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14 permits · verified 2026-10-14

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

In short

A salon or barber in Johnson County Ia, IA has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 12 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability charges $250 per site plan review application, including Administrator-approved site plans, as published on the county's PDS Fee Schedule page for the site plan review (unincorporated johnson county). 4 of the 14 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-14 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a salon or barber in Johnson County Ia

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Tanning Facility Certified Operator Test (Johnson County Public Health)only if it applies to youJohnson County Public Health$25 per test attempt, payable to Johnson County Public Health, as published on JCPH's Tanning License pageper test attempt; the Certificate of Completion is issued on passing2026-10-14
Home Occupation Approval, Customer Visits (Zoning Administrator, unincorporated Johnson County)only if it applies to youJohnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability$50 per application, listed as "Home Occupation (w/visit by public)" under Zoning Administrator Approval Applications on the county's PDS Fee Schedule pageper approval2026-10-14
Barbering or Cosmetology Establishment LicenseIowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing$80 to apply; renewal is $80renews on a schedule opening sixty days before expiry with a thirty-day grace period after2026-09-04

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 Johnson County Ia

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical Permits (Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability)only if it applies to youJohnson County Planning, Development and SustainabilityVaries — formula on the Johnson County Ia pageas for building permits: work must begin within 180 days of issuance; written 180-day extensions may be granted (Building Permits FAQ)2026-10-14
Site Plan Review (unincorporated Johnson County)only if it applies to youJohnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability$250 per site plan review application, including Administrator-approved site plans, as published on the county's PDS Fee Schedule pageper project2026-10-14
Building Permit (Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability)only if it applies to youJohnson County Planning, Development and SustainabilityVaries — formula on the Johnson County Ia pagework must begin within 180 days of issuance and may not be suspended or abandoned for more than 180 days; the building official may grant written extensions of 180 days (Building Permits FAQ)2026-10-14
Change of Occupancy Permit (Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability)only if it applies to youJohnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability$50 per change of occupancy permit, as published on the county's Building Permit Fee Schedule page; the certificate of occupancy issued after inspection is listed there at no chargeper change of occupancy; a new certificate of occupancy is issued after the inspection is approved2026-10-14
Conditional Use Permit (Board of Adjustment, unincorporated Johnson County)only if it applies to youJohnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability$250 per conditional use permit application to the Board of Adjustment, as published on the county's PDS Fee Schedule page ($50 more for any modification after publication that requires republication)per application2026-10-14
Private Sewage Disposal (Septic) Construction Permit and Commercial/Industrial Use Permitonly if it applies to youJohnson County Public HealthVaries — formula on the Johnson County Ia pageconstruction permit expires 1 year from issue, with one extension of up to 1 year on request (§4.06); commercial/industrial use permit renewed annually (§4.09(A))2026-10-14

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

IA 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
Certificate of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youIowa Secretary of State, Business Services Division$50 one-time filingperpetual, but a biennial report is due every two years2026-09-04
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youIowa Secretary of State, Business Services Division$50 one-time filingperpetual, but a biennial report is due every two years2026-09-04
Sales Tax PermitIowa Department of RevenueNo feeno expiration — stays effective until cancelled or revoked2026-09-04
General Business License — Iowa positiononly if it applies to youIowa Economic Development Authority, Business License Information CenterNo feenot applicable2026-09-04
Biennial Reportonly if it applies to youIowa Secretary of State, Business Services DivisionVaries — formula on the IA pagean LLC files between 1 January and 1 April of every odd year; a corporation files in the same window of every even year2026-09-04

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 Johnson County Ia?

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 Johnson County Ia, IA, 2 apply to every business of this type and 12 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 $80.00. That is a floor, not a total. 4 of the 14 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 2 have no fee published at all.

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

Which offices issue these permits in Johnson County Ia?

Permits for a salon or barber in Johnson County Ia, IA come from 6 separate offices: Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability, Johnson County Public Health, Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services Division, Iowa Department of Revenue, Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, Iowa Economic Development Authority, Business License Information Center. 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 Johnson County Ia that other businesses do not?

1 of the 3 permits particular to a salon or barber here applies to no other business type we cover in Johnson County Ia: Barbering or Cosmetology Establishment License.

Tanning Facility Certified Operator Test (Johnson County Public Health)

Johnson County Public Health's Tanning License page states that "Johnson County tests and inspects tanning facilities within Johnson County" and that at least one person at a tanning facility must be licensed as a certified operator. A salon or fitness studio offering tanning schedules the Certified Operator Test with JCPH; the page states that there is a $25 fee payable to Johnson County Public Health each time the test is taken, that the open-book test has 75 multiple-choice or true/false questions with at least 70 correct answers needed to pass, and that the Certificate of Completion is issued immediately on passing. The page then directs the facility to send a copy of the certificate with its application and fee to the state, and says the facility may begin operating once the license arrives; the state facility license and its fee are separate from this county test fee. The page states that inspections occur annually at the facility. JCPH can be reached at 319-356-6040.

Barbering or Cosmetology Establishment License

Iowa merged its cosmetology and barbering regulation into one board under a 2023 reorganisation, and a salon and a barbershop now pay the identical $80 establishment fee under the identical rule chapter — anything describing a separate cosmetology board, or citing the old chapter 645 numbering from before the merger, is describing an agency that no longer exists in that form. An individual practitioner's own license is $60, and renewing more than thirty days after expiry adds a further $60 late fee. The application fee is stated as nonrefundable regardless of outcome.

Shared with other businesses in Johnson County Ia

  • Home Occupation Approval, Customer Visits (Zoning Administrator, unincorporated Johnson County) — Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability, $50 per application, listed as "Home Occupation (w/visit by public)" under Zoning Administrator Approval Applications on the county's PDS Fee Schedule page, per approval. Also required for fitness studios, retail stores and contractors and trades; what it involves is set out on the fitness studios page.

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

How does a salon or barber compare with other businesses in Johnson County Ia?

The closest match is a fitness studio, which shares 2 of these permits. A salon or barber also needs Barbering or Cosmetology Establishment License. A fitness studio needs Swimming Pool and Spa Inspection (Johnson County Public Health, state-delegated), which a salon or barber does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Johnson County Ia, IA, compared with a salon or barber
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a salon or barberOnly a salon or barber needsOnly it needs
Fitness studios3211
Contractors and trades4123
Retail stores4123
Auto repair shops1031
Childcare centres1031
Coffee shops5035
Food trucks4034
Restaurants5035
Veterinary clinics1031

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 fitness studios page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Johnson County Ia permits page and the IA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Tanning License pageJohnson County Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-14
  2. Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing — barbering and cosmetology establishment license, $80 for either tradeIowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04

Related

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