Indiana home and mobile salon rules
Can you run a salon from your home in Indiana?
Yes, with conditions. A salon in your home can be licensed as a beauty culture salon if it has a substantial floor-to-ceiling partition separating it from the living space and a separate entry. Below: what a home salon needs, mobile salons (allowed) and house calls (allowed), each answered from Indiana's own statutes, rules or board pages, read on October 31, 2026, with the state's own words.
- Salon in your home
- Allowed
- Mobile salon
- Allowed
- House calls
- Allowed
Licensed by the Indiana State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners.The board's site Salon license feesThe state's own words
Home salons
Can you have a salon in your home in Indiana?
Yes, with conditions. A salon in your home can be licensed as a beauty culture salon if it has a substantial floor-to-ceiling partition separating it from the living space and a separate entry.
- Salon in your home
- Allowed
- License it needs
- Beauty culture salon license
- State fee
- $40
What a home salon needs
Select a site for the salon that, if in the same building as a residence, is separated from the residence by a substantial floor-to-ceiling partition
“Applicant must select a site for the salon; if the site is in the same building as a residence, it must be separated from the residence by a substantial floor to ceiling partition and have a separate entry.” in.gov
The salon must have a separate entry from the residence
“Select a site for the salon which, if located in the same building as a residence: (i) is separated from the residence by a substantial floor to ceiling partition; and (ii) has a separate entry.” secure.in.gov
Indiana is one of 47 states whose official pages allow a salon in your home.
Mobile salons
Do you need a mobile salon license in Indiana?
Yes: mobile salons are allowed, with a license. A mobile salon needs a mobile salon license, must pass a board inspection before the license is issued, and must list a permanent address where appointment records and employee license numbers are kept.
- Mobile salon
- Allowed
- License it needs
- Mobile salon license
- State fee
- $40
What a mobile salon needs
A self-contained mobile salon must carry a portable water supply of at least 100 gallons in holding tanks with gauges
“A self-contained, portable water supply of at least one hundred (100) gallons in holding tanks with gauges indicating levels in the tanks and reserve capabilities.” secure.in.gov
The mobile salon must be inspected by the board before the license is issued
“Mobile salons shall be inspected by the board prior to issuance of the license.” secure.in.gov
The mobile salon must be under the personal supervision of a licensed beauty culture professional
“The mobile salon must be under the personal supervision of a person who is licensed as a beauty culture professional.” in.gov
The application must list a permanent physical address where appointment records and employee license numbers are kept
“to include the permanent physical address where records of appointments and license numbers of employees are kept” secure.in.gov
No services may be performed while a self-contained mobile salon is in motion
“No services may be performed while the self-contained mobile salon is in motion.” secure.in.gov
A self-contained mobile salon must have at least one state fire marshal approved fire extinguisher mounted in public view
“At least one (1) state fire marshal approved fire extinguisher must be mounted in public view.” secure.in.gov
Indiana is one of 39 states whose official pages allow a mobile salon.
House calls
Can you do services at a client's home in Indiana?
Yes, on conditions. Licensed beauty work may be done outside a salon only with the permission of a cosmetology salon licensee that employs you or leases salon space to you.
The rule and Indiana's own words, on the makeup artist page for Indiana.
Good to know
What else Indiana asks
- Before an initial license is issued, the board or its inspectors may inspect a beauty culture salon or a mobile salon
- A salon in a building with a residence must obtain any building permit, certificate of occupancy or other approval required under IC 22-15-3 and IC 36-7-4 before operating
- A mobile salon license holder must display the license in a conspicuous place in the mobile salon
Sources
What Indiana's official pages say
Each answer above, in the words of Indiana's own statutes, rules or board pages, read on October 31, 2026. Your city or county may add its own rules for a home business: confirm with the Indiana State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners and your local zoning office before you open.
- Home salons
“Applicant must select a site for the salon; if the site is in the same building as a residence, it must be separated from the residence by a substantial floor to ceiling partition and have a separate entry.”
in.gov “Select a site for the salon which, if located in the same building as a residence: (i) is separated from the residence by a substantial floor to ceiling partition; and (ii) has a separate entry.”
secure.in.gov “The fee for this application is $40.00, payable to the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency”
forms.in.gov “A person who wishes to obtain a beauty culture salon license must:”
secure.in.gov - Mobile salons
“Meet the requirements for a mobile salon as established by the board under IC 25-8-3-23(c)”
secure.in.gov “a self-contained facility that may be moved, towed, or transported from one location to another and in which cosmetology, electrology, esthetics, manicuring or barbering is practiced”
in.gov “Any person, firm, or corporation applying for a mobile salon license that intends to practice in a self-contained mobile salon shall file a verified application with the board”
secure.in.gov “Beauty Culture Salon/Mobile Salon | $40.00”
in.gov “A self-contained, portable water supply of at least one hundred (100) gallons in holding tanks with gauges indicating levels in the tanks and reserve capabilities.”
secure.in.gov “Mobile salons shall be inspected by the board prior to issuance of the license.”
secure.in.gov “The mobile salon must be under the personal supervision of a person who is licensed as a beauty culture professional.”
in.gov “to include the permanent physical address where records of appointments and license numbers of employees are kept”
secure.in.gov “No services may be performed while the self-contained mobile salon is in motion.”
secure.in.gov “At least one (1) state fire marshal approved fire extinguisher must be mounted in public view.”
secure.in.gov - Also good to know
“A member of the board or any inspector or investigator may inspect: (1) a beauty culture salon; (2) a beauty culture school; or (3) a mobile salon; before an initial license is issued.”
secure.in.gov - Also good to know
“Applicant must obtain any building permit, certificate of occupancy, or other approval action required under IC 22-15-3 and IC 36-7-4 to operate the cosmetology salon.”
in.gov - Also good to know
“a person holding a mobile salon license shall display the license in a conspicuous place in the mobile salon”
secure.in.gov
Questions
Indiana home and mobile salons, answered
Can you have a salon in your home in Indiana?
What are the home salon requirements in Indiana?
Do you need a mobile salon license in Indiana?
Can you do house calls in Indiana?
What else do you need to open a salon in Indiana?
Plan the rest
Ready to open your doors
- What Indiana requires to license a salon, with its fees
- What Indiana inspectors check in a salon
- Hours and fees for each Indiana cosmetology license
- Sales tax on salon services in Indiana
Home and mobile salon rules in other states
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