14 permits · verified 2026-09-14
What permits do you need to open a salon or barber in Sioux Falls?
In short
A salon or barber in Sioux Falls, SD has 6 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 8 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services charges $150 filed online; paper filing costs $165 for the articles of organization (llc). 5 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 Sioux Falls
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salon and Barber Shop — State License; City Licenses Tattooing (Sioux Falls)only if it applies to you | City of Sioux Falls Licensing Office, City Attorney's Office | No fee | not applicable to a salon; a tattoo license terminates December 31 | 2026-09-14 |
| Sign Permitonly if it applies to you | City of Sioux Falls Planning and Development Services | By type and size: a wall sign, freestanding sign or electronic message center is $35.00 under 100 square feet and $50.00 over 100 square feet. A banner over 100 square feet is $35.00. An off-premise sign or billboard is $100.00 at any size. A temporary portable sign such as a wind feather or inflatable is $15.00. A window sign is free under 25 square feet and $15.00 over. Temporary reader board and sandwich board signs carry no fee. | not stated in the published fee table | 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 Sioux Falls
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Business License — City of Sioux Falls position (enumerated licenses only)only if it applies to you | City of Sioux Falls Licensing Office, City Attorney's Office | No fee | not applicable to a general license; under §110.011 all licenses take effect when issued and terminate on December 31 of the year for which issued unless otherwise provided | 2026-09-14 |
| Commercial Building Permit | City of Sioux Falls Planning and Development Services | Varies — formula on the Sioux Falls page | not stated in the published tables | 2026-09-14 |
| Certificate of Occupancy — Required; Fee Not Published Separately (Sioux Falls) | City of Sioux Falls Planning and Development Services | No fee | one-time, issued after final inspection | 2026-09-14 |
| Conditional Use Permit / Zoning and Subdivision Feesonly if it applies to you | City of Sioux Falls Planning and Development Services | Varies — formula on the Sioux Falls page | one-time per application | 2026-09-14 |
| Annual Fire License (inspection included) and Fire Permits | Sioux Falls Fire Rescue, Fire Prevention Division | Varies — formula on the Sioux Falls page | annual for §110.033 licenses; per permit for §110.034 system permits | 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 Sioux Falls?
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 Sioux Falls, SD, 6 apply to every business of this type and 8 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 6 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $75.00. That is a floor, not a total. 5 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:
Sign Permit: By type and size: a wall sign, freestanding sign or electronic message center is $35.00 under 100 square feet and $50.00 over 100 square feet. A banner over 100 square feet is $35.00. An off-premise sign or billboard is $100.00 at any size. A temporary portable sign such as a wind feather or inflatable is $15.00. A window sign is free under 25 square feet and $15.00 over. Temporary reader board and sandwich board signs carry no fee.
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 Sioux Falls permits page and the SD state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Sioux Falls?
Permits for a salon or barber in Sioux Falls, SD come from 7 separate offices: City of Sioux Falls Licensing Office, City Attorney's Office, City of Sioux Falls Planning and Development Services, Sioux Falls Fire Rescue, Fire Prevention Division, 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 Sioux Falls Licensing Office, City Attorney's OfficeIssues 2 permits on this page: General Business License — City of Sioux Falls position (enumerated licenses only), Salon and Barber Shop — State License; City Licenses Tattooing (Sioux Falls)City Hall, 224 W. Ninth Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57104 · (605) 367-8082www.siouxfalls.gov/business-permits/permits-licenses-inspections/licensing
- City of Sioux Falls Planning and Development ServicesIssues 4 permits on this page: Commercial Building Permit, Certificate of Occupancy — Required; Fee Not Published Separately (Sioux Falls), Conditional Use Permit / Zoning and Subdivision Fees, Sign Permit231 N. Dakota Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57104 · (605) 367-8010www.siouxfalls.gov/government/departments/planning-development
- Sioux Falls Fire Rescue, Fire Prevention DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Annual Fire License (inspection included) and Fire Permits224 W. 9th Street, Ground Floor of City Hall, Sioux Falls, SD 57104 · (605) 367-8093www.siouxfalls.gov/health-safety/fire/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 Sioux Falls 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 Sioux Falls: Salon and Barber Shop — State License; City Licenses Tattooing (Sioux Falls), Barber Shop License and Cosmetology Salon or Booth Permit.
Salon and Barber Shop — State License; City Licenses Tattooing (Sioux Falls)
The §§110.026 to 110.037 fee schedule and Title XI's chapter list name no hair or nail salon license, so this record carries no fee for one. The City's own licensing page routes the nearest analogue outward, listing the 'State of South Dakota / Board of Massage Therapy — Message Therapist and Establishment License' rather than a city equivalent. Salons and nail salons are licensed by the South Dakota Cosmetology Commission at state level. One adjacent trade is genuinely licensed here and distinguishes Sioux Falls from both Rapid City and Aberdeen, neither of which licenses it: tattooing, under Chapter 122, at $60.00 annually for a tattoo artist and $173.00 for a tattoo establishment, with a $28.00 fire inspection under §110.035 on top. A salon adding tattooing or permanent cosmetics picks that up.
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 Sioux Falls
- Sign Permit — City of Sioux Falls Planning and Development Services, By type and size: a wall sign, freestanding sign or electronic message center is $35.00 under 100 square feet and $50.00 over 100 square feet. A banner over 100 square feet is $35.00. An off-premise sign or billboard is $100.00 at any size. A temporary portable sign such as a wind feather or inflatable is $15.00. A window sign is free under 25 square feet and $15.00 over. Temporary reader board and sandwich board signs carry no fee., not stated in the published fee table. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores, fitness studios, auto repair shops and veterinary clinics; what it involves is set out on the fitness studios page.
The other 5 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Sioux Falls, SD; what each one involves is set out on the Sioux Falls 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 Sioux Falls?
The closest match is a fitness studio, which shares 1 of these permits. A salon or barber also needs Salon and Barber Shop — State License; City Licenses Tattooing (Sioux Falls), Barber Shop License and Cosmetology Salon or Booth Permit. A fitness studio needs Fitness Studio — City Licensing Position (Sioux Falls), 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 |
| Retail stores | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Auto repair shops | 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 fitness studios page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Sioux Falls permits page and the SD state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Code of Ordinances, City of Sioux Falls, current through local ordinance 54-26 (7-14-2026) — §§110.026 to 110.037 (the complete licence fee schedule, including §110.028 contractor licences, §110.029 food and health licences, §110.031 temporary event fee, §110.033 annual fire licences, §110.034 one-time fire permits and §110.035 fire inspections for other licences), §110.011 (calendar-year expiry), §111.002 and §111.009 (alcohol), §112.015 (food establishment licence required), §92.172 and §92.180 (family day care home registration and exemptions), §117.123 and §117.133 (mobile food vending), §150.017 and §150.002 (building permit tables), §155.030 (sign permit) and §§160.740 to 160.758 (certificates of occupancy and zoning fees)City of Sioux Falls, codified by American Legal Publishing · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-14
- Licensing — the City's own current page stating that not all businesses and professions need City licensing and directing readers to §110.026 for the complete list, and confirming that the Licensing Office sits under the City Attorney's OfficeCity of Sioux Falls · 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.