14 permits · verified 2026-09-14
What permits do you need to open a salon or barber in Aberdeen?
In short
A salon or barber in Aberdeen, SD has 5 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 9 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. City of Aberdeen Building Inspection Department charges $NaN per sign permit for the sign permit. 4 of the 14 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-14 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a salon or barber in Aberdeen
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salon and Barber Shop Licensing — State License Applies (Aberdeen)only if it applies to you | City of Aberdeen Finance Office | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-14 |
| Sign Permitonly if it applies to you | City of Aberdeen Building Inspection Department | $NaN per sign permit | one-time, per sign | 2026-09-14 |
| Barber Shop License | South Dakota Board of Barber Examiners | A new shop pays a $150 inspection fee, a $250 shop license fee, and $20 per chair; renewal is a $225 shop license fee, $20 per chair, and a $150 annual inspection fee — though the renewal form itself quotes SDCL 36-14-30 stating the board may not charge a fee for that annual inspection, immediately above the $150 inspection line it bills anyway. | annual — every license expires May 31 | 2026-09-04 |
| Cosmetology Salon or Booth Permit | South Dakota Cosmetology Commission | $75 to open; renewal is $55 a year, with a $30 penalty for a late payment | annual — renews on the salon's or booth's own opening anniversary date | 2026-09-04 |
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 Aberdeen
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoning Variance, Special Exception, Appeal and Rezoningonly if it applies to you | City of Aberdeen Planning and Zoning Department | Varies — formula on the Aberdeen page | the approval runs with the use or property unless conditioned otherwise | 2026-09-14 |
| Fire Permits and Commercial Fire Inspectiononly if it applies to you | Aberdeen Fire and Rescue, Fire Prevention Division | Varies — formula on the Aberdeen page | per permit or event; routine inspections recur on the department's own cycle | 2026-09-14 |
| Certificate of Occupancy | City of Aberdeen Building Inspection Department | No fee | one-time, issued after final inspection | 2026-09-14 |
| Commercial Building Permit | City of Aberdeen Building Inspection Department | Varies — formula on the Aberdeen page | as set in the adopted building code | 2026-09-14 |
| General Business License — City of Aberdeen Positiononly if it applies to you | City of Aberdeen Finance Office | No fee | not applicable to a general license | 2026-09-14 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
SD 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 | South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services | $150 filed online; paper filing costs $165 | perpetual, but an annual report is due every year | 2026-09-04 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services | $150 filed online; paper filing costs $165 | perpetual, but an annual report is due every year | 2026-09-04 |
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services | $55 a year filed online; paper filing costs $70 | annual — due the first day of the entity's anniversary month of formation | 2026-09-04 |
| General Business License — State of South Dakota positiononly if it applies to you | South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-04 |
| Sales Tax License | South Dakota Department of Revenue | No fee | no stated expiration | 2026-09-04 |
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 Aberdeen?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 14 records listed for a salon or barber in Aberdeen, SD, 5 apply to every business of this type and 9 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 5 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $75.00. That is a floor, not a total. 4 of the 14 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 5 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Barber Shop License: A new shop pays a $150 inspection fee, a $250 shop license fee, and $20 per chair; renewal is a $225 shop license fee, $20 per chair, and a $150 annual inspection fee — though the renewal form itself quotes SDCL 36-14-30 stating the board may not charge a fee for that annual inspection, immediately above the $150 inspection line it bills anyway.
The other 3 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Aberdeen permits page and the SD state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Aberdeen?
Permits for a salon or barber in Aberdeen, SD come from 8 separate offices: City of Aberdeen Planning and Zoning Department, Aberdeen Fire and Rescue, Fire Prevention Division, City of Aberdeen Building Inspection Department, City of Aberdeen Finance Office, South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services, South Dakota Board of Barber Examiners, South Dakota Cosmetology Commission, South Dakota Department of Revenue. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- City of Aberdeen Planning and Zoning DepartmentIssues 1 permit on this page: Zoning Variance, Special Exception, Appeal and Rezoning123 South Lincoln Street, Aberdeen, SD 57401 · (605) 626-7025www.aberdeen.sd.us/170/Planning-Zoning
- Aberdeen Fire and Rescue, Fire Prevention DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Fire Permits and Commercial Fire Inspection104 South Main Street, Aberdeen, SD 57401 · (605) 626-7010www.aberdeen.sd.us/165/Fire-Rescue
- City of Aberdeen Building Inspection DepartmentIssues 3 permits on this page: Certificate of Occupancy, Commercial Building Permit, Sign Permit123 South Lincoln Street, Aberdeen, SD 57401 · (605) 626-7013www.aberdeen.sd.us/168/Building-Inspection
- City of Aberdeen Finance OfficeIssues 2 permits on this page: Salon and Barber Shop Licensing — State License Applies (Aberdeen), General Business License — City of Aberdeen Position123 South Lincoln Street, Aberdeen, SD 57401 · (605) 626-7025www.aberdeen.sd.us/191/Licenses-Permits
- South Dakota Secretary of State, Business ServicesIssues 4 permits on this page: Articles of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation, Annual Report, General Business License — State of South Dakota position500 E Capitol Ave, Pierre, SD 57501 · (605) 773-4845sdsos.gov/business-services/default.aspx
- South Dakota Board of Barber ExaminersIssues 1 permit on this page: Barber Shop License217 West Missouri Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501 · (605) 773-6193dlr.sd.gov/barber
- South Dakota Cosmetology CommissionIssues 1 permit on this page: Cosmetology Salon or Booth Permit217 W. Missouri Ave., Pierre, SD 57501 · (605) 773-6193dlr.sd.gov/cosmetology
- South Dakota Department of RevenueIssues 1 permit on this page: Sales Tax License445 East Capitol Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501 · 1-800-829-9188dor.sd.gov
What does a salon or barber need in Aberdeen that other businesses do not?
3 of the 4 permits particular to a salon or barber here apply to no other business type we cover in Aberdeen: Salon and Barber Shop Licensing — State License Applies (Aberdeen), Barber Shop License and Cosmetology Salon or Booth Permit.
Salon and Barber Shop Licensing — State License Applies (Aberdeen)
Revised Ordinances Chapter 14 (Businesses and Business Regulations), as published on the City's municode page, names no salon or barber shop license and creates no general business license, so the City charges no fee for one. The operative credentials are two-tier and both come from the State: the South Dakota Cosmetology Commission licenses the individual cosmetologist, nail technician or esthetician and separately licenses the salon premises, and barbering runs on a parallel track under the Board of Barber Examiners. A salon opening in Aberdeen deals with the City only for its building permit, certificate of occupancy, $50.00 sign permit and fire inspection — and, if the district does not permit the use outright, a $200.00 special exception. Nail salons should raise ventilation with Building Inspection early, since it is a mechanical code question that can change a fit-out budget.
Barber Shop License
Barbering is licensed by a separate board from cosmetology, priced differently and on its own May 31 expiration date shared by every shop statewide, unlike the cosmetology salon permit's individually staggered renewal dates. A late renewal adds a $30 restoration fee plus a $25 expired-license fee that accumulates for every additional year it stays lapsed.
Cosmetology Salon or Booth Permit
A new salon or booth operates on a 90-day temporary permit while awaiting its first inspection, then renews annually on its own individual opening date rather than a fixed calendar date shared statewide. This fee applies to the shop itself, separate from the $45 individual practitioner license renewal.
Shared with other businesses in Aberdeen
- Sign Permit — City of Aberdeen Building Inspection Department, $NaN per sign permit, one-time, per sign. 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 5 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Aberdeen, SD; what each one involves is set out on the Aberdeen permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across SD and are covered on the SD state page.
How does a salon or barber compare with other businesses in Aberdeen?
The closest match is a fitness studio, which shares 1 of these permits. A salon or barber also needs Salon and Barber Shop Licensing — State License Applies (Aberdeen), Barber Shop License and Cosmetology Salon or Booth Permit. A fitness studio needs Fitness Studio Licensing — City of Aberdeen Position, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness studios | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Auto repair shops | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Retail stores | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Veterinary clinics | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Coffee shops | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Restaurants | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| Childcare centres | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Food trucks | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
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 Aberdeen permits page and the SD state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Revised Ordinances of the City of Aberdeen — Chapter 14 (Businesses and Business Regulations, including Article II licence procedure, §14-128 home day care licences and §14-135 special exception), Chapter 12 (Buildings and Building Regulations, including contractor licensing and building permit fees), Chapter 42 (Signs), Chapter 60 (Zoning), Chapter 24 (Fire Prevention and Protection), Chapter 38 (Peddlers, Solicitors and Itinerant Merchants — §38-1 definitions, §38-29 transient and itinerant merchant applications and §38-34 fees) and §50-77 (municipal gross receipts tax)City of Aberdeen, codified by Municode · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-14
- South Dakota Cosmetology Commission — the state body licensing cosmetologists, nail technicians, estheticians and salon premises under SDCL ch. 36-15, which is the operative credential in AberdeenSouth Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-14
- Licenses and Permits — the City of Aberdeen's own current page listing the licenses and permits the City issues and the departments that issue themCity of Aberdeen · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-14
- South Dakota Board of Barber Examiners — new barbershop application fee scheduleSouth Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
- South Dakota Board of Barber Examiners — barbershop renewal form, May 31 expiration and the inspection-fee statute quoted alongside a $150 inspection fee lineSouth Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
- South Dakota Cosmetology Commission — salon and booth permit fee and inspection requirementsSouth Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
- South Dakota Cosmetology Commission — salon and booth renewal fee and late penaltySouth Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.