Startup costs from franchise filings
How much does it cost to open a tanning salon?
Opening a tanning salon costs $755,390 to $1,263,712, going by the 3 tanning franchises whose current disclosure documents are on file in Minnesota: those are the medians of their low and high estimates for one new location, from the franchise fee to the first months of working capital. The biggest single cost is furniture, fixtures and equipment, typically $325,019 to $545,000. An owner opening independently pays no franchise fee and can often spend less on the space, which the budget below lets you test line by line.
- Typical range
- $755,390 to $1,263,712
- Lowest to highest filed
- $676,290 to $1,448,000
- Filings compared
- 3 brands
Read from Minnesota's franchise registry on October 16, 2026. Build your own budget ยท Download every line (CSV)
By brand
What 3 tanning franchises say it costs to open
Item 7 of each franchise disclosure document, the legally required estimate of the initial investment for one new location, low and high.
| Brand | Total initial investment | Franchise fee | Build-out | Unit described |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GLO TanningFDD issued Apr 2026 | $759,200 to $1,448,000 | $45,000 | $258,000 to $565,000 | 1,500 to 5,000 sq ft, 15 to 25 beds |
| Palm Beach TanFDD issued Apr 2026 | $755,390 to $1,263,712 | $30,000 | $250,000 to $400,000 | 2,200 to 2,600 sq ft |
| Sun Tan CityFDD issued Mar 2025 | $676,290 to $1,114,750 | $0 to $30,000 | $250,000 to $350,000 | 17 beds, new construction |
By cost
Where the money goes when you open a tanning salon
The median low and high of each kind of cost across these brands. A brand that folds a cost into another line is left out of that line's median, so the lines are a checklist, not a sum.
| Cost | Median low to high | Brands |
|---|---|---|
| Build-out and constructionLeasehold improvements, plumbing, electrical, flooring, lighting and finishes, less any landlord allowance. | $250,000 to $400,000 | 3 |
| Furniture, fixtures and equipmentChairs, stations, shampoo units, treatment beds or devices, reception and waiting furniture. | $325,019 to $545,000 | 3 |
| SignageExterior sign and interior graphics. | $6,000 to $20,000 | 3 |
| Computers, POS and softwarePoint of sale, computers, phones, music and security systems, software set-up. | $11,491 to $17,640 | 3 |
| Opening supplies and retail stockBackbar and service supplies, linens, sanitation, retail products for the shelf. | $7,500 to $12,500 | 3 |
| Grand opening marketingPre-opening and launch advertising, promotions and events. | $26,000 to $29,000 | 3 |
| Rent and deposits before openingSecurity deposit, rent before opening, utility deposits. | $6,000 to $23,500 | 3 |
| Professional fees, permits and licensesArchitect and design, legal and accounting, building permits, business and establishment licenses. | $5,500 to $20,000 | 3 |
| InsuranceFirst premiums or deposits for liability, property and workers' compensation cover. | $4,000 to $10,000 | 3 |
| Staff pay before openingWages for the team while you hire and train before the doors open. | $2,000 to $4,000 | 1 |
| Working capital (first months)Cash to cover payroll, rent and bills until the business pays for itself, usually the first three months. | $50,000 to $85,000 | 3 |
| Other opening costsTravel, utilities set-up, uniforms and costs the filing does not put elsewhere. | $500 to $2,500 | 1 |
| Franchise feeFranchisees only. The one-time fee paid to the franchisor for the right to open. | $30,000 to $30,000 | 3 |
| Franchise training and travelFranchisees only. Travel and living costs to attend the franchisor's training. | $2,700 to $11,500 | 3 |
Your budget
Budget a tanning salon of your own
Start from the filed medians, without the franchise fee or the franchisor's training travel, and replace each line with your own quotes.
Each line starts at the middle of the brands' low estimates across 3 filed tanning salon disclosures, with franchise-only costs left out. Replace any figure with your own quote; switching the business or the starting point resets the lines.
Build-out and construction
Leasehold improvements, plumbing, electrical, flooring, lighting and finishes, less any landlord allowance.
$250,000 to $400,000median of 3 filings
Furniture, fixtures and equipment
Chairs, stations, shampoo units, treatment beds or devices, reception and waiting furniture.
$325,019 to $545,000median of 3 filings
Signage
Exterior sign and interior graphics.
$6,000 to $20,000median of 3 filings
Computers, POS and software
Point of sale, computers, phones, music and security systems, software set-up.
$11,491 to $17,640median of 3 filings
Opening supplies and retail stock
Backbar and service supplies, linens, sanitation, retail products for the shelf.
$7,500 to $12,500median of 3 filings
Grand opening marketing
Pre-opening and launch advertising, promotions and events.
$26,000 to $29,000median of 3 filings
Rent and deposits before opening
Security deposit, rent before opening, utility deposits.
$6,000 to $23,500median of 3 filings
Professional fees, permits and licenses
Architect and design, legal and accounting, building permits, business and establishment licenses.
$5,500 to $20,000median of 3 filings
Insurance
First premiums or deposits for liability, property and workers' compensation cover.
$4,000 to $10,000median of 3 filings
Staff pay before opening
Wages for the team while you hire and train before the doors open.
$2,000 to $4,000median of 1 filing
Working capital (first months)
Cash to cover payroll, rent and bills until the business pays for itself, usually the first three months.
$50,000 to $85,000median of 3 filings
Other opening costs
Travel, utilities set-up, uniforms and costs the filing does not put elsewhere.
$500 to $2,500median of 1 filing
Your startup budget
$694,000
Franchised tanning salon units disclose a median of $755,390 to $1,263,712, franchise fee included.
Reading the filings
What these numbers mean for a tanning salon
- Tanning is the most equipment-heavy business in these filings: beds and booths cost $325,019 to $545,000 at the median, about as much as the build-out ($250,000 to $400,000).
- The brands describe large salons with up to 25 beds. A studio offering spray tans only skips the beds, which is most of this budget.
Questions
Opening a tanning salon: costs, answered
How much does it cost to open a tanning salon?
What is the biggest startup cost for a tanning salon?
How much working capital do you need to open a tanning salon?
Is it cheaper to open a tanning salon without a franchise?
Plan the rest
Before you sign a lease
- Write it up with the salon business plan template
- Find a name and a free domain for a tanning salon
- See what the business could pay you once it is open
- Check what salons keep after costs, from Census data
Startup costs for other beauty businesses
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