The agencies state $9,273 in initial fees across 5 of the 9 items; 2 are free; 2 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 nail salon in Ohio?
$9,273 in state fees the agencies state, across 5 of the 9 licenses, permits and registrations; 2 are free; 2 are set by the city, the county or a provider. Rent, build-out and equipment come on top.
What the state publishes for a nail salon in Ohio
Every row checked against its agency’s page; the latest on Oct 21, 2026.
- Stated state fees
- $9,273initial fees across 5 of 9 items
- Free items
- 2no fee as the agency publishes it
- Set elsewhere
- 2by 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 Articles of organization (LLC) Ohio Secretary of State Premium only Trade name registration (DBA) Ohio Secretary of State Premium only Employer Identification Number (EIN) Internal Revenue Service Free Register for tax
Item Agency Fee Vendor’s license (sales tax) and employer withholding County auditor Premium only Municipal income tax account and local registrations Your city or village Free Approve the space
Item Agency Fee Zoning certificate and certificate of occupancy Your city Premium only Get the permits for your kind of business
Item Agency Fee Salon or barber shop license Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board Premium only Licensed cosmetologists, nail technicians, estheticians and barbers Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board Premium only Before the first hire
Item Agency Fee Unemployment compensation account, workers’ compensation coverage and new hire reporting Ohio Department of Job and Family Services 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 filing pages and fee schedule; Secretary of State trade name registration form and fee schedule; IRS EIN page; Department of Taxation vendor’s license and employer withholding pages; county auditor notices on the 2025 fee change; Department of Taxation municipal net profit tax pages; RITA and CCA registration pages; Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Industrial Compliance; municipal zoning codes; OAC rule 4713-1-17 (fees, effective January 2, 2025); State Cosmetology and Barber Board salon pages; State Cosmetology and Barber Board license pages; ODJFS employer pages (form UCO-1, Report to Determine Liability); BWC employer coverage pages. Fees are as published by each agency on the date checked; cities and counties add their own.