Hair salon licenses
in Indianapolis, Indiana
Start with the main licenses and permits below. For a checklist based on your own business, tell us what you’re opening and how it will operate.
Researched Sep 2026
About this example
A commercial hair salon in Indianapolis, Indiana, with employees and retail hair-product sales. This guide assumes no food, alcohol, vehicle-based service, or home operation. This guide has not confirmed whether a separate city general business license or business tax certificate is required.
Requirement labels below refer to this setup. Conditional items depend on additional details.
Authorities researched
- Federal
- Internal Revenue Service · Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, U.S. Department of the Treasury · U.S. Department of Labor · U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
- State
- Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division · Indiana Department of Revenue · Indiana Department of Workforce Development · Indiana Workers’ Compensation Board · Indiana Department of Child Services · Indiana Professional Licensing Agency, State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners
Details to confirm before you apply
- Will the owner operate as a sole proprietorship, general partnership, LLC, corporation, or another entity, and where was any entity formed?
- What legal name and public-facing operating name will the salon use, and will an assumed or DBA name be used?
- Will the salon offer only hair services, or also barbering, esthetics, manicuring, eyelash, tanning, tattooing, body-piercing, microneedling, or injectable services?
- What are the exact commercial street address, parcel, suite, and lease details, and what use is currently approved for the premises?
- Will the premises require construction, remodeling, a change in use, a new or altered sign, fire-protection work, or use of a sidewalk, parking area, or other public right-of-way?
- What are the expected payroll and employment-duration facts, and is this a new operation or an acquisition of an existing business?
- What is the total acquisition cost of business personal property in Marion County, and was an exemption previously claimed?
- Are the practitioners already licensed in Indiana, and which services will each license authorize?
- Does Indianapolis require a separate general business license or business tax certificate for this setup? Confirm with the city; the reviewed source does not establish an exemption.
- Confirm with the responsible agencies whether additional requirements apply in these areas: City business license or tax registration. These areas remain unresolved in this guide.
The main licenses and permits
6 of 23- 01Indiana Beauty Culture Salon LicenseIndiana Professional Licensing Agency, State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners · Indiana
A commercial Indiana establishment offering hair salon services to the public is a beauty culture salon and must hold the state salon license.
RequiredEvery four years - 02Indiana practitioner license for hair servicesIndiana Professional Licensing Agency, State Board of Cosmetology and Barber Examiners · Indiana
Each person providing regulated hair services needs an active Indiana license authorizing those services.
RequiredEvery four years - 03Registered Retail Merchant CertificateIndiana Department of Revenue · Indiana
The salon will sell taxable tangible goods, such as hair or beauty products, at its Indiana location.
RequiredEvery two years; automatic renewal when compliant - 04Employer Identification Number (EIN)Internal Revenue Service · Federal
The salon will have W-2 employees, and the IRS requires employers to obtain an EIN.
RequiredNone (one-time) - 05Indiana Withholding Tax RegistrationIndiana Department of Revenue · Indiana
The salon will pay wages to W-2 employees and must withhold Indiana and applicable county income taxes from employee wages.
RequiredOngoing while wages are paid - 06Indiana workers’ compensation insurance coverageIndiana Workers’ Compensation Board · Indiana
The salon will have employees, and Indiana states that most businesses must carry workers’ compensation insurance with coverage beginning on the employee’s first day of work.
RequiredPolicy term set by insurer; ongoing while employees are covered
This example includes 17 other potential requirements. A report based on your business explains which apply, how to file, published fees and timing, and what to complete first.
Make the checklist yours
Your location, activities, and business structure can change the list. Get a free preview for your business, then decide whether to unlock the full report for $49.
Not required for this example
- Marion County Public Health Department Health Permit — The stated business is a hair salon with no food service, body art, pool, septic, or private-well activity, and Marion County's listed health licensing programs do not license ordinary hair salons.
- Indiana general business license — Indiana does not have one single comprehensive statewide business license for ordinary businesses such as a hair salon.
- Certificate of Occupancy — A commercial salon operator might expect a certificate of occupancy, but Indianapolis and Marion County state that they do not currently issue one.
- Marion County Food and Beverage Tax Registration — The salon does not prepare, serve, cater, or facilitate the sale of food or beverages, so the Marion County food and beverage tax does not apply on the stated facts.
Questions people ask
What city business licenses or registrations should a hair salon in Indianapolis check?
This guide does not establish whether Indianapolis requires a stand-alone general business license or registration. Confirm that question with the city, in addition to reviewing the industry permits and registrations below.
How much do licenses and permits cost for a hair salon in Indianapolis?
About $105 in published fixed fees, plus variable fees. Several items have fees that depend on your entity type, square footage, or payroll, so the full report lists each fee as the agency publishes it.
What should I do first?
Review Indiana business entity registration (if applicable) (Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division), then Registered Assumed Business Name (if applicable) (Indiana Secretary of State, Business Services Division), then Certificate of Assumed Business Name (if applicable) (Marion County Recorder's Office). Confirm each item's applicability and prerequisites before applying; the report provides a suggested order for the full checklist.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is a research summary of public requirements published by government agencies, each linked to its official page. Confirm with the issuing agency before filing.
Related guides
Researched from official government sources on September 5, 2026 for a typical hair salon. Requirements change and depend on your facts; this page is not legal advice. Confirm with the issuing agency before filing.