How to Start a Hair Salon or Barber Shop in Mississippi: Board of Cosmetology and Barbering Licenses

Opening a hair salon, barber shop, nail studio, or skin care room in Mississippi means working with three separate systems. The Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering licenses the people who do the work and the shop where it happens. The Secretary of State registers your business entity. Your city issues its own privilege license so the business can operate inside its limits. Mississippi has no single statewide business license, so these three steps are not interchangeable, and confusing them is one of the most common mistakes new owners make.

Disclaimer: This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Fees, hours, and deadlines change, so confirm every figure with the agency named in each step. Talk with a Mississippi attorney and a CPA before you sign a lease or choose an ownership structure.

What You Need Before You Start

Gather these items before you file anything. Several of them take longer to get than the filings themselves.

• A business name checked in the Secretary of State business database for availability
• A physical Mississippi street address for the shop, which also serves as the registered office if you form an LLC or corporation
• A registered agent with a Mississippi address, or a plan to use a commercial registered agent
• Training transcripts and documented hours for every licensed person who will work in the shop
• A list of services you will offer: hair, barbering, nails, skin care, or a mix
• A floor plan showing stations, sinks, storage, and any separate room for skin care or nail services
• A budget covering state filing fees, Board fees, the city privilege license, insurance, and your lease deposit

Step 1: Choose How the Business Will Be Organized

Your ownership structure decides which Secretary of State filing you need and how the business is taxed. Three common options:

• Limited liability company (LLC): The Certificate of Formation (Form F0100) costs $50. Online filings that do not need staff review are approved immediately, and those that do are normally returned filed within 24 hours. The name must contain “limited liability company,” “L.L.C.,” or “LLC.” Reserving a name costs $25 and holds it for 180 days. An LLC taxed as a partnership is a pass-through entity, so members report the income on their own Mississippi returns.
• Corporation: Articles of Incorporation (Form F0001) cost $50. A corporation pays Mississippi corporate income tax at 0% on the first $5,000 of taxable income, 4% on the next $5,000, and 5% above $10,000. It also pays the franchise tax, which for tax year 2026 is $0.50 per $1,000 of capital above $100,000, with a $25 minimum. The franchise tax applies to corporations, not to an LLC taxed as a partnership, and it is repealed effective January 1, 2028.
• Sole proprietorship: No entity filing is required. If you operate under a name other than your own, you must register a fictitious (assumed) business name with the Secretary of State on Form F0070 for $25. Do not file it with your county.

Step 2: Register With the Secretary of State

Search the business database at corp.sos.ms.gov to confirm your name is distinguishable from every registered Mississippi entity and every reserved name. Then file through the Secretary of State online filing portal. This filing creates your legal entity. It is a registration, not a license, and it does not authorize you to cut hair or perform any service.

Two ongoing obligations follow the filing:

• Registered agent. An LLC must keep a registered office and agent in Mississippi. The agent can be an individual Mississippi resident or an authorized business entity, and the agent needs a physical Mississippi street address. A commercial registered agent must file a listing statement with the Secretary of State for $100 and must accept or decline a representation within 14 days.
• Annual report. The LLC annual report (Form F0108) has no fee, but it is due April 15 each year, may be filed on or after January 1, and must be filed online. Failure to file can lead to administrative dissolution. Corporate annual reports (Form F0008) cost $25 and are due April 15 for profit corporations.

Step 3: Get Individual Licenses From the Board

The Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering (601-359-1820) issues individual licenses for cosmetologist, esthetician, manicurist, instructor, and wigologist. Every person who performs a service in your shop needs the license that matches that work:

• Hair: a cosmetologist license covers hair services. Barbers need the matching barber licenses.
• Nails: if you are searching for a Mississippi nail technician license, the Board's credential for nail work is the manicurist license.
• Skin care: an esthetician license covers facial and skin treatments.
• Wigs: a wigologist license covers wig services.
• Teaching: an instructor license applies if you plan to train students in a school setting.

Training hours and license fees are set by the Board, so confirm them directly. Call the Board before you enroll in any program or pay any fee. Ask for the required hours, the license fee, and the renewal requirements in writing.

Step 4: Get the Salon or Barber Shop License

Board rule 30-2101-2.1 covers salon and school licenses. Your shop needs its own Board license, separate from the individual licenses of the people who work in it. Get the salon permit fee and any inspection requirement from the Board before you sign a lease or buy equipment. Ask:

• What the salon permit fee is and how often it renews
• Whether an inspection is required before you open, and what it covers
• Whether a barber shop needs a separate shop license from a salon
• Whether an owner who does not personally perform services needs an individual license
• Whether a booth renter must hold a personal license, and what records the shop must keep on file

Step 5: Get Your City Privilege License

Because the state issues no general business license, cities fill that role. Every city, town, and village issues its own privilege license under Miss. Code 27-17. Counties license only businesses outside municipalities. If your shop is inside city limits, apply with the city, not the county.

Every salon and barber shop needs its city privilege license, whatever Board licenses it holds. Each city sets its own fee, so check the city clerk's office or the city website for the current amount. Also ask whether the city requires any sign-off for a salon at your address. Do this before opening.

Step 6: Register for Sales Tax

If you sell retail products such as shampoo, styling tools, or hair accessories, register with the Mississippi Department of Revenue for a sales tax permit. The DOR describes this as a permit for the privilege of operating a business in Mississippi, not a license. There is no fee for it, although a bond may be required for applicants with no permanent Mississippi location. Register online through the DOR sales and use tax registration page.

The state sales tax rate is 7%. There is no county add-on. City levies apply only in Jackson and Tupelo. Ask the DOR which of your services and which product sales are taxable, because the answer affects how you set up your point-of-sale system.

Step 7: Plan for Staff and Ongoing Compliance

Mississippi has no state minimum wage law, so federal wage rules govern your employees. Confirm your employer registration requirements with the DOR and the relevant agencies before your first payroll. Keep a copy of every stylist's, barber's, and technician's license on file, and check expiration dates every month. Do not let anyone perform a service without a current license. Ask a CPA how to classify booth renters, because that answer changes your tax and payroll duties.

Fees and Deadlines at a Glance

Item	Cost or rule	Agency and timing
LLC Certificate of Formation (F0100)	$50	Secretary of State, online
LLC name reservation	$25, held 180 days	Secretary of State
LLC annual report (F0108)	No fee	Secretary of State, due April 15 yearly
Corporation Articles of Incorporation (F0001)	$50	Secretary of State
Corporate annual report (F0008)	$25	Secretary of State, due April 15 for profit corporations
Fictitious business name (F0070)	$25	Secretary of State, not the county
Commercial registered agent listing	$100	Secretary of State
Sales tax permit	No fee; bond may apply	Department of Revenue
Individual licenses (cosmetologist, esthetician, manicurist, instructor, wigologist, barber)	Confirm with the Board	Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, 601-359-1820
Salon or barber shop license and inspection	Confirm with the Board	Board of Cosmetology and Barbering, rule 30-2101-2.1
City privilege license	Set by each city	City clerk, before opening

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Treating the Secretary of State filing as a license. The entity filing only creates the business. You still need the Board and city approvals.
• Applying to the county for a city location. Counties license only businesses outside municipalities.
• Filing a fictitious name with the county. The Secretary of State handles the $25 Form F0070 filing.
• Missing the April 15 annual report. Late or missed reports can lead to administrative dissolution for an LLC.
• Booking staff before checking their licenses. Every person performing a service needs the matching individual license.
• Relying on blog fee tables. Training hours and fees differ across sources, so confirm them directly with the Board.
• Using a registered agent without a Mississippi address. The agent must have a physical Mississippi street address.
• Opening before the city license is issued. Confirm the privilege license before you take the first client.

Practical Tips

• Get the Board's answers in writing, and file them with your entity documents.
• Start with the name search. A rejected name can delay the whole timeline.
• Set a calendar reminder for April 15 and keep a copy of each filed annual report.
• Ask the Mississippi Small Business Development Center Network for advising. Its lead center is hosted by the University of Mississippi, with 19 locations statewide, at mississippisbdc.org.
• Use the SBA Mississippi district page to find local SBA resources.
• Keep a single licensing binder, with physical copies of every individual license and the shop license.

What Results to Expect

Completing these steps in order is designed to put your salon or barber shop on a sound legal footing, with its Board, city, and tax registrations in place before you open. Doing so may reduce the risk of delays and enforcement problems. It may also help clients and landlords see that your staff are licensed. Results such as client volume, revenue, or growth depend on your location, staffing, pricing, and marketing, and no filing guarantees any of them.

If you sell skin care or nail products, keep your claims within what cosmetics can say. Describe products in terms of their cosmetic use, and avoid language that suggests a product treats, cures, or prevents a disease or changes the structure or function of the body. The FDA regulates those claims, so review labels and marketing copy before they go live.

Official Resources

• Mississippi Secretary of State, Business Services Division: sos.ms.gov/business-services
• Mississippi Department of Revenue: dor.ms.gov
• Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology and Barbering: call 601-359-1820 to confirm licensing hours, fees, and salon permit requirements
• Mississippi SBDC Network: mississippisbdc.org

This content is informational and is not legal or tax advice. For a complex structure, a shared booth arrangement, or a multi-location plan, consult a qualified Mississippi attorney and a CPA before you commit money or sign a lease.