The nonprofit Institute of Justice, an advocacy group that filed the suit last August, claimed victory.

"We got what we wanted," said William Maurer, executive director of the institute's state chapter. "It was an unexpectedly pleasant surprise that the Department of Licensing shifted its position so swiftly."

Nick Perry: 206-515-5639 or nperry@seattletimes.com