11 permits · verified 2026-08-24
What permits do you need to open a salon or barber in San Antonio?
In short
A salon or barber in San Antonio, TX has 6 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 5 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. City of San Antonio Development Services Department charges $200 per certificate for the commercial certificate of occupancy. 4 of the 11 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-08-24 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a salon or barber in San Antonio
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| On-Premises Sign Permitonly if it applies to you | City of San Antonio Development Services Department | $10.80 up to 32 sq ft of sign area, then $10.80 plus $0.22 per sq ft above 32; plus a height fee of $2.00 per foot of height | not stated in the published fee schedule | 2026-08-24 |
| Zoning Verification Letteronly if it applies to you | City of San Antonio Development Services Department | $350 per letter | one-time, per letter | 2026-08-24 |
| Barbering and Cosmetology Establishment License | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation | $78 per license period | two years | 2026-08-21 |
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 San Antonio
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Plan Review | City of San Antonio Development Services Department | Varies — formula on the San Antonio page | a plan review extension costs 25% of the plan review fee | 2026-08-24 |
| Commercial Building Permit | City of San Antonio Development Services Department | Varies — formula on the San Antonio page | an extension costs 50% of the permit, in addition to the permit cost | 2026-08-24 |
| Commercial Trade Permit — Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing | City of San Antonio Development Services Department | Varies — formula on the San Antonio page | not stated in the published fee schedule | 2026-08-24 |
| Commercial Certificate of Occupancy | City of San Antonio Development Services Department | $200 per certificate | does not expire, but an expired certificate carries a $500 fine plus the certificate fee | 2026-08-24 |
| Re-inspection Feeonly if it applies to you | City of San Antonio Development Services Department | $50 per re-inspection | per inspection | 2026-08-24 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
TX registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Formationonly if it applies to you | Texas Secretary of State | $300 one-time filing | no expiry | 2026-08-20 |
| Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)only if it applies to you | Texas Secretary of State | $25 one-time filing | up to ten years, renewable | 2026-08-21 |
| Texas Sales and Use Tax Permit | Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts | No fee — there is no fee for this permit | no expiry while actively engaged in business | 2026-08-21 |
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 San Antonio?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 11 records listed for a salon or barber in San Antonio, TX, 6 apply to every business of this type and 5 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, 3 carry a flat fee, coming to $278.00. That is a floor, not a total. 4 of the 11 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 0 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
On-Premises Sign Permit: $10.80 up to 32 sq ft of sign area, then $10.80 plus $0.22 per sq ft above 32; plus a height fee of $2.00 per foot of height
The other 3 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the San Antonio permits page and the TX state page.
Which offices issue these permits in San Antonio?
Permits for a salon or barber in San Antonio, TX come from 4 separate offices: City of San Antonio Development Services Department, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Texas Secretary of State, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- City of San Antonio Development Services DepartmentIssues 7 permits on this page, including Commercial Plan Review, Commercial Building Permit, Commercial Trade Permit — Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing(210) 207-1111www.sa.gov/Directory/Departments/DSD/Resources/Fees
- Texas Department of Licensing and RegulationIssues 1 permit on this page: Barbering and Cosmetology Establishment License(800) 803-9202www.tdlr.texas.gov
- Texas Secretary of StateIssues 2 permits on this page: Certificate of Formation, Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)www.sos.state.tx.us
- Texas Comptroller of Public AccountsIssues 1 permit on this page: Texas Sales and Use Tax Permitcomptroller.texas.gov/taxes/permit
What does a salon or barber need in San Antonio that other businesses do not?
1 of the 3 permits particular to a salon or barber here applies to no other business type we cover in San Antonio: Barbering and Cosmetology Establishment License.
Barbering and Cosmetology Establishment License
Establishment licenses are valid for two years from the date of issue, so the $78 is a two-year cost rather than an annual one — worth halving before you compare it with a yearly permit elsewhere. The fee applies to standard and specialty establishments; a mini-establishment license is $70. It covers full-service, mobile and specialty establishments, and applies to licenses expiring on or after 1 September 2023. Individual practitioners are licensed separately from the establishment, so a salon needs both its own license and a license for each operator working in it.
Shared with other businesses in San Antonio
- On-Premises Sign Permit — City of San Antonio Development Services Department, $10.80 up to 32 sq ft of sign area, then $10.80 plus $0.22 per sq ft above 32; plus a height fee of $2.00 per foot of height, not stated in the published fee schedule. Also required for retail stores, restaurants, coffee shops, auto repair shops, fitness studios and veterinary clinics; what it involves is set out on the auto repair shops page.
- Zoning Verification Letter — City of San Antonio Development Services Department, $350 per letter, one-time, per letter. Also required for restaurants, retail stores, auto repair shops, fitness studios, childcare centres and veterinary clinics; what it involves is set out on the veterinary clinics page.
The other 5 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in San Antonio, TX; what each one involves is set out on the San Antonio permits page. The 3 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across TX and are covered on the TX state page.
How does a salon or barber compare with other businesses in San Antonio?
The closest match is a veterinary clinic, which shares 2 of these permits. A salon or barber also needs Barbering and Cosmetology Establishment License. A veterinary clinic needs Conditional Use Authorisation and Veterinary Facility Registration - not in force until September 2027, 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 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Auto repair shops | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Fitness studios | 10 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
| Childcare centres | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Coffee shops | 7 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| Restaurants | 19 | 2 | 1 | 17 |
| Retail stores | 21 | 2 | 1 | 19 |
| Contractors and trades | 9 | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| Food trucks | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
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 auto repair shops page and veterinary clinics page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the San Antonio permits page and the TX state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Barbering and Cosmetology Fee Changes — TDLRTexas Department of Licensing and Regulation · primary source · retrieved 2026-08-22
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.