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10 permits · verified 2026-09-28

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

In short

A salon or barber in Franklin County, OH has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 7 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Franklin County Auditor, Licensing Section charges $50 one-time, per fixed place of business ($25 to the state Organized Crime Commission Fund, $25 to the Franklin County general fund) for the vendor's license (county vendor's license). 2 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-28 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a salon or barber in Franklin County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Vendor's License (County Vendor's License)Franklin County Auditor, Licensing Section$50 one-time, per fixed place of business ($25 to the state Organized Crime Commission Fund, $25 to the Franklin County general fund)standing registration, no renewal required — the Franklin County Auditor's own page states 'There is no annual renewal fee for either license'2026-09-28
Body Art Establishment Licenseonly if it applies to youFranklin County Public HealthOhio does not require a state tattoo-artist license, but state law (ORC Chapter 3730, OAC Chapter 3701-9) requires a board of health inspection and written plan approval before a body-art establishment may operate, administered locally by FCPH outside Columbus and Worthington. A Franklin-County dollar figure for this license is not published on FCPH's program pages, and the FY2023 food-license cost-analysis filing covers the food program only. Contact FCPH's Body Art Program directly for the current fee.annual, on the licensing cycle set by whichever health district (FCPH or, in Columbus and Worthington, Columbus Public Health) has jurisdiction2026-09-28
Salon / Cosmetology Licensing — State Board License Applies (Franklin County)only if it applies to youFranklin County Auditor, Licensing SectionNo feenot applicable — salons are licensed by the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board2026-09-28
Salon or Barbershop LicenseOhio State Cosmetology and Barber Board$85 new license; $75 to renew2 years2026-09-03
Vendor's LicenseOhio Department of Taxation$50 one-time, per fixed locationno renewal — stays in effect until cancelled2026-09-03

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 Franklin County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Commercial Building Permit — State of Ohio Issues (Franklin County)only if it applies to youFranklin County Building DepartmentNo feenot applicable — per the county's Residential Building Permits page, the State of Ohio issues commercial building permits2026-09-28
Zoning Compliance Certificate (residential or commercial)only if it applies to youFranklin County Economic Development & Planning, Planning & Zoning DivisionVaries — formula on the Franklin County pageone-time, per project; typically obtained before or alongside a building permit application2026-09-28
General Business License — Franklin County Auditor positiononly if it applies to youFranklin County Auditor, Licensing SectionNo feenot applicable — the Auditor's Licensing Types page lists no general business license2026-09-28

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

OH 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 youOhio Secretary of State, Business Services Division$99 one-time filingno expiry — Ohio requires no annual report2026-09-03
Initial Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youOhio Secretary of State, Business Services Division$99 one-time filing, minimum — see notes on authorised sharesno expiry — Ohio requires no annual report2026-09-03

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 Franklin County?

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 Franklin County, OH, 3 apply to every business of this type and 7 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, 3 carry a flat fee, coming to $185.00. That is a floor, not a total. 2 of the 10 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 3 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Body Art Establishment License: Ohio does not require a state tattoo-artist license, but state law (ORC Chapter 3730, OAC Chapter 3701-9) requires a board of health inspection and written plan approval before a body-art establishment may operate, administered locally by FCPH outside Columbus and Worthington. A Franklin-County dollar figure for this license is not published on FCPH's program pages, and the FY2023 food-license cost-analysis filing covers the food program only. Contact FCPH's Body Art Program directly for the current fee.

The other 1 variable fee belongs to permits that apply to every type of business here; its formula is set out on the Franklin County permits page and the OH state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Franklin County?

Permits for a salon or barber in Franklin County, OH come from 7 separate offices: Franklin County Auditor, Licensing Section, Franklin County Building Department, Franklin County Economic Development & Planning, Planning & Zoning Division, Franklin County Public Health, Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board, Ohio Department of Taxation, Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services Division. 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 Franklin County that other businesses do not?

3 of the 5 permits particular to a salon or barber here apply to no other business type we cover in Franklin County: Body Art Establishment License, Salon / Cosmetology Licensing — State Board License Applies (Franklin County) and Salon or Barbershop License.

Body Art Establishment License

A salon offering tattooing or body piercing — but not an ordinary hair or nail salon that offers neither — needs a Body Art Establishment License from whichever health district has jurisdiction over its address: Franklin County Public Health outside Columbus and Worthington, or Columbus Public Health within those two cities, the same split that governs FCPH's food licensing. Ohio's body-art framework is set at the state level (ORC Chapter 3730, OAC Chapter 3701-9), which the Ohio Department of Health's own program page describes as requiring board of health approval before any business may offer body-art services, and requiring plans for a body-art facility's layout and equipment to be accepted in writing by the local board of health before construction, installation or a substantial alteration. Standard cosmetology and barbering salons are licensed by the state Cosmetology and Barber Board (listed separately), and this body-art license applies to them only if they also offer tattooing or piercing. The Franklin-County-specific fee for this license is not printed on FCPH's program pages, so contact FCPH directly for the current amount before budgeting for it.

Salon / Cosmetology Licensing — State Board License Applies (Franklin County)

Salon, barbering and cosmetology licensure in Ohio is issued by the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board under ORC Chapter 4713; the Board's own site describes it as ensuring that 'businesses and individuals offering these services are compliant with the licensing requirements', and this record carries no fee. The Franklin County Auditor's Licensing Types page lists no salon or cosmetology license among the county's licenses. A salon operating in Franklin County still needs the county Vendor's License if it sells retail product, appropriate zoning/building compliance for its location, and a Body Art Establishment License (listed separately) only if it also offers tattooing or piercing services; none of those is a substitute for, or a form of, salon licensure itself.

Salon or Barbershop License

One board licenses both sides of the trade at the same price — $85 to open, $75 every two years after — but the renewal deadlines differ and are easy to miss. A cosmetology or tanning business renews by 31 January of each odd-numbered year; a barbershop renews by 31 August of each even-numbered year. Every business is inspected at least once in the two-year cycle. Moving premises or changing owner needs a fresh application, not a transfer, and a change of ownership must be applied for within thirty days. A late renewal adds $45.

Shared with other businesses in Franklin County

  • Vendor's License (County Vendor's License) — Franklin County Auditor, Licensing Section, $50 one-time, per fixed place of business ($25 to the state Organized Crime Commission Fund, $25 to the Franklin County general fund), standing registration, no renewal required — the Franklin County Auditor's own page states 'There is no annual renewal fee for either license'. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, food trucks, retail stores, auto repair shops and fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Vendor's License — Ohio Department of Taxation, $50 one-time, per fixed location, no renewal — stays in effect until cancelled. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores, fitness studios, auto repair shops and veterinary clinics; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.

The other 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Franklin County, OH; what each one involves is set out on the Franklin County permits page. The 2 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across OH and are covered on the OH state page.

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

The closest match is a fitness studio, which shares 2 of these permits. A salon or barber also needs Body Art Establishment License, Salon / Cosmetology Licensing — State Board License Applies (Franklin County) and Salon or Barbershop License. A fitness studio needs Public Swimming Pool / Spa License, which a salon or barber does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Franklin County, OH, compared with a salon or barber
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a salon or barberOnly a salon or barber needsOnly it needs
Fitness studios3231
Auto repair shops4232
Retail stores5233
Coffee shops6234
Restaurants6234
Veterinary clinics5144
Food trucks6145
Childcare centres3053
Contractors and trades2052

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 coffee shops page and retail stores page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Franklin County permits page and the OH state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Body Art (Tattoo & Body Piercing) — the state's own program page: no business may offer body-art services without board of health approval, and no facility may be built or altered until plans are accepted in writing by the city or general health district board of healthOhio Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
  2. ORC Chapter 3730 — Body ArtOhio Legislative Service Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
  3. OAC 3701-9-02 — Body Art license/approval ruleOhio Legislative Service Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
  4. Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board — the exclusive state licensor of salons under ORC Chapter 4713Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-29
  5. Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board — feesOhio State Cosmetology and Barber Board · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  6. Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board — business license pamphletOhio State Cosmetology and Barber Board · 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.