District of Columbia salon licensing

How to get a salon license in District of Columbia

To open a salon in District of Columbia you need a Basic Business License with a Beauty Shop endorsement for the business, issued by the DC Board of Barber and Cosmetology, on top of the license each stylist or technician holds. It costs $274 to the state (basic business license (2 years) $99 plus owner license application $65 plus owner license $110) and is renewed every 2 years for $99. Every fact below is quoted from the state's own pages, read on October 17, 2026.

Licensed by: DC Board of Barber and Cosmetology
Business license: Basic Business License with a Beauty Shop endorsement
New salon fee: $274
Renewal: Every 2 years, $99
Inspection before opening: Yes
Owner must hold a license: Yes
Booth renters need a license: Basic Business License with Beauty Booth endorsement
Barbershops: Not stated

Licensed by the DC Board of Barber and Cosmetology.How to apply License lookup The state's own words

Step by step

Opening a salon in District of Columbia

1
Make sure everyone who will do services is licensed. The salon license covers the business; each stylist, barber, nail technician or esthetician needs a District of Columbia license of their own, which you can check in the state's license lookup. The District of Columbia cosmetology, barber, nail and esthetician licenses page lists each one's training hours, fees and renewal.
2
Put a licensed person in charge. A licensed manager must be on duty whenever the salon is open, per DC Health's inspection checklist.
3
Apply for the Basic Business License with a Beauty Shop endorsement with the DC Board of Barber and Cosmetology (application), paying $274 to the state (basic business license (2 years) $99 plus owner license application $65 plus owner license $110). Apply before you open: the business needs its own license to operate.
4
Pass the inspection before you open. the DC Board of Barber and Cosmetology inspects a new salon before it may open or before the license is issued, so finish the build-out and set up your sanitation first.
5
If you rent out chairs, check your renters' licenses. In District of Columbia a booth renter needs a Basic Business License with Beauty Booth endorsement. Put the terms in a booth rental agreement.
6
Put the renewal in your calendar. The salon license is renewed every 2 years for $99.
7
Then the local paperwork (general advice, not from the board). Register the business with the state, get a city or county business license where one is required, and check zoning and the building permits for your build-out with the city before you sign a lease.

These are the license steps. The full opening checklist for District of Columbia puts them in order with everything else a new salon needs: registering the business, taxes, insurance, hiring and getting booked before you open. For the inspection itself, the District of Columbia salon inspection checklist lists every sanitation rule an inspector checks.

District of Columbia's $274 for a new salon is above the middle of the 46 states with a published fee, $123.

Good to know

What else District of Columbia asks of a salon

Salon owners renew the Board's owner license every two years; the Board lists the owner renewal fee as $110.
The DC Health pre-operational inspection request needs a Certificate of Occupancy, and a Salon Owner's License among other documents, before the inspection is scheduled.
Manager licenses are a separate Board license type, and the Board lists the manager renewal fee as $155.

Sources

What District of Columbia's official pages say

Each fact above, in the words of the DC Board of Barber and Cosmetology's own pages, rules or statutes, read on October 17, 2026. Fees and rules change: confirm with the board before you apply.

The salon license: “Beauty & Grooming Services Business”
dlcp.dc.gov
“Once you have obtained the Basic Business License (BBL), please share a copy via e-mail”
dchealth.dc.gov
Fees for a new salon: “2-year license - $99. 00”
dlcp.dc.gov
“Initial Licensing Application Fee: $65.00”
dlcp.dc.gov
“Initial License Fee: $110”
dlcp.dc.gov
Other license types: “Initial Application by Exam for All License Types - $175”
dlcp.dc.gov
Renewal: “2-year license - $99. 00”
dlcp.dc.gov
Inspection: “Before you can open and operate a cosmetology salon, barber shop, swimming pool, or other related facility, you must receive a passing Health Inspection”
dchealth.dc.gov
The owner: “Salon Owner’s License (COO, CSO, BAO)”
dchealth.dc.gov
Person in charge: “Licensed managers on duty at all times during operating hours”
dchealth.dc.gov
Booth renters: “6-month license - $49. 00 (only available for Barber Chair and Beauty Booth)”
dlcp.dc.gov
Who licenses salons: “The District of Columbia Board of Barber and Cosmetology oversees the practices of barbers, body artists, and cosmetologists”
dlcp.dc.gov
Also good to know: “Renewal Fee for Operators and Owners: $110.00”
dlcp.dc.gov
Also good to know: “Certificate of Occupancy (C of O)”
dchealth.dc.gov
Also good to know: “Renewal Fee for Managers and Instructors: $155.00”
dlcp.dc.gov

Questions

District of Columbia salon licenses, answered

How much is a salon license in District of Columbia?

A new Basic Business License with a Beauty Shop endorsement costs $274 to the state (basic business license (2 years) $99 plus owner license application $65 plus owner license $110) and is renewed every 2 years for $99. That is the $99 two-year Basic Business License plus the Board's $65 application and $110 license fees. That is the state's fee only: build-out, equipment and opening stock are most of the cost of opening (see what it costs to open a salon).

Do you need a license to own a salon in District of Columbia?

Yes. District of Columbia's official pages say the owner must hold a license. A licensed manager must be on duty whenever the salon is open, per DC Health's inspection checklist. The business also needs a Basic Business License with a Beauty Shop endorsement.

Is a new salon inspected before it opens in District of Columbia?

Yes. the DC Board of Barber and Cosmetology inspects a new salon before it may open or before the license is issued, so plan the inspection into your opening date.

Do booth renters need their own license in District of Columbia?

Yes. A booth renter in District of Columbia needs a Basic Business License with Beauty Booth endorsement, as well as a practitioner license.

Plan the rest

Before you sign a lease

Salon licenses in other states

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