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17 permits · verified 2026-09-28

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

In short

A salon or barber in Palm Beach County, FL has 8 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 9 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations charges $125 one-time filing for the articles of organization (llc). 10 of the 17 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-28 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a salon or barber in Palm Beach County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Wellfield Protection Operating/Closure Permitonly if it applies to youPalm Beach County Environmental Resources ManagementERM's Wellfield Protection Program fees are published in a standalone fee schedule adopted under Resolution R2022-1570 rather than as dollar figures written into ULDC Article 14, Chapter B itself; the current amount is whatever that resolution's schedule states for the applicable permit type.operating permits are subject to periodic renewal/inspection set by ERM; the renewal period is not itemized in ERM's published fee schedule2026-09-28
PBC Water Utilities Backflow Prevention / Cross-Connection Controlonly if it applies to youPalm Beach County Water Utilities DepartmentPBCWUD's own site does not publish a separate per-device county fee for the backflow compliance program on its backflow program page; the annual backflow-assembly test itself is performed and paid for through a state-certified tester the business selects, and PBCWUD's role is verifying that test result is on file.annual backflow-assembly testing2026-09-28
Animal Care and Control Animal Establishment/Operational Permitonly if it applies to youPalm Beach County Public Safety Department, Animal Care and Control DivisionOrdinance 98-22 states that the cost of a permit 'shall be established by the Board [of County Commissioners] by resolution' rather than fixing dollar figures in the code text itself, so most animal-establishment, kennel, breeder and license-tag fees are not stated in the ordinance. The one category the ordinance text itself does price is Limited Pet Boarding, at $400.not stated as a fixed period in the ordinance text; confirm the renewal cycle with Animal Care and Control2026-09-28
Salon Licensing — State Board License Applies (Palm Beach County)only if it applies to youPalm Beach County Constitutional Tax Collector, Local Business Tax SectionNo feenot applicable2026-09-28
Barbershop LicenseFlorida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Board of Cosmetology and Barbers' Board$125 application and original license2 years2026-09-03
Cosmetology or Specialty Salon LicenseFlorida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Board of Cosmetology and Barbers' Board$90 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 Palm Beach County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Local Business Tax Receipt (LBTR)Palm Beach County Constitutional Tax Collector, Local Business Tax SectionVaries — formula on the Palm Beach County pageannual; renewal window July 1-Sept 30; 10% penalty begins Oct 1, rising to 25% with further delinquency2026-09-28
Sign PermitPalm Beach County Planning, Zoning & Building Department, Building DivisionVaries — formula on the Palm Beach County pageone-time, per sign installed or changed2026-09-28
Certificate of Use / Zoning ApprovalPalm Beach County Planning, Zoning & Building Department, Zoning DivisionVaries — formula on the Palm Beach County pageno periodic renewal identified; a new Certificate of Use is required on a change of use, tenant, or business activity at the address2026-09-28
Building PermitPalm Beach County Planning, Zoning & Building Department, Building DivisionVaries — formula on the Palm Beach County pageone-time per project; permit expires if work is not commenced or inspected within the period stated on the permit card2026-09-28
Certificate of Occupancy / CompletionPalm Beach County Planning, Zoning & Building Department, Building DivisionVaries — formula on the Palm Beach County pagenot a renewable permit — a new certificate is required after any new construction, renovation, or unapproved work2026-09-28

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

FL 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
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youFlorida Department of State, Division of Corporations$125 one-time filingno expiry, but an annual report is due every year by 1 May2026-09-03
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youFlorida Department of State, Division of Corporations$70 one-time filingno expiry, but an annual report is due every year by 1 May2026-09-03
Annual Report (LLC)only if it applies to youFlorida Department of State, Division of CorporationsVaries — formula on the FL pageannual, due by 1 May2026-09-03
Annual Report (Corporation)only if it applies to youFlorida Department of State, Division of CorporationsVaries — formula on the FL pageannual, due by 1 May2026-09-03
Business Tax Application (Sales and Use Tax)only if it applies to youFlorida Department of RevenueNo fee — no fee to registerno fixed expiry2026-09-03
Local Business Tax ReceiptFlorida Department of State, Division of CorporationsNo feeannual — every receipt expires on 30 September2026-09-03

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 Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach County, FL, 8 apply to every business of this type and 9 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 8 that always apply, 2 carry a flat fee, coming to $215.00. That is a floor, not a total. 10 of the 17 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 2 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Wellfield Protection Operating/Closure Permit: ERM's Wellfield Protection Program fees are published in a standalone fee schedule adopted under Resolution R2022-1570 rather than as dollar figures written into ULDC Article 14, Chapter B itself; the current amount is whatever that resolution's schedule states for the applicable permit type.

PBC Water Utilities Backflow Prevention / Cross-Connection Control: PBCWUD's own site does not publish a separate per-device county fee for the backflow compliance program on its backflow program page; the annual backflow-assembly test itself is performed and paid for through a state-certified tester the business selects, and PBCWUD's role is verifying that test result is on file.

Animal Care and Control Animal Establishment/Operational Permit: Ordinance 98-22 states that the cost of a permit 'shall be established by the Board [of County Commissioners] by resolution' rather than fixing dollar figures in the code text itself, so most animal-establishment, kennel, breeder and license-tag fees are not stated in the ordinance. The one category the ordinance text itself does price is Limited Pet Boarding, at $400.

The other 7 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Palm Beach County permits page and the FL state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Palm Beach County?

Permits for a salon or barber in Palm Beach County, FL come from 9 separate offices: Palm Beach County Constitutional Tax Collector, Local Business Tax Section, Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning & Building Department, Building Division, Palm Beach County Planning, Zoning & Building Department, Zoning Division, Palm Beach County Environmental Resources Management, Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department, Palm Beach County Public Safety Department, Animal Care and Control Division, Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, Florida Department of Revenue, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Board of Cosmetology and Barbers' Board. 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 Palm Beach County that other businesses do not?

3 of the 6 permits particular to a salon or barber here apply to no other business type we cover in Palm Beach County: Salon Licensing — State Board License Applies (Palm Beach County), Barbershop License and Cosmetology or Specialty Salon License.

Salon Licensing — State Board License Applies (Palm Beach County)

Under Fla. Stat. §477.025, 'No cosmetology salon or specialty salon shall be permitted to operate without a license issued by the department,' and the Board of Cosmetology adopts the rules governing salon licensure — a Florida DBPR function; under that statute there is no county fee for the salon license itself. A salon's county-level touchpoints are the LBTR and, in unincorporated PBC, the Certificate of Use/building/sign permits listed as separate Palm Beach County records. A salon that also offers pet grooming is the one case where a county permit reaches it directly — the ACC Animal Establishment Permit, recorded separately, covers pet grooming parlors including mobile units.

Barbershop License

$125 to open — $75 application plus $50 for the original license — and $105 every two years to renew. That renewal is more than two and a half times what a cosmetology salon pays, which is the sharpest difference between Florida's two personal-care regimes and the reason the distinction is worth getting right before you apply. Moving a barbershop to a new location carries a $125 transfer fee set by statute. Renewing late adds $25.

Cosmetology or Specialty Salon License

$90 to open — a $50 non-refundable application fee plus a $40 salon license fee — then $40 every two years to renew. Renewing late within twenty-four months adds a $25 delinquency fee on top of the renewal. Do not assume a barbershop costs the same: Florida licenses barbershops through a different board at $125 initially and $105 biennially, so a shop offering both may need to think about which license it holds. A mobile cosmetology salon may not be charged more than a fixed location.

Shared with other businesses in Palm Beach County

  • Wellfield Protection Operating/Closure Permit — Palm Beach County Environmental Resources Management, ERM's Wellfield Protection Program fees are published in a standalone fee schedule adopted under Resolution R2022-1570 rather than as dollar figures written into ULDC Article 14, Chapter B itself; the current amount is whatever that resolution's schedule states for the applicable permit type., operating permits are subject to periodic renewal/inspection set by ERM; the renewal period is not itemized in ERM's published fee schedule. Also required for auto repair shops, contractors and trades, veterinary clinics and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the auto repair shops page.
  • PBC Water Utilities Backflow Prevention / Cross-Connection Control — Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department, PBCWUD's own site does not publish a separate per-device county fee for the backflow compliance program on its backflow program page; the annual backflow-assembly test itself is performed and paid for through a state-certified tester the business selects, and PBCWUD's role is verifying that test result is on file., annual backflow-assembly testing. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, food trucks, auto repair shops and veterinary clinics; what it involves is set out on the food trucks page.
  • Animal Care and Control Animal Establishment/Operational Permit — Palm Beach County Public Safety Department, Animal Care and Control Division, Ordinance 98-22 states that the cost of a permit 'shall be established by the Board [of County Commissioners] by resolution' rather than fixing dollar figures in the code text itself, so most animal-establishment, kennel, breeder and license-tag fees are not stated in the ordinance. The one category the ordinance text itself does price is Limited Pet Boarding, at $400., not stated as a fixed period in the ordinance text; confirm the renewal cycle with Animal Care and Control. Also required for retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.

The other 5 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Palm Beach County, FL; what each one involves is set out on the Palm Beach County permits page. The 6 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across FL and are covered on the FL state page.

How does a salon or barber compare with other businesses in Palm Beach County?

The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 2 of these permits. A salon or barber also needs Animal Care and Control Animal Establishment/Operational Permit, Salon Licensing — State Board License Applies (Palm Beach County), Barbershop License and Cosmetology or Specialty Salon License. A auto repair shop needs PBC Fire Rescue Operational/Life-Safety Permit, Other ERM Environmental Permits (Beachfront Lighting, Lake Excavation, Native Vegetation Removal, Petroleum Storage/Cleanup, Surface Water Protection) and Towing / Wrecker Operator Business Permit, which a salon or barber does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Palm Beach County, FL, compared with a salon or barber
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a salon or barberOnly a salon or barber needsOnly it needs
Auto repair shops5243
Retail stores5243
Veterinary clinics5243
Contractors and trades4153
Food trucks5154
Coffee shops6155
Restaurants6155
Childcare centres4064
Fitness studios2062

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 shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the auto repair shops page, food trucks page and retail stores page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Palm Beach County permits page and the FL state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Local Business Tax overviewPalm Beach County Tax Collector · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-28
  2. Florida Administrative Code rules 61G3-20.003, 61G3-20.0035 and 61G3-20.010 — barbershop application, original license and biennial renewal feesFlorida Department of State, Administrative Code · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  3. Florida Administrative Code rules 61G5-24.005 and 61G5-24.009 — cosmetology salon license and biennial renewal feesFlorida Department of State, Administrative Code · 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.