14 permits · verified 2026-10-02
What permits do you need to open a salon or barber in Ventura County?
In short
A salon or barber in Ventura County, CA has 4 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 10 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Ventura County RMA Planning Division charges $193 Nonrefundable, per application — Ministerial Tenant Change in an Existing Commercial or Industrial Building Tenant Space, the scenario on the RMA Planning Division Fee Schedule that matches these 10 industries opening in existing unincorporated commercial space. Other scenarios on the same schedule are priced separately for different scopes of work, for example $93 for a Home Occupation not requiring a waiver, $333 plus $50 per additional unit for an addition to an existing building, and $444 plus $50 per additional unit for a new residential unit. for the zoning clearance (unincorporated area). 6 of the 14 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-02 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a salon or barber in Ventura County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regulatory License (unincorporated area, named trades)only if it applies to you | Ventura County Treasurer-Tax Collector | Per-trade flat fee set by Ventura County Ordinance Code Division 2, Chapter 2, with each trade's fee fixed by its own numbered section: Massage Parlor $150/year (§2497); Massage Technician $25/year (§2497); Kennel $60/year (§2596, Sheriff approval not required for this trade specifically); Second-hand Dealer $100 (§2328); Pawnbroker $100 (§2328); Junk Dealer $50 and Junk Collector $50 (§2328); Auctioneer $10/year (§2312); Billiard Rooms $20 per table (§2246); Coin-Operated Pool Table $20/year (§2251); Cardrooms $150 per table per year plus $10 per employee identification card (§2289); Private Patrol $25/year (§2451); Rubbish Collector $10 per truck per year (§2417); Taxi Cab Operators $10/year and Taxi Cab Owners $10/year (one taxi) or $30/year (two or more) (§2470); plus roughly a dozen additional named trades, including dance halls, carnivals, temporary gatherings and shows, and motor vehicle races, billed per day or per year depending on the trade. | Mostly annual; a smaller set of named trades (carnivals, temporary gatherings and shows, per-dance admission, motor-vehicle-race-day rates) are billed per day instead | 2026-10-02 |
| Body Art Program Permitonly if it applies to you | Ventura County RMA Environmental Health Division | $45–$1,796.49 RMA Environmental Health Division Body Art Program fees, effective July 1, 2026: Practitioner $199.61; Practitioner-Owner $99.81; Facility $598.83; Vehicle $299.42; Temporary Event Organizer (3 or more booths) $1,796.49 or (1-2 booths) $798.44; Temporary Event Booth $99.81; Facility Plan Check $1,197.66; Vehicle Plan Check $598.83; one-time mechanical ear-piercing notification $45.00. | Annual for a practitioner, facility or vehicle permit; per-event for a temporary event permit; the ear-piercing notification is a one-time fee | 2026-10-02 |
| Cosmetology or Barbering Establishment License | California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology | $50 application and initial license | 2 years | 2026-09-03 |
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 Ventura County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Business Tax Certificate (unincorporated area) | Ventura County Treasurer-Tax Collector | Varies — formula on the Ventura County page | Annual, license year July 1 through June 30; prorated quarterly for a mid-year start unless the annual fee is $10 or less | 2026-10-02 |
| Zoning Clearance (unincorporated area) | Ventura County RMA Planning Division | $193 Nonrefundable, per application — Ministerial Tenant Change in an Existing Commercial or Industrial Building Tenant Space, the scenario on the RMA Planning Division Fee Schedule that matches these 10 industries opening in existing unincorporated commercial space. Other scenarios on the same schedule are priced separately for different scopes of work, for example $93 for a Home Occupation not requiring a waiver, $333 plus $50 per additional unit for an addition to an existing building, and $444 plus $50 per additional unit for a new residential unit. | Nonrefundable, per application | 2026-10-02 |
| Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (OWTS/Septic) Permitonly if it applies to you | Ventura County RMA Environmental Health Division | Varies — formula on the Ventura County page | Per service; the septic-pumping-vehicle registration is annual | 2026-10-02 |
| Building and Safety Division Permitonly if it applies to you | Ventura County RMA Building and Safety Division | Varies — formula on the Ventura County page | Per permit; expiration governed by the County Building Code | 2026-10-02 |
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
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statement of Information (LLC)only if it applies to you | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | $20 per filing, biennial | biennial | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | $70 one-time filing | no expiry, but a Statement of Information is due biennially | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | $100 one-time filing | no expiry, but a Statement of Information is due annually | 2026-09-03 |
| Statement of Information (Corporation)only if it applies to you | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | $25 per filing, annual | annual | 2026-09-03 |
| Seller's Permitonly if it applies to you | California Department of Tax and Fee Administration | No fee — no fee to apply | no expiry while actively engaged in business as a seller | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual LLC Tax and Minimum Franchise Taxonly if it applies to you | California Franchise Tax Board | Varies — formula on the CA page | annual, until the entity is cancelled | 2026-09-03 |
| General Business License — California position (city or county, not state) | California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division | No fee | set by the issuing city or county | 2026-09-03 |
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 Ventura County?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 14 records listed for a salon or barber in Ventura County, CA, 4 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 4 that always apply, 2 carry a flat fee, coming to $243.00. That is a floor, not a total. 6 of the 14 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:
Regulatory License (unincorporated area, named trades): Per-trade flat fee set by Ventura County Ordinance Code Division 2, Chapter 2, with each trade's fee fixed by its own numbered section: Massage Parlor $150/year (§2497); Massage Technician $25/year (§2497); Kennel $60/year (§2596, Sheriff approval not required for this trade specifically); Second-hand Dealer $100 (§2328); Pawnbroker $100 (§2328); Junk Dealer $50 and Junk Collector $50 (§2328); Auctioneer $10/year (§2312); Billiard Rooms $20 per table (§2246); Coin-Operated Pool Table $20/year (§2251); Cardrooms $150 per table per year plus $10 per employee identification card (§2289); Private Patrol $25/year (§2451); Rubbish Collector $10 per truck per year (§2417); Taxi Cab Operators $10/year and Taxi Cab Owners $10/year (one taxi) or $30/year (two or more) (§2470); plus roughly a dozen additional named trades, including dance halls, carnivals, temporary gatherings and shows, and motor vehicle races, billed per day or per year depending on the trade.
Body Art Program Permit: $45–$1,796.49 RMA Environmental Health Division Body Art Program fees, effective July 1, 2026: Practitioner $199.61; Practitioner-Owner $99.81; Facility $598.83; Vehicle $299.42; Temporary Event Organizer (3 or more booths) $1,796.49 or (1-2 booths) $798.44; Temporary Event Booth $99.81; Facility Plan Check $1,197.66; Vehicle Plan Check $598.83; one-time mechanical ear-piercing notification $45.00.
The other 4 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Ventura County permits page and the CA state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Ventura County?
Permits for a salon or barber in Ventura County, CA come from 8 separate offices: Ventura County Treasurer-Tax Collector, Ventura County RMA Planning Division, Ventura County RMA Environmental Health Division, Ventura County RMA Building and Safety Division, 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.
- Ventura County Treasurer-Tax CollectorIssues 2 permits on this page: County Business Tax Certificate (unincorporated area), Regulatory License (unincorporated area, named trades)800 S. Victoria Ave., Ventura, CA 93009 · 805-654-3727venturacounty.gov/ttc/bl-new
- Ventura County RMA Planning DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Zoning Clearance (unincorporated area)805-654-2488rma.venturacounty.gov
- Ventura County RMA Environmental Health DivisionIssues 2 permits on this page: Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (OWTS/Septic) Permit, Body Art Program Permit800 S. Victoria Ave., Ventura, CA 93009-1730 · 805-654-2813rma.venturacounty.gov
- Ventura County RMA Building and Safety DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Building and Safety Division Permit800 S. Victoria Ave., Ventura, CA 93009 · 805-654-2771rma.venturacounty.gov
- California Secretary of State, Business Programs DivisionIssues 5 permits on this page, including Statement of Information (LLC), Articles of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation(916) 657-5448bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov
- California Department of Tax and Fee AdministrationIssues 1 permit on this page: Seller's Permitonlineservices.cdtfa.ca.gov
- California Franchise Tax BoardIssues 1 permit on this page: Annual LLC Tax and Minimum Franchise Taxwww.ftb.ca.gov
- California Board of Barbering and CosmetologyIssues 1 permit on this page: Cosmetology or Barbering Establishment Licensewww.barbercosmo.ca.gov
What does a salon or barber need in Ventura County that other businesses do not?
2 of the 3 permits particular to a salon or barber here apply to no other business type we cover in Ventura County: Body Art Program Permit and Cosmetology or Barbering Establishment License.
Regulatory License (unincorporated area, named trades)
In the unincorporated area, a business conducting a specific named trade must hold a Regulatory License from the Treasurer-Tax Collector in addition to the general County Business Tax Certificate, backed by an approval letter from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office except for kennel operations, which the application form itself exempts from that approval step. Of the fee table's roughly thirty named trades, four map onto the 10 tracked industries: a massage establishment or massage technician (salon or fitness-studio, if the business performs massage) pays $150/year or $25/year respectively under §2497; a kennel operation that boards animals (veterinary) pays $60/year under §2596; and a second-hand dealer, meaning a retail-store business that buys and resells used goods, pays $100 under §2328. A restaurant, coffee-shop, food-truck, childcare, contractor or auto-repair business is not subject to this license unless it separately conducts one of the named regulated trades.
Body Art Program Permit
A salon in Ventura County that performs body art — tattooing, body piercing or branding — needs a Body Art Program permit from the RMA Environmental Health Division, countywide, in both the incorporated cities and the unincorporated area. The annual fee runs from $99.81 for a practitioner-owner up to $1,796.49 for a temporary event with three or more booths, plus a one-time $45 notification fee for a business that performs only mechanical ear piercing. Ordinary hair and nail services are licensed by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, a state board, rather than this county program, so a salon limited to hair and nail services does not need this permit.
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 4 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Ventura County, CA; what each one involves is set out on the Ventura 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 Ventura County?
The closest match is a fitness studio, which shares 1 of these permits. A salon or barber also needs Body Art Program Permit and Cosmetology or Barbering Establishment License. A fitness studio needs nothing here that a salon or barber does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a salon or barber | Only a salon or barber needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness studios | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Veterinary clinics | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Retail stores | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Auto repair shops | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Childcare centres | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Coffee shops | 4 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Contractors and trades | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Food trucks | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Restaurants | 4 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
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 Ventura County permits page and the CA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Business Tax Certificate Application, effective 7-1-2026 (Rate Sheet and Section 4 Regulatory License fee table)Ventura County Treasurer-Tax Collector · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-02
- Regulatory License — Trades Requiring an Additional County LicenseVentura County Treasurer-Tax Collector · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-02
- Body Art Program Fees, effective July 1, 2026Ventura County RMA Environmental Health Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-02
- 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
- 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.