Washington salon inspections
Washington salon inspection checklist
The Washington State Department of Licensing inspects Washington salons against the state's sanitation rules. Below are the 21 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
- Washington State Department of Licensing
- Before opening
- Not stated
- Rules on this list
- 21
- Official form
- None found
- Foot spa log
- Required
- MMA nail liquid
- Banned
Read from the official sources on October 19, 2026.The full rules Washington salon license
How it works
How Washington inspects salons
Inspections are done by the Washington State Department of Licensing.
The state inspects each salon or mobile unit after a written complaint, and at least once every two years for an existing one.
“Upon receipt of a written complaint that a salon/shop or mobile unit has violated any provisions of this chapter, chapter 18.235 RCW, or the rules adopted under either chapter, or at least once every two years for an existing salon/shop or mobile unit, the director or the director's designee shall inspect each salon/shop or mobile unit.”
We found no inspection form published by the Washington State Department of Licensing, so this checklist is built from the state's rules themselves.
The checklist
What Washington 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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Washington salon inspection checklist
salonai.studio/salon-inspection-checklist/washington
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.Post original operator licenses, with a current photo attached, in clear view of clients at your work station.
2.Post original salon or shop licenses in the reception area.
Other required postings
Some states also want their rules, a consumer notice or the last inspection report on the wall.
3.Post the state's consumer notice and the most current inspection form where the public can see them.
The disinfectant
What the disinfectant must be, how it is mixed and how often it is changed.
4.Use EPA-approved disinfectants, identified by their registration number on the label, and always follow the manufacturer's directions.
5.Keep disinfectant at the strength the manufacturer recommends, free of foreign material and ready to use whenever you are open.
Cleaning tools between clients
How combs, shears, nippers and other reusable tools are cleaned and disinfected after each client.
6.Clean and disinfect or dispose of every tool and implement after service on each client.
Storing clean and used tools
Clean tools kept covered and apart from used ones, so nothing dirty touches the next client.
7.Store new and cleaned, disinfected tools separately from all other items.
8.Keep used tools in a labeled drawer or container at the work station.
Single-use items
What must be thrown away after one client because it cannot be disinfected.
9.Throw away items that touch the client's skin and do not need disinfecting after each use.
10.Never reuse wax that has touched a client's skin, and dispose of it immediately after each use.Skin and waxing
Towels, capes and linens
Clean towels stored closed, used ones in a covered container until laundered.
11.Launder towels, linens, capes, robes, and similar items in a washing machine with detergent and chlorine bleach, following the manufacturer's directions.
12.Keep soiled towels, linens, capes, and robes in a solid-sided hamper or closed, ventilated receptacle, and never leave them overnight.
Water, sinks and restroom
Hot and cold running water, sinks and a restroom with a place to wash hands.
13.Salons that offer chemical services need a dispensing sink with hot and cold running water.
14.Keep restrooms clean and in proper working order at all times.
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.
15.Disinfect foot spa surfaces with an EPA-registered disinfectant and keep them wet for ten minutes or the time on the label.Pedicures
16.Fill the foot spa basin with clean water and EPA-registered disinfectant, and run the unit for the entire contact time on the label.Pedicures
17.Record each foot spa cleaning and disinfecting at the time it is done, and show the records to a client or inspector on request.Pedicures
Banned products and tools
Products, tools and practices the state's rules forbid outright.
18.Do not use 100% liquid methyl methacrylate monomer or methylene chloride products.
19.Do not use any razor-edged tool designed to remove calluses.
First aid and safety
A first aid kit, what to do after a cut or blood exposure, and other safety rules.
20.Keep safety data sheets for every chemical product you use, accessible in the immediate working area.
21.Put disposable sharp objects that touch blood or body fluids in a sealable, rigid, puncture-proof, labeled container.
Questions
Washington salon inspections, answered
What do salon inspectors check in Washington?
How are salons inspected in Washington?
Does Washington have an official salon inspection checklist?
Do Washington nail salons need a foot spa cleaning log?
Is MMA banned in Washington 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
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