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17 permits · verified 2026-09-27

What permits do you need to open a salon or barber in Los Angeles County?

In short

A salon or barber in Los Angeles County, CA has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 15 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, Building and Safety Division charges $244.88 one-time, per demolition inspection (FY2026-27; was $229.93 in the FY2024-25 archived schedule) for the demolition inspection fee. 9 of the 17 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-27 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a salon or barber in Los Angeles County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
County Business License — Regulated Categories (Restaurant, Motor Vehicle Repair, Massage/Body Art, Health Spa)only if it applies to youLos Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector, Business License SectionCost-recovery fee set per license category under LA County Code Title 7 §7.14.010; every application carries a non-refundable application fee, and some categories additionally require sign-off from the Fire Department, Sheriff, Dept. of Health Services or Dept. of Regional Planning before the Business License Commission issues the license. The per-category dollar amounts were not published in the TTC's accessible fee documents.not stated in the sources retrieved2026-09-27
Body Art Facility Plan Checkonly if it applies to youLos Angeles County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Division$343–$568 one-time, by scope (FY2026-27): permanent cosmetics $343; remodel $343; tattooing, piercing or branding $568 (fee codes 3210-3220)one-time per project2026-09-27
Body Art Establishment Permit (annual)only if it applies to youLos Angeles County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health DivisionAnnual, FY2026-27 (fee codes 3001-3099): fixed establishment with 1-3 practitioners $423, 4+ practitioners $440; mobile body art facility 1-3 practitioners $423, 4+ $440; per-practitioner Body Art Registration $54; temporary event body art facility $1,640; temporary body art facility $150 per unit; billable re-inspection $162.annual (county fiscal year, July 1-June 30); temporary event and temporary facility permits are per-event2026-09-27
Cosmetology or Barbering Establishment LicenseCalifornia Board of Barbering and Cosmetology$50 application and initial license2 years2026-09-03

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

Local permits that apply to every type of business in Los Angeles County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Site Plan Review, Ministerial (Commercial & Industrial)only if it applies to youLos Angeles County Department of Regional PlanningVaries — formula on the Los Angeles County pageone-time2026-09-27
Change-of-Use / Occupancy Inspection Feeonly if it applies to youLos Angeles County Department of Public Works, Building and Safety DivisionVaries — formula on the Los Angeles County pageone-time, per inspection2026-09-27
On-Site Business Sign Plan Reviewonly if it applies to youLos Angeles County Department of Regional PlanningVaries — formula on the Los Angeles County pageone-time2026-09-27
Commercial Building Permit / Plan Checkonly if it applies to youLos Angeles County Department of Public Works, Building and Safety DivisionVaries — formula on the Los Angeles County pageper project2026-09-27
Demolition Inspection Feeonly if it applies to youLos Angeles County Department of Public Works, Building and Safety Division$244.88 one-time, per demolition inspection (FY2026-27; was $229.93 in the FY2024-25 archived schedule)one-time, per inspection2026-09-27
Fictitious Business Name (DBA) Statementonly if it applies to youLos Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County ClerkVaries — formula on the Los Angeles County pagenot stated in the sources retrieved2026-09-27

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

CA registrations that apply to every type of business

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Statement of Information (LLC)only if it applies to youCalifornia Secretary of State, Business Programs Division$20 per filing, biennialbiennial2026-09-03
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youCalifornia Secretary of State, Business Programs Division$70 one-time filingno expiry, but a Statement of Information is due biennially2026-09-03
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youCalifornia Secretary of State, Business Programs Division$100 one-time filingno expiry, but a Statement of Information is due annually2026-09-03
Statement of Information (Corporation)only if it applies to youCalifornia Secretary of State, Business Programs Division$25 per filing, annualannual2026-09-03
Seller's Permitonly if it applies to youCalifornia Department of Tax and Fee AdministrationNo fee — no fee to applyno expiry while actively engaged in business as a seller2026-09-03
Annual LLC Tax and Minimum Franchise Taxonly if it applies to youCalifornia Franchise Tax BoardVaries — formula on the CA pageannual, until the entity is cancelled2026-09-03
General Business License — California position (city or county, not state)California Secretary of State, Business Programs DivisionNo feeset by the issuing city or county2026-09-03

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

How much does it actually cost to permit a salon or barber in Los Angeles County?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 17 records listed for a salon or barber in Los Angeles County, CA, 2 apply to every business of this type and 15 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

Of the 2 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $50.00. That is a floor, not a total. 9 of the 17 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 1 has no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

County Business License — Regulated Categories (Restaurant, Motor Vehicle Repair, Massage/Body Art, Health Spa): Cost-recovery fee set per license category under LA County Code Title 7 §7.14.010; every application carries a non-refundable application fee, and some categories additionally require sign-off from the Fire Department, Sheriff, Dept. of Health Services or Dept. of Regional Planning before the Business License Commission issues the license. The per-category dollar amounts were not published in the TTC's accessible fee documents.

Body Art Facility Plan Check: $343–$568 one-time, by scope (FY2026-27): permanent cosmetics $343; remodel $343; tattooing, piercing or branding $568 (fee codes 3210-3220)

Body Art Establishment Permit (annual): Annual, FY2026-27 (fee codes 3001-3099): fixed establishment with 1-3 practitioners $423, 4+ practitioners $440; mobile body art facility 1-3 practitioners $423, 4+ $440; per-practitioner Body Art Registration $54; temporary event body art facility $1,640; temporary body art facility $150 per unit; billable re-inspection $162.

The other 6 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Los Angeles County permits page and the CA state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Los Angeles County?

Permits for a salon or barber in Los Angeles County, CA come from 9 separate offices: Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector, Business License Section, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health Division, Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning, Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, Building and Safety Division, Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division, California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, California Franchise Tax Board, California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a salon or barber need in Los Angeles County that other businesses do not?

3 of the 4 permits particular to a salon or barber here apply to no other business type we cover in Los Angeles County: Body Art Facility Plan Check, Body Art Establishment Permit (annual) and Cosmetology or Barbering Establishment License.

County Business License — Regulated Categories (Restaurant, Motor Vehicle Repair, Massage/Body Art, Health Spa)

Los Angeles County licenses about 100 named regulated business activities under Title 7, and this license applies only in the unincorporated area and the three contract cities of Malibu, Santa Clarita and Westlake Village — not in any of the county's other 85 incorporated cities, which issue their own business licenses instead. Confirmed named categories reaching these industries include Restaurant, Motor Vehicle Repair, Massage Establishment, Massage Technician, Body Art Establishment, Health Spa and Swimming Pool Public. The fee is cost-recovery based rather than a gross-receipts tax, and includes a non-refundable application fee on every application, but the county's public FAQ and fee-schedule documents do not state the actual per-category dollar figures. Failing to obtain a required license is a misdemeanor under Title 7. A salon needs this license only if it offers massage or body-art services beyond an ordinary cosmetologist's scope; a fitness studio needs it only if it operates a health spa or a public swimming pool. Apply through EPIC-LA.

Body Art Facility Plan Check

Building or remodeling a body art facility in Los Angeles County (outside Long Beach, Pasadena and Vernon) needs a one-time DPH-EH plan check before the operating permit issues: $343 for a permanent-cosmetics-only facility or for a remodel, and $568 for a facility offering tattooing, piercing or branding, under the FY2026-27 fee schedule. This is separate from the annual body art establishment permit and per-practitioner registration fee recorded above.

Body Art Establishment Permit (annual)

A salon that offers tattooing, piercing, branding or permanent cosmetics needs a DPH-EH body art establishment permit, everywhere in the county except Long Beach, Pasadena and Vernon. The FY2026-27 annual fee is $423 for a fixed establishment with 1-3 practitioners and $440 with 4 or more, the same rates for a mobile body art facility, plus a $54 per-practitioner registration fee for each individual body artist. A one-off temporary event facility is $1,640 and a temporary body art facility is $150 per unit; a billable re-inspection is $162. An ordinary hair, nail or skin salon offering no body art service needs no permit under this program.

Cosmetology or Barbering Establishment License

$50 covers the application and the initial license together — it is one combined fee, not two — and renewal is $40 every two years, with a $20 delinquency fee. The establishment license is separate from every practitioner license held by the people working there. Three rules catch owners out: only the owner may apply, only one license is issued per address, and the license is valid only for the location and the owners named on it. Moving premises, selling the business, or adding or removing a partner all require a fresh application rather than an amendment. A mobile unit is licensed separately at $50 plus a $100 initial inspection and license fee. A license left unrenewed for five years is cancelled outright.

The other 6 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Los Angeles County, CA; what each one involves is set out on the Los Angeles County permits page. The 7 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across CA and are covered on the CA state page.

How does a salon or barber compare with other businesses in Los Angeles County?

The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 1 of these permits. A salon or barber also needs Body Art Facility Plan Check, Body Art Establishment Permit (annual) and Cosmetology or Barbering Establishment License. A auto repair shop needs Aboveground Petroleum Storage Act (APSA) Permit and Hazardous Materials Business Plan / Handler / Generator Permit (CUPA), which a salon or barber does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Los Angeles County, CA, compared with a salon or barber
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a salon or barberOnly a salon or barber needsOnly it needs
Auto repair shops3132
Fitness studios6135
Restaurants111310
Childcare centres7047
Coffee shops100410
Contractors and trades4044
Food trucks110411
Retail stores9049
Veterinary clinics100410

Sources

Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Los Angeles County permits page and the CA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Business License FAQs (revised March 24, 2025)LA County Treasurer and Tax Collector · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
  2. Business Frequently Asked Questions (full list of ~100 named regulated business-license categories)LA County Treasurer and Tax Collector · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
  3. Business License General InformationLA County Treasurer and Tax Collector · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
  4. Public Health and Financial Management Fee Schedule, FY2026-27 (report run 08/18/2026)LA County Dept. of Public Health, Environmental Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
  5. Environmental Health permits overviewLA County Dept. of Public Health, Environmental Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-27
  6. California Code of Regulations title 16 section 998, Schedule of Fees, as published by the Board of Barbering and CosmetologyCalifornia Board of Barbering and Cosmetology · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  7. California Business and Professions Code section 7415 — two-year license term for barbering and cosmetology licensesCalifornia Legislative Information · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03

Related

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.