18 permits · verified 2026-09-30
What permits do you need to open a salon or barber in Montgomery County Oh?
In short
A salon or barber in Montgomery County Oh, OH has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 15 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Montgomery County Auditor, Licensing Division charges $50 one-time, for each fixed place of business in the county — a combined state and county amount, of which the Auditor transmits $25 to the state Organized Crime Commission Fund and credits $25 to the Montgomery County general fund for the county vendor's license. 7 of the 18 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 Montgomery County Oh
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Art Establishment Approval (tattoo, piercing, permanent cosmetics)only if it applies to you | Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County, Office of Environmental Health | Per the PHDMC Office of Environmental Health 2026 Fee Schedule: a tattoo, permanent cosmetic or piercing establishment is $300.00 (local fee only, with no state component printed), and a late application adds a $75.00 penalty for a total of $375.00. A temporary tattoo, permanent cosmetic or piercing approval is $90.00, with no penalty printed. | ORC 3730.03 provides that an approval 'remains valid for one year, unless earlier suspended or revoked under section 3730.05,' may be renewed, and 'is not transferable' | 2026-09-30 |
| Salon or Barbershop License | Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board | $85 new license; $75 to renew | 2 years | 2026-09-03 |
| Vendor's License | Ohio Department of Taxation | $50 one-time, per fixed location | no renewal — stays in effect until cancelled | 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 Montgomery County Oh
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Vendor's License | Montgomery County Auditor, Licensing Division | $50 one-time, for each fixed place of business in the county — a combined state and county amount, of which the Auditor transmits $25 to the state Organized Crime Commission Fund and credits $25 to the Montgomery County general fund | one-time registration; the Auditor's vendor page describes the $50 as a one-time fee as long as the business stays within the county, and under ORC 5739.17(B) a move within the county needs a new license or a transfer authorised by the Tax Commissioner, while a move to another county needs a license from that county's auditor | 2026-09-30 |
| Commercial Plumbing Plan Reviewonly if it applies to you | Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County, Office of Environmental Health | No fee | one review per commercial project, completed before the plumbing permit is issued | 2026-09-30 |
| Commercial Building Permit (Schedule 1, by floor area)only if it applies to you | Montgomery County Building Regulations | Varies — formula on the Montgomery County Oh page | per project; the schedule charges $100 plus $125 per inspection to renew a permit expired less than a year, and a zoning permit from the township, city or village should be obtained before the county building permit | 2026-09-30 |
| Sign Permit (freestanding or wall)only if it applies to you | Montgomery County Building Regulations | $300 per permit for one sign, including two inspections (line B.8); each additional sign at the same address is $25, and the schedule states that the 'Inspection includes electric' | per permit, per project | 2026-09-30 |
| Commercial Temporary Certificate of Occupancyonly if it applies to you | Montgomery County Building Regulations | $400 per issuance (line A.2), for use 'When work is not complete, but following final inspection, CBO deems building safe to occupy' | temporary, until the outstanding work is completed and the full certificate of occupancy is issued | 2026-09-30 |
| Plumbing Permit and Inspectiononly if it applies to you | Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County, Office of Environmental Health | Varies — formula on the Montgomery County Oh page | per permit, per project; inspections are booked through the plumbing office, open Monday to Friday 8:00-11:30am and 12:30-4:00pm | 2026-09-30 |
| Commercial Certificate of Occupancyonly if it applies to you | Montgomery County Building Regulations | $325 per certificate, including one inspection (line B.4 of the Montgomery County Building Regulations fee schedule adopted 28 October 2025, effective 1 January 2026); the schedule limits this line to certificates 'for valid continuing use of an existing space with no changes in use or occupancy' | the FAQ states that certificates of occupancy 'are issued for a specific use of a building or space, not a specific tenant, and do not expire if the use does not change' | 2026-09-30 |
| Commercial Sprinkler, Alarm, Mechanical and Electrical Permit (Schedule 1)only if it applies to you | Montgomery County Building Regulations | Varies — formula on the Montgomery County Oh page | per project, alongside the general construction permit for the same build-out | 2026-09-30 |
| Floodplain Compliance Reviewonly if it applies to you | Montgomery County Building Regulations | $150 per review where floodplain compliance is the only item (line B.14); the schedule states 'No charge if part of a building permit application' | per review, per project | 2026-09-30 |
| Additional, Re-inspection, Missed and After-Hours Inspection Feesonly if it applies to you | Montgomery County Building Regulations | Varies — formula on the Montgomery County Oh page | charged per occurrence during the life of a permit | 2026-09-30 |
| Inspection Cancellation Feeonly if it applies to you | Montgomery County Building Regulations | $125 per occurrence (line A.15), for any inspection not cancelled by 2:00pm on the business day before the scheduled inspection date | charged per occurrence, in force since 1 July 2026 | 2026-09-30 |
| Work Without a Permit Penaltyonly if it applies to you | Montgomery County Building Regulations | Varies — formula on the Montgomery County Oh page | charged per occurrence, when work has been carried out before the permit was obtained | 2026-09-30 |
| Commercial Deficient Submittal and Major Revision Reviewonly if it applies to you | Montgomery County Building Regulations | Varies — formula on the Montgomery County Oh page | charged per resubmittal during plan review | 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.
OH registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services Division | $99 one-time filing | no expiry — Ohio requires no annual report | 2026-09-03 |
| Initial Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services Division | $99 one-time filing, minimum — see notes on authorised shares | no expiry — Ohio requires no annual report | 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 Montgomery County Oh?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 18 records listed for a salon or barber in Montgomery County Oh, OH, 3 apply to every business of this type and 15 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. 7 of the 18 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 1 has no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Body Art Establishment Approval (tattoo, piercing, permanent cosmetics): Per the PHDMC Office of Environmental Health 2026 Fee Schedule: a tattoo, permanent cosmetic or piercing establishment is $300.00 (local fee only, with no state component printed), and a late application adds a $75.00 penalty for a total of $375.00. A temporary tattoo, permanent cosmetic or piercing approval is $90.00, with no penalty printed.
The other 6 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Montgomery County Oh permits page and the OH state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Montgomery County Oh?
Permits for a salon or barber in Montgomery County Oh, OH come from 6 separate offices: Montgomery County Auditor, Licensing Division, Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County, Office of Environmental Health, Montgomery County Building Regulations, 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.
- Montgomery County Auditor, Licensing DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: County Vendor's License451 W. Third St., 1st Floor, Dayton, OH 45422 · 937-225-4314www.mcohio.org/633/Licensing
- Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County, Office of Environmental HealthIssues 3 permits on this page: Body Art Establishment Approval (tattoo, piercing, permanent cosmetics), Commercial Plumbing Plan Review, Plumbing Permit and InspectionReibold Building, 117 S. Main St., Dayton, OH 45422 · 937-225-4460phdmc.org/programs-a-to-z/food-operation-inspection-services
- Montgomery County Building RegulationsIssues 10 permits on this page, including Commercial Building Permit (Schedule 1, by floor area), Sign Permit (freestanding or wall), Commercial Temporary Certificate of Occupancy451 W. Third St., 10th Floor, Dayton, OH 45422-1070 · 937-225-4622www.selectmcohio.com/building
- Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber BoardIssues 1 permit on this page: Salon or Barbershop Licenseelicense.ohio.gov
- Ohio Department of TaxationIssues 1 permit on this page: Vendor's Licensetax.ohio.gov
- Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services DivisionIssues 2 permits on this page: Articles of Organization (LLC), Initial Articles of Incorporation22 North Fourth Street, Columbus, OH 43215 · (877) 767-6446bsportal.ohiosos.gov
What does a salon or barber need in Montgomery County Oh that other businesses do not?
2 of the 3 permits particular to a salon or barber here apply to no other business type we cover in Montgomery County Oh: Body Art Establishment Approval (tattoo, piercing, permanent cosmetics) and Salon or Barbershop License.
Body Art Establishment Approval (tattoo, piercing, permanent cosmetics)
This is the county record that reaches a salon offering permanent makeup, microblading or piercing, as well as a dedicated tattoo or piercing studio. ORC 3730.03 requires that 'A person seeking approval to operate a business that offers tattooing or body piercing services shall apply to the board of health of the city or general health district in which the business is located on forms the board shall prescribe and provide,' including with the application the fee established under ORC 3709.09; approval lasts a year, is renewable and is not transferable, and the statute requires the fees to be used solely for implementing and enforcing the chapter. Public Health states that it licenses and inspects 'body art establishments including tattoo and body piercing facilities within the county to ensure compliance with state and local regulations,' and its 2026 Fee Schedule prices the establishment approval at $300.00, with a $75.00 penalty for a late application and a $90.00 rate for a temporary approval at an event or convention. Ordinary hair, nail and beauty work is licensed by the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board under ORC Chapter 4713 rather than here, so a salon needs this approval only where it also offers tattooing, piercing or permanent cosmetics. A salon inside the city of Oakwood should confirm its licensor with the Oakwood Health District, which runs that city's own health programme.
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 Montgomery County Oh
- 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 13 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Montgomery County Oh, OH; what each one involves is set out on the Montgomery County Oh 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 Montgomery County Oh?
The closest match is a veterinary clinic, which shares 1 of these permits. A salon or barber also needs Body Art Establishment Approval (tattoo, piercing, permanent cosmetics) and Salon or Barbershop License. A veterinary clinic needs Veterinary Business Facility License, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veterinary clinics | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Auto repair shops | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Fitness studios | 6 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Retail stores | 14 | 1 | 2 | 13 |
| Coffee shops | 16 | 1 | 2 | 15 |
| Restaurants | 18 | 1 | 2 | 17 |
| Childcare centres | 6 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
| Contractors and trades | 5 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| Food trucks | 9 | 0 | 3 | 9 |
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 retail stores page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Montgomery County Oh permits page and the OH state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- 2026 Fee Schedule, Office of Environmental Health, headed 'As of 12/1/2025' — local, state, penalty and total columns for food, mobile, temporary, plan review, training, pool, body art and home daycare licensingPublic Health - Dayton & Montgomery County · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-30
- ORC 3730.03 — application to the board of health of the city or general health district for approval to operate a tattooing or body piercing business, the fee established under ORC 3709.09, one-year validity and non-transferabilityOhio Legislative Service Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-30
- Body Art and Tattoos — PHDMC's own programme page: it licenses and inspects body art establishments including tattoo and body piercing facilities within the countyPublic Health - Dayton & Montgomery County · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-30
- Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board — feesOhio State Cosmetology and Barber Board · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
- 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.