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12 permits · verified 2026-10-03

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

In short

A salon or barber in Fulton County Ga, GA has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 9 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Fulton County Department of Public Works, Planning & Community Services charges $40 flat, per request for the zoning certification letter. 5 of the 12 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-03 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a salon or barber in Fulton County Ga

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Massage Therapy Licenseonly if it applies to youFulton County Finance Department, Business License DivisionLicense and background-investigation fees, and the separate renewal fee, are each set 'from time to time by the board of commissioners' under Code §18-183; no dollar figure is stated in the Code text or published elsewhere, so applicants should contact the Fulton County Finance Department, 404-612-7722, for the current amount.renewable; the Code does not specify a fixed term length2026-10-03
Body Art (Tattoo/Piercing) Establishment Permitonly if it applies to youFulton County Board of Health, Environmental Health SectionPlan review for a new establishment $700; annual inspection $550; body artist license $150; guest body artist license $75 per week; temporary body art establishment permit (1-7 days) $400.annual studio inspection and body artist license; temporary and guest permits are per event or per week2026-10-03
Salon or Shop LicenseGeorgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers$75 new license and renewal alike, plus a $5 online or $10 paper processing feebiennial — expires 30 June of odd-numbered 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 Fulton County Ga

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Building Permit / Zoning Complianceonly if it applies to youFulton County Department of Public Works, Planning & Community ServicesVaries — formula on the Fulton County Ga pageper project2026-10-03
Zoning Certification Letteronly if it applies to youFulton County Department of Public Works, Planning & Community Services$40 flat, per requestper request (one-time)2026-10-03
Business Occupation Tax CertificateFulton County Finance Department, Business License DivisionVaries — formula on the Fulton County Ga pageannual, calendar year (January 1 - December 31); renew by March 312026-10-03
On-Site Sewage Management / Septic / Well Permitonly if it applies to youFulton County Board of Health, Environmental Health SectionVaries — formula on the Fulton County Ga pageper project2026-10-03

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

GA 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
Sales and Use Tax Certificate of RegistrationGeorgia Department of Revenue, Taxpayer Services DivisionNo feeno renewal — valid until cancelled, suspended or revoked2026-09-03
General Business License — Georgia state position (local occupation tax certificate)only if it applies to youGeorgia Secretary of State, Corporations DivisionNo feeset by the issuing city or county, usually annual2026-09-03
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youGeorgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division$110 one-time — $100 filing fee plus a $10 service chargeno expiry, but an annual registration is due each year2026-09-03
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youGeorgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division$110 one-time — $100 filing fee plus a $10 service chargeno expiry, but an annual registration is due each year2026-09-03
Annual Registrationonly if it applies to youGeorgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division$60 a year — $50 plus a $10 service charge; $40 for a nonprofitannual — filed between 1 January and 1 April2026-09-03

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 Fulton County Ga?

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 Fulton County Ga, GA, 3 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 3 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $75.00. 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 2 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Massage Therapy License: License and background-investigation fees, and the separate renewal fee, are each set 'from time to time by the board of commissioners' under Code §18-183; no dollar figure is stated in the Code text or published elsewhere, so applicants should contact the Fulton County Finance Department, 404-612-7722, for the current amount.

Body Art (Tattoo/Piercing) Establishment Permit: Plan review for a new establishment $700; annual inspection $550; body artist license $150; guest body artist license $75 per week; temporary body art establishment permit (1-7 days) $400.

The other 3 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Fulton County Ga permits page and the GA state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Fulton County Ga?

Permits for a salon or barber in Fulton County Ga, GA come from 6 separate offices: Fulton County Finance Department, Business License Division, Fulton County Board of Health, Environmental Health Section, Fulton County Department of Public Works, Planning & Community Services, Georgia Department of Revenue, Taxpayer Services Division, Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division, Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers. 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 Fulton County Ga that other businesses do not?

3 of the 3 permits particular to a salon or barber here apply to no other business type we cover in Fulton County Ga: Massage Therapy License, Body Art (Tattoo/Piercing) Establishment Permit and Salon or Shop License.

Massage Therapy License

A salon or spa in the Fulton Industrial District or any remaining unincorporated pocket of Fulton County offering massage therapy needs this separate Fulton County Massage Therapy License under Code Chapter 18, Article IV, in addition to the general Business Occupation Tax Certificate above. Qualification requires a background investigation, a diploma from an accredited massage school of at least 500 hours or six months (or equivalent AMTA membership), and passage of the NCTMB exam since February 1, 2001, under §18-182. The license, background-investigation and renewal fees are each set 'from time to time by the board of commissioners' under §18-183, with no dollar figure stated in the Code or published anywhere else — contact the Fulton County Finance Department, 404-612-7722, for the current amount.

Body Art (Tattoo/Piercing) Establishment Permit

A salon in Fulton County that offers tattooing or piercing needs this permit from the Fulton County Board of Health in addition to any general salon licensing, and the requirement reaches every incorporated city in the county as well as the Fulton Industrial District under Code §34-4(b). A salon offering only hair, nail or skin services without tattooing or piercing is outside this specific permit. Plan review for a new establishment is $700, the annual inspection is $550, a body artist's own license is $150, a guest body artist pays $75 per week, and a temporary establishment operating 1-7 days pays $400, all under the Board's fee schedule effective April 1, 2022.

Salon or Shop License

One license class covers everything: the barber and cosmetology boards merged in 2015, so there is no separate beauty salon, nail salon, esthetician or barber shop fee — all are the same $75. Legacy barber shop licenses can be renewed but no longer newly issued. Georgia does not license mobile salons at all, and the board says so plainly; a unit qualifies only if anchored on the ground in a permanent location. Home-based salons are allowed. The owner need not be a licensed practitioner but must complete a board-approved health, safety and sanitation course. A change of name, location or ownership needs a fresh application rather than an amendment, and paper applications are no longer accepted.

The other 4 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Fulton County Ga, GA; what each one involves is set out on the Fulton County Ga permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across GA and are covered on the GA state page.

How does a salon or barber compare with other businesses in Fulton County Ga?

The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A salon or barber also needs Massage Therapy License, Body Art (Tattoo/Piercing) Establishment Permit and Salon or Shop License. A auto repair shop needs Automotive Repair Shop License — Georgia state position, which a salon or barber does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Fulton County Ga, GA, compared with a salon or barber
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a salon or barberOnly a salon or barber needsOnly it needs
Auto repair shops1031
Childcare centres1031
Coffee shops6036
Contractors and trades3033
Fitness studios1031
Food trucks3033
Restaurants6036
Retail stores4034
Veterinary clinics2032

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 Fulton County Ga permits page and the GA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Fulton County Code of Laws, Chapter 18 — BusinessesFulton County / Municode · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-02
  2. Fulton County Board of Health, Environmental Health Section, Fee Schedule effective April 1, 2022 (approved by the Board of Commissioners)Fulton County Board of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-02
  3. Fulton County Board of Health — Food Service, Environmental HealthFulton County Board of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-02
  4. Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers — fee scheduleGeorgia Secretary of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  5. Georgia Comp. R. & Regs. chapter 295-2 — expiration and renewal dates for every license administered by the Professional Licensing Boards DivisionGeorgia Secretary of State · 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.