Colorado salon inspections
Colorado salon inspection checklist
The Colorado Office of Barber and Cosmetology Licensure inspects Colorado salons against the state's sanitation rules. Below are the 20 rules an inspector checks, from the state's own rules and inspection pages, each beside the rule's own words. Tick them off as you get ready, filter by the services you offer, and print the list.
- Inspected by
- Colorado Office of Barber and Cosmetology Licensure
- Before opening
- Not stated
- Rules on this list
- 20
- Official form
- Published
- Foot spa log
- Not stated
- MMA nail liquid
- Banned
Read from the official sources on October 19, 2026.The full rules Colorado salon license
How it works
How Colorado inspects salons
Inspections are done by the Colorado Office of Barber and Cosmetology Licensure.
The Director may order an inspection of any place of business where licensed services are offered to the public.
“The Director may order an inspection of places of business, where services subject to licensure”
The checklist
What Colorado inspectors check
Every rule below is from the state's own rules, beside its own words. An inspector can check anything in the rules, so read them in full once before you open.
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Colorado salon inspection checklist
salonai.studio/salon-inspection-checklist/colorado
Licenses on display
The first thing an inspector looks for: the salon's license and every working license, current and where clients can see them.
1.Display the licenses and the shop registration in a conspicuous place on site.
Other required postings
Some states also want their rules, a consumer notice or the last inspection report on the wall.
2.If an inspector issues a violation notice, keep it posted in public view.
The disinfectant
What the disinfectant must be, how it is mixed and how often it is changed.
3.Use a disinfectant that is EPA registered and bactericidal, viricidal, and fungicidal.
Cleaning tools between clients
How combs, shears, nippers and other reusable tools are cleaned and disinfected after each client.
4.Disinfect equipment between each client, following the manufacturer's instructions.
Storing clean and used tools
Clean tools kept covered and apart from used ones, so nothing dirty touches the next client.
5.Store disinfected tools in a clean, covered container labeled 'disinfected'.
Single-use items
What must be thrown away after one client because it cannot be disinfected.
6.Any item that cannot be properly cleaned and disinfected counts as single use.
7.Do not use a disposable item on more than one client.
Towels, capes and linens
Clean towels stored closed, used ones in a covered container until laundered.
8.Put used linens right away into a closed container used only for storing them.
9.Do not reuse towels, cloths, sheets, or robes; wash them between clients.
Water, sinks and restroom
Hot and cold running water, sinks and a restroom with a place to wash hands.
10.Wash hands with running water and soap and dry them with a disposable or unused cloth towel.
11.Wash hands after using the restroom or when they are visibly soiled.
Pedicure equipment
How foot spas and pedicure basins are cleaned after each client and at the end of the day, and the log some states require.
12.Clean and disinfect each pedicure bowl before every client, following the manufacturer's label.Pedicures
Banned products and tools
Products, tools and practices the state's rules forbid outright.
13.Do not use methylmalonic acid or methacrylate liquid monomers (MMA).
14.Do not use live fish, leeches, snails, or other living creatures in any cosmetic service.
15.Do not use ultraviolet (UV) light boxes for disinfection.
The premises
Floors, walls, light, air, waste bins and keeping living space and food out of the work area.
16.Remove all hair from the floor, chair, and station immediately after a hair service.
17.Clean work surfaces and areas that touch client skin or hair.
First aid and safety
A first aid kit, what to do after a cut or blood exposure, and other safety rules.
18.Keep a first aid kit on the premises available for use.
19.Make sure Safety Data Sheets (SDS) are kept for the products your business uses.
20.If blood or body fluid gets on a table, chair, or the floor, clean and disinfect it per the manufacturer's instructions.
Questions
Colorado salon inspections, answered
What do salon inspectors check in Colorado?
How are salons inspected in Colorado?
Does Colorado have an official salon inspection checklist?
Is MMA banned in Colorado nail salons?
Plan the rest
Get the rest of the salon ready
- Every step to opening a salon, as a checklist for your state
- The salon license, fees and who must be licensed
- Which services and products the state taxes, and the sales tax permit
- What it costs to open a salon, line by line
- A client intake and consultation form
- A cancellation and no-show policy
Salon inspection checklists for other states
Ready when you are
Pass the inspection, then fill the chairs
Sanitation is yours to run. SalonAI plans the digital side of your Colorado salon: a website clients can book from in one tap, online booking, your Google profile, reviews, and client follow-ups. Founden builds and runs it.
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