The agencies state $20,537 in initial fees across 4 of the 9 items; 2 are free; 3 are set by the city, the county or a provider. Rent, build-out and equipment come on top and depend on the space.
How much does it cost to open a hair salon in Iowa?
$20,537 in state fees the agencies state, across 4 of the 9 licenses, permits and registrations; 2 are free; 3 are set by the city, the county or a provider. Rent, build-out and equipment come on top.
What the state publishes for a hair salon in Iowa
Drafted from the agencies’ own pages; some rows still wait to be confirmed. Open the official page before you pay anything.
- Stated state fees
- $20,537initial fees across 4 of 9 items
- Free items
- 2no fee as the agency publishes it
- Set elsewhere
- 3by the city, the county or a provider
- Items in all
- 9in the order to get them
Initial fees as each agency states them, summed; renewals are not included. Where a fee depends on size or sales the range is the lowest to the highest stated. Members see each row’s fee, its renewal and the official page.
Set up the business
Item Agency Fee Certificate of organization (LLC) and the biennial report Iowa Secretary of State Premium only Trade name statement (DBA) Your county recorder Premium only Employer Identification Number (EIN) Internal Revenue Service Free Register for tax
Item Agency Fee Business tax registration: sales and use tax permit, withholding permit Iowa Department of Revenue Free Local business license, where the city has one Your city clerk Premium only Approve the space
Item Agency Fee Zoning approval and certificate of occupancy Your city or county building and zoning office Premium only Get the permits for your kind of business
Item Agency Fee Establishment license (salon or barbershop) Iowa Board of Barbering and Cosmetology Arts and Sciences Premium only Licensed cosmetologists, barbers, nail technologists and estheticians Iowa Board of Barbering and Cosmetology Arts and Sciences Premium only Before the first hire
Item Agency Fee Unemployment insurance account, new hire reporting and workers’ compensation Iowa Workforce Development Premium only
What comes on top of the fees
The state publishes its fees; the space sets the rest. These work it out from your own numbers.
- Rent the business can carryMonthly sales, or seats and average check, to the base rent that fits a healthy occupancy share.Rent-to-sales calculator
- The real cost of a NNN leaseBase rent plus CAM, property taxes and insurance, each month.NNN lease calculator
- The steps in orderThe same items as a walk-through you tick off, with progress saved to your account.How to open
Fees are shown to members as published. Create an account.
Sources and dates
Secretary of State business entity forms and fees page (Iowa Code 489.201); biennial report instructions; Iowa Code 547.1; county recorder trade name pages (Polk, Webster, Pottawattamie counties); IRS EIN page; Department of Revenue business permit registration page; IASourceLink business license information center; city clerk pages; Iowa Code 103A.19 (local administration of the state building code); DIAL State Building Code Bureau pages; city ordinances; DIAL barbering and cosmetology license and renewal pages (establishment license fee); Iowa Code chapter 157; DIAL barbering and cosmetology licensure pages; Iowa Code chapter 157; Iowa Workforce Development 2026 unemployment insurance employer handbook; Iowa Code 252G.3; Iowa Code 85.1 and 87.21. Fees are as published by each agency on the date checked; cities and counties add their own.