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

Tattoo / Body Piercing (Body Art) Establishment License

A salon or studio in Lorain County that offers tattooing, body piercing or other body art needs approval from Lorain County Public Health, which states on its body art page that it 'inspects and licenses places that provide tattoos, piercing, and other types of body art.' 'LORAIN COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FEES 2026', LCPH's adopted fee schedule, which prints 'Effective: 1/1/2026' and 'Revised: 1/21/2026' prints the fees as Tattooing Services $430.00, Body Piercing Services $430.00, Combined Body Art Services $430.00 and Time-limited tattooing services (temporaries) $200.00. LCPH's Plan Review Application for New Body Art Establishments, updated 4/8/2026 and linked from the body art page, repeats the figure: 'After the final inspection, pay the approval certificate fee: Tattooing services only: $430'. That application asks for plans before construction or remodeling, says LCPH will review them within 30 days of a complete packet, and lists a zoning permit and certificate of occupancy among the documents required. A hair, nail or beauty salon that offers no tattooing or piercing is outside this record. Lorain County Public Health's About page states that LCPH 'provides public health services for cities, townships, and villages in Lorain County, Ohio. The exception is the City of Vermilion, which receives services from the Erie County Health Department.'

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 Lorain County

• Regular Vendor's License (form ST-1) — Lorain County Auditor, $50 one-time, for each fixed place of business in the county that is the situs of retail sales; ORC 5739.17(A) sends $25 of each fee to the state organized crime commission fund and credits the remaining $25 to the county general fund, no annual renewal, per the auditor's licensing page ('Application fee of $50.00 – No Annual Renewal'); a change in ownership requires a new license. Also required for retail stores, restaurants, coffee shops, fitness studios and auto repair shops; 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.