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10 permits · verified 2026-10-10

What permits do you need to open a salon or barber in Kent County Mi?

In short

A salon or barber in Kent County Mi, MI has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 8 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau charges $50 one-time filing, non-refundable for the articles of organization (llc). 4 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-10 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a salon or barber in Kent County Mi

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Body Art Facility Plan Review and Annual Inspection (conditional — tattoo, piercing, branding)only if it applies to youKent County Health Department, Environmental HealthPlan review, inspection and temporary license fees are not published on the Health Department's Body Art page; the page states that temporary event applications received at least 14 days before the event avoid additional fees. Contact Kent County Health Department Environmental Health at 616-632-6900 or KCEHmail@kentcountymi.gov for the current amounts.at least one inspection a year; temporary licenses per event2026-10-10
Cosmetology Establishment LicenseMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Professional Licensing$75 application and first two-year license; $50 to renew2 years2026-09-03
Barbershop Licenseonly if it applies to youMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Professional Licensing$130 application and first two-year license; $80 to renew2 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 Kent County Mi

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Septic (On-Site Sewage Disposal) and Well (Water Supply) Permits (conditional — premises off public sewer or water)only if it applies to youKent County Health Department, Environmental HealthVaries — formula on the Kent County Mi pagepermits and site evaluations are valid for 2 years and are non-transferable2026-10-10
County Road Right-of-Way Permit (Kent County Road Commission)only if it applies to youKent County Road CommissionVaries — formula on the Kent County Mi pageper permit, obtained before the work begins2026-10-10

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

MI 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 youMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau$50 one-time filing, non-refundableno expiry, but an annual statement is due every 15 February2026-09-03
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau$60 one-time minimum — a $10 fee plus an organization fee from $50, banded by authorised sharesno expiry, but an annual report is due every 15 May2026-09-03
General Business License — Michigan state positiononly if it applies to youMichigan Department of Agriculture and Rural DevelopmentNo feenot applicable at state level2026-09-03
Sales Tax LicenseMichigan Department of TreasuryNo feeissued yearly, valid January to December2026-09-03
Annual Report or Annual Statementonly if it applies to youMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing BureauVaries — formula on the MI pageannual — 15 February for an LLC, 15 May for a corporation2026-09-03

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 Kent County Mi?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 10 records listed for a salon or barber in Kent County Mi, MI, 2 apply to every business of this type and 8 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 $75.00. That is a floor, not a total. 4 of the 10 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:

Body Art Facility Plan Review and Annual Inspection (conditional — tattoo, piercing, branding): Plan review, inspection and temporary license fees are not published on the Health Department's Body Art page; the page states that temporary event applications received at least 14 days before the event avoid additional fees. Contact Kent County Health Department Environmental Health at 616-632-6900 or KCEHmail@kentcountymi.gov for the current amounts.

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

Which offices issue these permits in Kent County Mi?

Permits for a salon or barber in Kent County Mi, MI come from 6 separate offices: Kent County Health Department, Environmental Health, Kent County Road Commission, Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Michigan Department of Treasury, Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Professional Licensing. 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 Kent County Mi 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 Kent County Mi: Body Art Facility Plan Review and Annual Inspection (conditional — tattoo, piercing, branding), Cosmetology Establishment License and Barbershop License.

Body Art Facility Plan Review and Annual Inspection (conditional — tattoo, piercing, branding)

The Kent County Health Department's Body Art page states that body art shops must obtain a license from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and must receive at least one annual inspection by the local health department. A facility that is newly constructed, remodelled or changing ownership must go through plan review, a combination of document review and an on-site inspection, and newly constructed or remodelled facilities must first receive an on-site inspection approving them to operate; a new facility then has 30 days after approval to apply for the inspection that counts as its annual inspection. For a temporary body art event, applications go to both MDHHS and the Kent County Health Department, must be received at least 14 days before the start of the event to avoid additional fees, and the county inspects before issuing a temporary license. No body art fee figure is published on that page. A salon without tattooing, piercing or branding has no body art requirement under this record.

Cosmetology Establishment License

A barbershop and a cosmetology establishment are licensed by different boards at very different prices, which catches anyone running a combined shop: $75 to open and $50 to renew here, against $130 and $80 for a barbershop — seventy-three per cent more at the start. The license issues only after inspection. There is a sixty-day grace period after expiry, and relicensing costs $95. Expiration dates vary between licensees rather than falling on a common date, so the date printed on the license is the one that matters; the renewal window opens ninety days before it. Payment is by card only.

Barbershop License

Michigan keeps barbering and cosmetology apart, with separate boards and separate prices, and the barbershop is much the dearer: $130 to open against $75, and $80 to renew against $50. Inspection is required before issue. Relicensing costs $150. For scale, the practitioners themselves pay far less than their premises — a barber's own license is $60 for two years and a cosmetologist's $48.

The other 2 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Kent County Mi, MI; what each one involves is set out on the Kent County Mi permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across MI and are covered on the MI state page.

How does a salon or barber compare with other businesses in Kent County Mi?

The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A salon or barber also needs Body Art Facility Plan Review and Annual Inspection (conditional — tattoo, piercing, branding), Cosmetology Establishment License and Barbershop License. A auto repair shop needs Motor Vehicle Repair Facility Registration and Mechanic Certification, which a salon or barber does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Kent County Mi, MI, compared with a salon or barber
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a salon or barberOnly a salon or barber needsOnly it needs
Auto repair shops2032
Childcare centres2032
Coffee shops5035
Contractors and trades1031
Fitness studios1031
Food trucks5035
Restaurants4034
Retail stores1031
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 that apply to every type of business are listed on the Kent County Mi permits page and the MI state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Body ArtKent County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-10
  2. Michigan LARA — cosmetology establishment licensing guideMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  3. Michigan LARA — barbershop licensing guideMichigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs · 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.