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12 permits · verified 2026-10-13

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

In short

A salon or barber in Monterey County, CA has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 10 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division charges $20 per filing, biennial for the statement of information (llc). 5 of the 12 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-13 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a salon or barber in Monterey County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Body Art Facility Permit and Operator Registrationonly if it applies to youCounty of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health BureauBody art facility: facility application $625; facility permit $598; temporary facility permit $598; temporary body art demonstration booth inspection $117. Body art operator: application $132; operator registration $274; temporary operator registration $64 (schedule footnote: 'If registered in California, then no fee').fiscal year (July 1 – June 30); health permits expire on June 302026-10-13
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 Monterey County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (Septic) Permitsonly if it applies to youCounty of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health BureauVaries — formula on the Monterey County pageconstruction permit per project; operating permit annual2026-10-13
Land-Use Permits (use permit, administrative permit, design approval, variance, zoning verification)only if it applies to youCounty of Monterey Housing and Community Development (Building Services and Planning)Varies — formula on the Monterey County pageper application (one-time)2026-10-13
Building Permit (commercial new construction or tenant improvement)only if it applies to youCounty of Monterey Housing and Community Development (Building Services and Planning)Varies — formula on the Monterey County pageper project (one-time)2026-10-13

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 Monterey County?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 12 records listed for a salon or barber in Monterey County, CA, 2 apply to every business of this type and 10 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. 5 of the 12 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:

Body Art Facility Permit and Operator Registration: Body art facility: facility application $625; facility permit $598; temporary facility permit $598; temporary body art demonstration booth inspection $117. Body art operator: application $132; operator registration $274; temporary operator registration $64 (schedule footnote: 'If registered in California, then no fee').

The other 4 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Monterey County permits page and the CA state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Monterey County?

Permits for a salon or barber in Monterey County, CA come from 6 separate offices: County of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau, County of Monterey Housing and Community Development (Building Services and Planning), 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 Monterey County that other businesses do not?

2 of the 2 permits particular to a salon or barber here apply to no other business type we cover in Monterey County: Body Art Facility Permit and Operator Registration and Cosmetology or Barbering Establishment License.

Body Art Facility Permit and Operator Registration

A salon or studio offering tattooing, body piercing, permanent cosmetics or branding needs a body art facility health permit, and each person doing the work registers as a body art operator. The Bureau's Body Art page says each Health Permit 'is valid only during fiscal year (July 1 – June 30) the permit was issued' and that 'Health permits expire on June 30'; it also says 'A residential location (home) or mobile body art truck that provides tattoo, permanent cosmetic, body piercing and/or branding services are not authorized nor permitted to operate in the County of Monterey by the Health Department.' A salon offering only hair, nail or skin services without body art has no body art permit. Fees are from Article I.E of the County Master Fee Resolution, adopted as Resolution No. 26-074 on 24 March 2026 and effective July 1, 2026; contact the Bureau, (831) 755-4505, about the ear-piercing facility notification.

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 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Monterey County, CA; what each one involves is set out on the Monterey 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 Monterey County?

The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A salon or barber also needs Body Art Facility Permit and Operator Registration and Cosmetology or Barbering Establishment License. A auto repair shop needs CUPA Hazardous Waste Generator / Hazardous Materials Permit, which a salon or barber does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Monterey 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 shops1021
Childcare centres1021
Coffee shops7027
Contractors and trades1021
Fitness studios1021
Food trucks4024
Restaurants6026
Retail stores7027
Veterinary clinics2022

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 Monterey County permits page and the CA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. County Master Fee Resolution Article I.E — Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau Fees, Effective July 1, 2026County of Monterey Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
  2. Body ArtCounty of Monterey Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
  3. Resolution No. 26-074 — amending Article I.E of the Monterey County Master Fee Resolution, effective July 1, 2026 (RES 26-036)County of Monterey Board of Supervisors · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
  4. Board Order, Agenda Item No. 24, 24 March 2026 — Resolution No. 26-074 (RES 26-036)County of Monterey Board of Supervisors · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-13
  5. 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
  6. 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.