North Dakota home and mobile salon rules
Can you run a salon from your home in North Dakota?
Yes, with conditions. A salon in your home can be licensed as an establishment in North Dakota if it is completely separated from living or sleeping quarters by floor-to-ceiling walls and a solid door, and no services are performed in living or sleeping areas. Below: what a home salon needs, mobile salons (not allowed) and house calls (allowed), each answered from North Dakota'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
- Not allowed
- House calls
- Allowed
- Home salon rules
- 5 listed
Licensed by the North Dakota State Board of Cosmetology.The board's site Salon license feesThe state's own words
Home salons
Can you have a salon in your home in North Dakota?
Yes, with conditions. A salon in your home can be licensed as an establishment in North Dakota if it is completely separated from living or sleeping quarters by floor-to-ceiling walls and a solid door, and no services are performed in living or sleeping areas.
- Salon in your home
- Allowed
- License it needs
- Establishment License
- State fee
- $150
What a home salon needs
Completely separated from living or sleeping quarters
“Be completely separated from living or sleeping quarters” ndcosmetology.com
Floor-to-ceiling walls and a solid door between the salon and living quarters
“Have floor-to-ceiling walls and a solid door” ndcosmetology.com
Solid door that stays closed during hours of operation
“door, which must remain closed at all times during hours of operation.” ndlegis.gov
No services in any area used for living or sleeping
“Services may not be performed in areas used for living or sleeping.” ndcosmetology.com
Toilet facilities labeled for customer use only during business hours
“shall provide and label toilet facilities only for the use of customers during business hours.” ndlegis.gov
North Dakota is one of 47 states whose official pages allow a salon in your home.
Mobile salons
Do you need a mobile salon license in North Dakota?
No: mobile salons are not allowed. North Dakota does not allow a cosmetology, nail or esthetics salon to operate from a vehicle or trailer, because a salon must be in a fixed location; barbers have a separate registered mobile barbershop route.
- Mobile salon
- Not allowed
North Dakota is one of 3 states whose official pages do not allow a mobile salon.
House calls
Can you do services at a client's home in North Dakota?
Yes, on conditions. Licensed cosmetologists, estheticians, advanced estheticians and manicurists may work outside a salon if they are an establishment owner, an employee of a licensed establishment or an independent licensee and the owner or manager notifies the board; advanced esthetic procedures are not allowed.
The rule and North Dakota's own words, on the makeup artist page for North Dakota.
Good to know
What else North Dakota asks
- The inspection must be completed and approved by the Board before you open; the board's opening inspection applies to all new establishments.
- Barbers only: a mobile barbershop may operate once it is registered with the board, with a $150 initial registration fee.
- Licensees may practice outside an establishment only with a kit and after the owner or manager notifies the Board; this is not a mobile salon license.
Sources
What North Dakota's official pages say
Each answer above, in the words of North Dakota'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 North Dakota State Board of Cosmetology and your local zoning office before you open.
- Home salons
“Be completely separated from living or sleeping quarters”
ndcosmetology.com “Private Residence”
ndcosmetology.com “A fee of $150.00 must be submitted with application.”
ndcosmetology.com “Under N.D.C.C. § 43-11-15, any location where cosmetology services are performed must be properly licensed as an establishment, unless a specific exemption applies.”
ndcosmetology.com “Have floor-to-ceiling walls and a solid door”
ndcosmetology.com “door, which must remain closed at all times during hours of operation.”
ndlegis.gov “Services may not be performed in areas used for living or sleeping.”
ndcosmetology.com “shall provide and label toilet facilities only for the use of customers during business hours.”
ndlegis.gov - Mobile salons
“"Salon" means an establishment in a fixed location, not used as sleeping or living quarters, licensed under this chapter where cosmetology services are provided.”
ndlegis.gov “A licensed establishment is any fixed location where cosmetology services are provided.”
ndcosmetology.com “An establishment may not be located in a recreational vehicle”
ndlegis.gov - Also good to know
“The inspection must be completed and approved by the Board prior to operating”
ndcosmetology.com - Also good to know
“fee of one hundred fifty dollars for initial registration.”
ndlegis.gov - Also good to know
“The owner or manager notifies the Board if the licensee is practicing outside the establishment”
ndcosmetology.com
Questions
North Dakota home and mobile salons, answered
Can you have a salon in your home in North Dakota?
What are the home salon requirements in North Dakota?
Do you need a mobile salon license in North Dakota?
Can you do house calls in North Dakota?
What else do you need to open a salon in North Dakota?
Plan the rest
Ready to open your doors
- What North Dakota requires to license a salon, with its fees
- What North Dakota inspectors check in a salon
- Hours and fees for each North Dakota cosmetology license
- Sales tax on salon services in North Dakota
Home and mobile salon rules in other states
Ready when you are
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