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13 permits · verified 2026-09-08

What permits do you need to open a salon or barber in New Orleans?

In short

A salon or barber in New Orleans, LA has 8 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 5 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. City of New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits charges $190 flat, for a home-based business, a construction trailer, or a change of use where no work is required; a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy for a phased project is $60 per residential unit or $125 per commercial unit instead for the certificate of use and occupancy. 5 of the 13 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-08 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a salon or barber in New Orleans

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Occupational License Tax — Retail Dealers in Merchandise, Services and RentalsCity of New Orleans Bureau of Revenue, Department of Finance$50–$6,200 a year, by gross receipts bracket under Table 1annual — computed on the prior year's gross receipts, due January 1, payable by March 12026-09-08
Conditional Use Permitonly if it applies to youCity of New Orleans City Planning Commission$1,160–$4,640 by building size — $1,160 up to 4,999 sq ft, $2,320 for 5,000–24,999, $3,480 for 25,000–74,999, $4,640 for 75,000 and above; a multi-family or townhouse project is $500 to $700 insteadone-time, per application2026-09-08
Sign PermitCity of New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits$60 base plus $5 per $1,000 of installation/purchase cost, plus a flat $125 sign review fee, plus a $40 annual operating fee (the first year's operating fee is bundled into the initial permit). A 50% surcharge applies in a Vieux Carré Commission or Historic District Landmarks Commission district.one-time permit, with an annual $40 operating fee thereafter2026-09-08
Barber Shop RegistrationLouisiana Board of Barber Examiners$30 a yearannual2026-09-04
Salon LicenseLouisiana State Board of Cosmetology$55 a year, effective 1 August 2025annual2026-09-04

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 New Orleans

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Commercial Building PermitCity of New Orleans Department of Safety and PermitsVaries — formula on the New Orleans pageone-time, per project2026-09-08
Fire Inspection and Plan ReviewNew Orleans Fire Department, Fire Prevention DivisionVaries — formula on the New Orleans pageannual unless otherwise stated2026-09-08
Certificate of Use and OccupancyCity of New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits$190 flat, for a home-based business, a construction trailer, or a change of use where no work is required; a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy for a phased project is $60 per residential unit or $125 per commercial unit insteadone-time, per issuance2026-09-08

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

LA 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 Incorporationonly if it applies to youLouisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division$75 one-time filing — rising to $95 from 1 October 2026perpetual, but an annual report is due every year2026-09-04
Annual Reportonly if it applies to youLouisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division$30 a year for an LLC or a corporation, rising to $35 from 1 October 2026; a nonprofit's is $10annual, within thirty days of the entity's own renewal date2026-09-04
Sales Tax CertificateLouisiana Department of Revenue, Central Registration SectionNo feenot stated as expiring — an ongoing tax account2026-09-04
General Business License — Louisiana Position (geauxBIZ checklist)only if it applies to youLouisiana Secretary of State, Commercial DivisionNo feenot applicable2026-09-04
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youLouisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division$100 one-time filing — rising to $125 from 1 October 2026perpetual, but an annual report is due every 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 New Orleans?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 13 records listed for a salon or barber in New Orleans, LA, 8 apply to every business of this type and 5 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, 3 carry a flat fee, coming to $275.00. That is a floor, not a total. 5 of the 13 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:

Occupational License Tax — Retail Dealers in Merchandise, Services and Rentals: $50–$6,200 a year, by gross receipts bracket under Table 1

Conditional Use Permit: $1,160–$4,640 by building size — $1,160 up to 4,999 sq ft, $2,320 for 5,000–24,999, $3,480 for 25,000–74,999, $4,640 for 75,000 and above; a multi-family or townhouse project is $500 to $700 instead

Sign Permit: $60 base plus $5 per $1,000 of installation/purchase cost, plus a flat $125 sign review fee, plus a $40 annual operating fee (the first year's operating fee is bundled into the initial permit). A 50% surcharge applies in a Vieux Carré Commission or Historic District Landmarks Commission district.

The other 2 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the New Orleans permits page and the LA state page.

Which offices issue these permits in New Orleans?

Permits for a salon or barber in New Orleans, LA come from 8 separate offices: City of New Orleans Bureau of Revenue, Department of Finance, City of New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits, New Orleans Fire Department, Fire Prevention Division, City of New Orleans City Planning Commission, Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division, Louisiana Department of Revenue, Central Registration Section, Louisiana Board of Barber Examiners, Louisiana State Board of 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 New Orleans that other businesses do not?

2 of the 5 permits particular to a salon or barber here apply to no other business type we cover in New Orleans: Barber Shop Registration and Salon License.

Sign Permit

A location inside the French Quarter or another historic district separately requires Vieux Carré Commission or Historic District Landmarks Commission sign-off on top of this permit.

Barber Shop Registration

Thirty dollars a year, considerably cheaper than a cosmetology salon's $55 — Louisiana keeps its barber board entirely separate rather than merging it with cosmetology, and a shop must pass a board inspection before opening. The statute cross-references this same fee for the initial inspection without stating a distinct opening figure, so the same $30 is recorded here for both an initial registration and its annual renewal. A barber's own individual certificate is a separate cost on top, $40 to examine for in-state or $80 out-of-state, then $50 a year to renew.

Salon License

Fifty-five dollars a year for any establishment providing cosmetology services, current from a fee change effective 1 August 2025. Barbering is regulated separately by its own board rather than being folded into cosmetology — see the barbershop registration record.

Shared with other businesses in New Orleans

  • Occupational License Tax — Retail Dealers in Merchandise, Services and Rentals — City of New Orleans Bureau of Revenue, Department of Finance, $50–$6,200 a year, by gross receipts bracket under Table 1, annual — computed on the prior year's gross receipts, due January 1, payable by March 1. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores, fitness studios, auto repair shops and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the fitness studios page.
  • Conditional Use Permit — City of New Orleans City Planning Commission, $1,160–$4,640 by building size — $1,160 up to 4,999 sq ft, $2,320 for 5,000–24,999, $3,480 for 25,000–74,999, $4,640 for 75,000 and above; a multi-family or townhouse project is $500 to $700 instead, one-time, per application. Also required for restaurants, childcare centres, auto repair shops, veterinary clinics and contractors and trades; what it involves is set out on the auto repair shops page.

The other 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in New Orleans, LA; what each one involves is set out on the New Orleans permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across LA and are covered on the LA state page.

How does a salon or barber compare with other businesses in New Orleans?

The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 3 of these permits. A salon or barber also needs Barber Shop Registration and Salon License. A auto repair shop needs Automotive Repair Shop Licensing — Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission Scope and Vehicle Inspection Station Permit, which a salon or barber does not.

Permits particular to each business type in New Orleans, LA, compared with a salon or barber
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a salon or barberOnly a salon or barber needsOnly it needs
Auto repair shops5322
Restaurants5322
Fitness studios2230
Retail stores2230
Childcare centres3231
Coffee shops4232
Veterinary clinics4232
Contractors and trades8147
Food trucks3053

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 and auto repair shops page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the New Orleans permits page and the LA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. City of New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits — Building Permit Fee ScheduleCity of New Orleans, Department of Safety and Permits · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-08
  2. Louisiana Revised Statutes section 37:375 — barber examiners fee schedule, including the $30 shop registration feeState of Louisiana · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
  3. Louisiana Secretary of State — live business filing fee schedule, current as of 4 September 2026Louisiana Secretary of State · 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.