Hair salon licenses
in Nashville, Tennessee
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 Nashville, Tennessee, with employees and retail product sales. This guide assumes no home operation, food or alcohol service, or vehicle-based services.
Requirement labels below refer to this setup. Conditional items depend on additional details.
Authorities researched
- State
- State of Tennessee · Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services · Tennessee Department of Revenue · Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development · Tennessee Secretary of State, Business Services · Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Cosmetology and Barber Examiners Board
Details to confirm before you apply
- What legal structure will own the salon, where was it or will it be formed, and will it use a name different from the owner's or entity's legal name?
- What are the expected Tennessee gross receipts during the first year, and are receipts already above the $3,000 or $100,000 business-license thresholds?
- How many employees will there be, what payroll amount and employment duration are expected, and will the salon acquire an existing liable business?
- What is the exact street address, and is the parcel in the Metro Urban Service District, General Service District, or a retained satellite municipality?
- What was the premises' prior approved use, and will the build-out involve structural, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, gas/mechanical, low-voltage, or other renovation work?
- What services will be offered beyond ordinary hair services, and will the salon install signs, alarms, fire-protection systems, public-right-of-way features, or store regulated products above fire-code thresholds?
- Are the practitioners already licensed in Tennessee, and which services will their credentials cover?
The main licenses and permits
6 of 27- 01Tennessee Cosmetology Shop LicenseTennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Cosmetology and Barber Examiners Board · Tennessee
A commercial salon providing regulated cosmetology services requires a Tennessee shop license, separate from each practitioner’s credential.
RequiredEvery 2 years - 02Tennessee Individual Cosmetology or Barber LicenseTennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Cosmetology and Barber Examiners Board · Tennessee
Each person performing compensated hair services, including an owner-operator, must hold the Tennessee individual credential that covers the services performed and must work in a licensed shop.
RequiredEvery 2 years - 03Sales and Use Tax RegistrationTennessee Department of Revenue · Tennessee
The salon will sell taxable tangible goods from a physical Tennessee business location.
RequiredOngoing account; periodic returns as assigned by the Department of Revenue - 04Employer Identification Number (EIN)Internal Revenue Service · Federal
The salon will have W-2 employees and must use an EIN for federal employment-tax reporting.
RequiredNone (one-time) - 05Federal employment tax, employment eligibility, and workplace notice obligationsInternal Revenue Service, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and U.S. Department of Labor · Federal
The salon will employ W-2 workers.
RequiredOngoing - 06New Hire ReportingTennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development · Tennessee
The salon will hire W-2 employees in Tennessee.
RequiredOngoing; required for each new or rehired employee
This example includes 21 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
- Environmental Health Permit for Hair Salon Activities — The stated business is a hair salon that does not prepare or serve food and does not state body art, pool, septic, well, hotel, daycare, or other regulated environmental-health activity.
Questions people ask
What city business licenses or registrations should a hair salon in Nashville check?
Metro Nashville business license, issued by Davidson County Clerk / Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, is conditional. A minimal activity license generally applies above $3,000 and below $100,000 in gross receipts; a standard license applies at $100,000 or more. Confirm the appropriate license and any low-receipts exception with the Clerk and salon Board. Check the other city permits in this guide and confirm the requirements for your premises and activities.
How much do licenses and permits cost for a hair salon in Nashville?
About $210 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 Tennessee business entity formation or foreign qualification (if applicable) (Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services), then Tennessee assumed business name registration (if applicable) (Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Business Services), then Employer Identification Number (EIN) (Internal Revenue Service). 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.