North Carolina salon inspections
North Carolina salon inspection checklist
The North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners inspects North Carolina 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 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
- North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners
- Before opening
- Inspected first
- Rules on this list
- 20
- Official form
- Published
- Foot spa log
- Required, keep 90 days
- MMA nail liquid
- Banned
Read from the official sources on October 19, 2026.The full rules North Carolina salon license
How it works
How North Carolina inspects salons
Inspections are done by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. 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.
The Board inspects each shop once a year, and inspections may happen without notice.
“annually and may be conducted without notice.”
The checklist
What North Carolina 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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North Carolina salon inspection checklist
salonai.studio/salon-inspection-checklist/north-carolina
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.Each licensee's license must be posted in the salon whenever that licensee is working.
Other required postings
Some states also want their rules, a consumer notice or the last inspection report on the wall.
2.Post the sanitary rating or failed inspection notice the inspector gives the salon.
The disinfectant
What the disinfectant must be, how it is mixed and how often it is changed.
3.Use only disinfectants that are EPA registered as effective against the germs listed in the rule.
4.Mix and use disinfectant according to the manufacturer's directions.
Cleaning tools between clients
How combs, shears, nippers and other reusable tools are cleaned and disinfected after each client.
5.Clean and disinfect all implements after each use.
Storing clean and used tools
Clean tools kept covered and apart from used ones, so nothing dirty touches the next client.
6.Store disinfected implements in a clean, closed cabinet or container until they are needed.
Single-use items
What must be thrown away after one client because it cannot be disinfected.
7.Discard disposable and porous implements and supplies after use or when the service is done.
Towels, capes and linens
Clean towels stored closed, used ones in a covered container until laundered.
8.Use clean capes, drapes, linens, and towels for each client.
9.Put drapes, linens, and towels that touched a client's skin in a clean container until laundered.
Water, sinks and restroom
Hot and cold running water, sinks and a restroom with a place to wash hands.
10.Have a sink with hot and cold running water in the shop, separate from the restrooms.
11.Wash hands before and after serving each client and whenever they become contaminated.
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.After each client, clean and disinfect each foot spa or whirlpool.Pedicures
13.Keep each foot spa's records for at least 90 days and make them available on request to a patron or inspector.Pedicures
Banned products and tools
Products, tools and practices the state's rules forbid outright.
14.Do not use methyl methacrylate (MMA): it is prohibited in North Carolina.
15.Do not use or keep razor-type callus shavers, hollow needles, or blades.
16.Keep animals out of the salon, except service animals and fish in an enclosure.
The premises
Floors, walls, light, air, waste bins and keeping living space and food out of the work area.
17.Keep furniture, equipment, floors, walls, ceilings, and fixtures clean and in good repair.
18.Keep ventilation provided at all times where clients are served, with a continuous exchange of air.
First aid and safety
A first aid kit, what to do after a cut or blood exposure, and other safety rules.
19.Keep individually packaged antibiotic ointment, gloves or finger guards, and other first-aid supplies available.
20.After a puncture, disinfect any implement or work area exposed to blood.
Questions
North Carolina salon inspections, answered
What do salon inspectors check in North Carolina?
Is a new salon inspected before it opens in North Carolina?
How are salons inspected in North Carolina?
Does North Carolina have an official salon inspection checklist?
Do North Carolina nail salons need a foot spa cleaning log?
Is MMA banned in North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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.
Built with Founden. Review your setup and running costs before activation.