27 permits · verified 2026-09-30
What permits do you need to open a salon or barber in Forsyth County Nc?
In short
A salon or barber in Forsyth County Nc, NC has 9 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 18 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Forsyth County Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health charges $140 a year per artist, printed as 'TAP Tattoo Artist Annual Permit Fee' at $140.00 on the Forsyth County Public Health FY 26-27 Fee Schedule for the tattoo artist annual permit (applied for and paid through forsyth county). 20 of the 27 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-30 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a salon or barber in Forsyth County Nc
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tattoo Artist Annual Permit (applied for and paid through Forsyth County)only if it applies to you | Forsyth County Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health | $140 a year per artist, printed as 'TAP Tattoo Artist Annual Permit Fee' at $140.00 on the Forsyth County Public Health FY 26-27 Fee Schedule | annual; G.S. 130A-283(c) provides that a permit is valid for one year and must be renewed annually by applying to the Department for a permit renewal | 2026-09-30 |
| Barbershop Permitonly if it applies to you | North Carolina Board of Barber and Electrolysis Examiners | $50 a year, plus a one-off $120 inspection for a new shop | annual — renew by 31 May | 2026-09-03 |
| Cosmetic Art Shop License | North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners | $25 inspection plus a $10 processing charge plus $3 per chair to open, then $3 per active booth a year to renew | annual — renew by 1 February, expires 1 March | 2026-09-03 |
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 Forsyth County Nc
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erosion Control, Watershed and Stormwater Permitsonly if it applies to you | Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning and Development Services, Inspections Division | Varies — formula on the Forsyth County Nc page | per permit for the erosion control and watershed permits; the stormwater control inspection recurs annually for as long as the control structure is in place | 2026-09-30 |
| On-site Wastewater (Septic) Evaluation and Construction Authorisationonly if it applies to you | Forsyth County Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health | Varies — formula on the Forsyth County Nc page | one-time per project; a revisit is charged at $64.00 each time a further visit is needed and a redraw of the improvement permit or construction authorisation at $43.00 | 2026-09-30 |
| Non-residential Building Plan Review | Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning and Development Services, Inspections Division | Varies — formula on the Forsyth County Nc page | one-time, per project, before the building permit is issued; a project that is redesigned and resubmitted is reviewed again | 2026-09-30 |
| Non-residential Building Permit (work valued over $50,000) | Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning and Development Services, Inspections Division | Varies — formula on the Forsyth County Nc page | one-time, per permit, for the permitted scope of work; a temporary certificate of occupancy and any extra inspection trips are separate charges | 2026-09-30 |
| Commercial Electrical Permit (service change, reconnect and HVAC units) | Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning and Development Services, Inspections Division | Varies — formula on the Forsyth County Nc page | one-time, per permitted electrical work; temporary current permits cover the construction period | 2026-09-30 |
| Temporary Certificate of Occupancyonly if it applies to you | Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning and Development Services, Inspections Division | Varies — formula on the Forsyth County Nc page | per temporary certificate, for the limited period the Inspections Division allows before the work is completed and a final certificate issues | 2026-09-30 |
| Commercial Building Evaluationonly if it applies to you | Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning and Development Services, Inspections Division | $250 per evaluation, county-only, set by Forsyth County Code § 7-18(a) and printed at the same amount on the April 2026 INSPECTION FEES list | per evaluation, carried out on request before a building is taken into use | 2026-09-30 |
| Foundation-only Permit and Stand-alone Parking Lot Permitonly if it applies to you | Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning and Development Services, Inspections Division | Varies — formula on the Forsyth County Nc page | one-time; a foundation-only permit covers the foundation work while the building permit for the superstructure follows | 2026-09-30 |
| Home Occupation Permitonly if it applies to you | Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning and Development Services, Inspections Division | Varies — formula on the Forsyth County Nc page | per permit, for the home occupation as approved; a change in the occupation or the premises calls for a new approval | 2026-09-30 |
| Sign Permitonly if it applies to you | Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning and Development Services, Inspections Division | Varies — formula on the Forsyth County Nc page | one-time, per sign permitted; a later change of panel or face is a further permit | 2026-09-30 |
| Floodplain Structure Permit and Floodplain Letteronly if it applies to you | Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning and Development Services, Inspections Division | Varies — formula on the Forsyth County Nc page | one-time, per project for the floodplain permit and per letter for the floodplain determination | 2026-09-30 |
| Fire Plan Review by the Joint Inspections Divisiononly if it applies to you | Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning and Development Services, Inspections Division | Varies — formula on the Forsyth County Nc page | one-time per submittal; a revised design resubmitted for review is reviewed again | 2026-09-30 |
| Forsyth County Fire Annual Inspection and Re-inspections | Forsyth County Fire Department, Office of the Fire Marshal | Varies — formula on the Forsyth County Nc page | annual, with re-inspection charges arising only where a violation is not corrected; the fine schedule on the same page runs from $50.00 per item for a general Fire Code violation to $200.00 per door for a locked or blocked exit | 2026-09-30 |
| Private Water Supply Well Construction, Abandonment and Samplingonly if it applies to you | Forsyth County Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health | Varies — formula on the Forsyth County Nc page | one-time per permit; sampling charges arise per sample, and a well that is taken out of service needs the $176.00 abandonment permit | 2026-09-30 |
| Non-residential Mechanical Permit (heating, cooling, ductwork and gas) | Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning and Development Services, Inspections Division | Varies — formula on the Forsyth County Nc page | one-time, per unit, duct system or gas outlet installed or replaced | 2026-09-30 |
| Non-residential Plumbing Permit (itemised fixtures, sewers and medical gas) | Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning and Development Services, Inspections Division | Varies — formula on the Forsyth County Nc page | one-time, per fixture, run or outlet installed or replaced | 2026-09-30 |
| Zoning Permit and Commercial Zoning Review | Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning and Development Services, Inspections Division | Varies — formula on the Forsyth County Nc page | per permit; a change in the use, the tenant or the site plan calls for a further zoning approval | 2026-09-30 |
| Zoning Board of Adjustment Application (variance, special use permit, appeal)only if it applies to you | Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning and Development Services, Inspections Division | Varies — formula on the Forsyth County Nc page | per application; a special use permit renewal is a further application on its own line, and an approval runs with the use as the Board's decision provides | 2026-09-30 |
| Forsyth County Fire Department Plan Reviewonly if it applies to you | Forsyth County Fire Department, Office of the Fire Marshal | Varies — formula on the Forsyth County Nc page | one-time per submittal, with a performance test priced separately at $60.00 | 2026-09-30 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
NC registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Registration (sales and use tax) | North Carolina Department of Revenue | No fee | no renewal — but see the dormancy rule | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division | $125 one-time filing | no expiry, but an annual report is due every 15 April | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division | Varies — formula on the NC page | annual — 15 April for an LLC | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division | $125 one-time filing | no expiry, but an annual report is due each year | 2026-09-03 |
| General Business License — North Carolina Secretary of State Positiononly if it applies to you | North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-03 |
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 Forsyth County Nc?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 27 records listed for a salon or barber in Forsyth County Nc, NC, 9 apply to every business of this type and 18 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
20 of the 27 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:
Cosmetic Art Shop License: $25 inspection plus a $10 processing charge plus $3 per chair to open, then $3 per active booth a year to renew
The other 19 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Forsyth County Nc permits page and the NC state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Forsyth County Nc?
Permits for a salon or barber in Forsyth County Nc, NC come from 7 separate offices: Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning and Development Services, Inspections Division, Forsyth County Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health, Forsyth County Fire Department, Office of the Fire Marshal, North Carolina Department of Revenue, North Carolina Board of Barber and Electrolysis Examiners, North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration Division, North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Planning and Development Services, Inspections DivisionIssues 15 permits on this page, including Erosion Control, Watershed and Stormwater Permits, Non-residential Building Plan Review, Non-residential Building Permit (work valued over $50,000)Bryce A. Stuart Municipal Building, Suite 328, 100 East First Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101 · 336-727-2624www.cityofws.org/343/Inspections-Division
- Forsyth County Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental HealthIssues 3 permits on this page: On-site Wastewater (Septic) Evaluation and Construction Authorisation, Tattoo Artist Annual Permit (applied for and paid through Forsyth County), Private Water Supply Well Construction, Abandonment and Sampling799 N. Highland Avenue, Winston-Salem, NC 27101 · 336-703-3225www.co.forsyth.nc.us/publichealth/environmentalhealth/default.aspx
- Forsyth County Fire Department, Office of the Fire MarshalIssues 2 permits on this page: Forsyth County Fire Annual Inspection and Re-inspections, Forsyth County Fire Department Plan Review3000 Aviation Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27105 · 336-703-2550www.co.forsyth.nc.us/emergencyservices/fire/permit.aspx
- North Carolina Department of RevenueIssues 1 permit on this page: Certificate of Registration (sales and use tax)PO Box 25000, Raleigh, NC 27640-0640 · (877) 252-3052www.ncdor.gov/taxes-forms/sales-and-use-tax/sales-and-use-tax-registration
- North Carolina Board of Barber and Electrolysis ExaminersIssues 1 permit on this page: Barbershop Permit7001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-7000 · (919) 814-0640www.bbee.nc.gov
- North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State, Business Registration DivisionIssues 4 permits on this page: Articles of Organization (LLC), Annual Report, Articles of Incorporation, General Business License — North Carolina Secretary of State Position2 South Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC 27601-2903 · (919) 814-5400www.sosnc.gov/divisions/business_registration
- North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art ExaminersIssues 1 permit on this page: Cosmetic Art Shop License121 Edinburgh South Drive, Suite 209, Cary, NC 27511 · (919) 736-6123www.nccosmeticarts.com
What does a salon or barber need in Forsyth County Nc 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 Forsyth County Nc: Tattoo Artist Annual Permit (applied for and paid through Forsyth County), Barbershop Permit and Cosmetic Art Shop License.
Tattoo Artist Annual Permit (applied for and paid through Forsyth County)
A salon in Forsyth County where tattooing or permanent makeup is performed meets this permit, and a salon that offers neither does not — the scope consequence is the whole point of the record, since hair, nail and skin work is licensed by state boards rather than by the county. The permit itself is a state permit administered locally: G.S. 130A-283(b) provides that no person shall engage in tattooing without first obtaining a tattooing permit from the Department, and (c) has the Department, acting through the local health department, inspect the premises, instruments, utensils, equipment and procedures of the applicant, with the permit valid for one year and renewable annually by applying to the Department. Forsyth County Environmental Health is the local health department for that purpose under G.S. 130A-4(b), lists tattoo parlors among the establishments it inspects, and prices the permit on its own FY 26-27 Fee Schedule at $140.00 under code TAP as the Tattoo Artist Annual Permit Fee. The permit attaches to the artist rather than to the shop, so a studio with several artists pays per artist and an artist joining a different establishment applies again. Forsyth County also lists tattoo educational workshop charges on the same schedule, but the schedule states two different sets of amounts for them on one page, so no workshop figure is published here; the $140.00 artist permit is unaffected by that and is the figure a salon needs. Applications and payment go to Environmental Health, 799 N. Highland Avenue, Winston-Salem, (336) 703-3225.
Barbershop Permit
Barbers and cosmetologists answer to different boards on entirely different fee models, and the contrast is stark: a flat $50 a year here against a per-chair calculation for a salon. First-year cost is $170 once the $120 inspection of a newly established barbershop is added. A mobile barbershop permit is the same $50. Restoring an expired certificate costs $45. The 31 May renewal date comes from the board's own page rather than from the fee rule, which does not state one.
Cosmetic Art Shop License
There is no single headline number here, because the fee is genuinely per chair: a six-chair salon pays $53 to open and $18 a year after that, which is among the cheapest premises licenses anywhere. The statute frames the $25 as an inspection fee for a newly established shop while the board's application page calls it registration — same money. You may trade for thirty days while the board inspects. The license does not transfer between locations or owners, so either change means a new one. Note the clocks differ: the shop renews annually by 1 February and expires on 1 March, while a cosmetologist's own license runs three years to 1 October.
The other 19 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Forsyth County Nc, NC; what each one involves is set out on the Forsyth County Nc permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across NC and are covered on the NC state page.
How does a salon or barber compare with other businesses in Forsyth County Nc?
The closest match is a auto repair shop, which shares 0 of these permits. A salon or barber also needs Tattoo Artist Annual Permit (applied for and paid through Forsyth County), Barbershop Permit and Cosmetic Art Shop License. A auto repair shop needs Zoning, DMV and ABC Compliance Letter, Forsyth County Air Quality Permit, Paint Stripping and Surface Coating Notifications to the County and 2 more, which a salon or barber does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a salon or barber | Only a salon or barber needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auto repair shops | 5 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| Childcare centres | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Coffee shops | 16 | 0 | 3 | 16 |
| Contractors and trades | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Fitness studios | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Food trucks | 8 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| Restaurants | 15 | 0 | 3 | 15 |
| Retail stores | 6 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| Veterinary clinics | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
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 Forsyth County Nc permits page and the NC state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Forsyth County Public Health FY 26-27 Fee Schedule — 11 pages, column header 'FY 26-27 Fee', last modified June 23, 2026, covering the Environmental Health plan review, pool, tattoo, septic and well line itemsForsyth County Department of Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-30
- Forsyth County Public Health Publications — the county page that publishes the FY26-27 Fee Schedule under Forsyth County HHS branding with the footer 'Copyright © 2026 Forsyth County, North Carolina'Forsyth County Department of Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-30
- G.S. 130A-283 — no person shall engage in tattooing without a permit from the Department, which acts through the local health department to inspect; the permit is valid one year and renewed annuallyNorth Carolina General Assembly · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-30
- G.S. 130A-4(b) — when requested by the Secretary, a local health department shall enforce the rules of the Commission under the supervision of the DepartmentNorth Carolina General Assembly · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-30
- Forsyth County Environmental Health — the division's own programme list: food and lodging establishments, day cares, schools, institutions, tattoo parlors, pools, wells, on-site sewage and vector controlForsyth County Department of Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-30
- North Carolina Board of Barber and Electrolysis Examiners — feesNorth Carolina Board of Barber and Electrolysis Examiners · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
- North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners — initial salon licenseNorth Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
- G.S. 88B-20 — NC Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners fees, including $25 for inspection of a newly established cosmetic art shop and $3.00 per active booth per yearNorth Carolina General Assembly · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-30
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Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.