Massachusetts salon inspections
Massachusetts salon inspection checklist
The Massachusetts Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering inspects Massachusetts salons against the state's sanitation rules. A new salon is inspected before it may open, and inspected again once it is running. Below are the 19 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
- Massachusetts Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering
- Before opening
- Inspected first
- Rules on this list
- 19
- Official form
- None found
- Foot spa log
- Not stated
- MMA nail liquid
- Not stated
Read from the official sources on October 19, 2026.The full rules Massachusetts salon license
How it works
How Massachusetts inspects salons
Inspections are done by the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering. A new salon is inspected before it may open or before its license is issued, so have everything below in place before you book it.
When a Board investigator inspects a salon, the owner or representative must sign the inspection slip.
“Whenever an inspection of a salon is made by an investigator or other agent of the Board, the owner or representative of the salon must sign the inspection slip.”
We found no inspection form published by the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering, so this checklist is built from the state's rules themselves.
The checklist
What Massachusetts 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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Massachusetts salon inspection checklist
salonai.studio/salon-inspection-checklist/massachusetts
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 original salon license in a conspicuous place in the salon.
2.Post a legible copy of each practitioner's current individual license at their workplace.
Other required postings
Some states also want their rules, a consumer notice or the last inspection report on the wall.
3.Display the price list in a conspicuous place in the salon.
The disinfectant
What the disinfectant must be, how it is mixed and how often it is changed.
4.Any antiseptic or disinfectant used on tools must be hospital grade.
Cleaning tools between clients
How combs, shears, nippers and other reusable tools are cleaned and disinfected after each client.
5.Clean and disinfect tools and implements after each use on a client.
6.Do not use any tool that cannot be disinfected.
7.One approved method is 70% isopropyl alcohol for at least ten minutes.
Storing clean and used tools
Clean tools kept covered and apart from used ones, so nothing dirty touches the next client.
8.Keep disinfected tools in airtight sanitary containers, cabinets, or sterilizers.
Towels, capes and linens
Clean towels stored closed, used ones in a covered container until laundered.
9.Use a clean towel for each client.
10.Store clean towels in closed cabinets, drawers, or containers.
11.Keep a covered container for soiled towels.
Water, sinks and restroom
Hot and cold running water, sinks and a restroom with a place to wash hands.
12.Keep a suitable and adequate supply of hot and cold water.
13.Keep toilet and hand-washing facilities easily accessible and in a sanitary condition.
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.
14.Clean and disinfect foot baths after each separate use on a customer.Pedicures
Banned products and tools
Products, tools and practices the state's rules forbid outright.
15.Narcotics, alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco are prohibited in cosmetology salons.
16.No animals may be on the premises except service animals legally allowed in public places.
The premises
Floors, walls, light, air, waste bins and keeping living space and food out of the work area.
17.Keep the salon properly lit, ventilated, and in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition.
18.Keep floors, walls, ceilings, furniture, and fixtures clean and sanitary.
19.Have at least one covered waste container and at least one airtight container for disinfected instruments.
Questions
Massachusetts salon inspections, answered
What do salon inspectors check in Massachusetts?
Is a new salon inspected before it opens in Massachusetts?
How are salons inspected in Massachusetts?
Does Massachusetts have an official salon inspection checklist?
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 Massachusetts 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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