The agencies state $14,260 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 nail salon in South Carolina?
$14,260 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 nail salon in South Carolina
Every row checked against its agency’s page; the latest on Oct 21, 2026.
- Stated state fees
- $14,260initial 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 Articles of organization (LLC); no annual report South Carolina Secretary of State Premium only Trade name (DBA): no state registration South Carolina Secretary of State Free Employer Identification Number (EIN) Internal Revenue Service Free Register for tax
Item Agency Fee Retail license (sales tax) and withholding account on MyDORWAY South Carolina Department of Revenue Premium only City or county business license Your city or county business license office Premium only Approve the space
Item Agency Fee Zoning approval and certificate of occupancy Your city or county zoning and building departments Premium only Get the permits for your kind of business
Item Agency Fee Salon license or barbershop license South Carolina Board of Cosmetology Premium only Licensed cosmetologists, nail technicians, estheticians and barbers South Carolina Board of Cosmetology Premium only Before the first hire
Item Agency Fee Unemployment insurance account, new hire reporting and workers’ compensation South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce 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
Code of Laws 33-44-1204 (Secretary of State fees); Secretary of State business filings fee list; Department of Revenue guidance on LLC annual reports; Secretary of State business entity pages (the office does not register DBA or trade names, except an assumed name certificate for a limited partnership under Code of Laws 33-42-45); IRS EIN page; Department of Revenue sales tax and retail license pages; MyDORWAY business tax application; Code of Laws 6-1-400 and following (Act 176 of 2020); Municipal Association of South Carolina business license pages; Building Codes Council pages (Code of Laws 6-9, statewide building codes); municipal and county ordinances; Board of Cosmetology fee page; Board of Barber Examiners barbershop application package (revised September 2025) and fee list; Board of Cosmetology and Board of Barber Examiners license pages; Department of Employment and Workforce 2026 tax rate information and press release; newhire.sc.gov (Code of Laws 43-5-598); Workers’ Compensation Law, Code of Laws 42-1-360. Fees are as published by each agency on the date checked; cities and counties add their own.