Barber Shop Permit Requirements in New Orleans, LA

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC or corporation. Free from the IRS.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. State Barber License (per barber)

   Each barber in Louisiana must hold a barber license issued by the Louisiana State Board of Barber Examiners, which is separate from the Louisiana State Board of Cosmetology — the cosmetology board's current site (verified August 31, 2026) covers only cosmetologists, estheticians, manicurists and instructors, with no barbering licenses, applications or exams. The barber board's former website (labarberboard.org) has lapsed and it is not listed in Louisiana's state agency directory, so no official page could be reached to verify school-hour requirements or exam details. Confirm the current hour requirement, exam and fees with the Louisiana State Board of Barber Examiners directly before relying on the commonly cited 1,500-hour figure.

   Not verifiable: no reachable official Louisiana barber board page publishes a fee schedule, so the '$40-$100 initial' figure is unconfirmed.·Not published in any retrievable official source; the '4-8 weeks' figure has no official basis.

   Not verifiable: no reachable official Louisiana barber board page publishes a fee schedule, so the '$40-$100 initial' figure is unconfirmed.

   Not published in any retrievable official source; the '4-8 weeks' figure has no official basis.

2. Louisiana Department of Revenue — Sales Tax Registration

   Required for all businesses selling taxable goods or services in Louisiana. The Louisiana state sales tax rate is 5%. Sellers must apply for a sales tax certificate with the Louisiana Department of Revenue. Louisiana also has parish- and municipal-level sales taxes collected separately by local collectors, so the combined rate varies by parish and you must register with each applicable local collector in addition to the state.

   Official government source

   No registration fee is published by the Louisiana Department of Revenue.·Not published by the Louisiana Department of Revenue; the '1-5 business days' figure has no official source.

   No registration fee is published by the Louisiana Department of Revenue.

   Not published by the Louisiana Department of Revenue; the '1-5 business days' figure has no official source.

1. Barbershop License — Louisiana state barber licensing board

   Barbershops in Louisiana are licensed separately from cosmetology salons — the Louisiana State Board of Cosmetology's own guidance confirms barbers hold their own licenses and may work in a cosmetology salon, but the board does not license barbershops. No reachable official website for a Louisiana barber licensing board could be located in this review, so the licensing body's current name, fee and process must be confirmed directly before relying on any figure. The shop must pass an inspection before a license is issued.

   Unverified. The $60 initial / $60 renewal figure could not be confirmed against any official source and should not be relied on; confirm current shop license and renewal fees with the state barber licensing board.·Not verified. The '3–6 weeks' figure has no official source; licensing follows a premises inspection, so confirm current timing with the board.

   Unverified. The $60 initial / $60 renewal figure could not be confirmed against any official source and should not be relied on; confirm current shop license and renewal fees with the state barber licensing board.

   Not verified. The '3–6 weeks' figure has no official source; licensing follows a premises inspection, so confirm current timing with the board.

2. City of New Orleans Bureau of Revenue / Department of Safety and Permits — Business License

   New Orleans requires an Occupational License (annual business tax) and a Certificate of Occupancy for all businesses. The Bureau of Revenue (Department of Finance) handles the Occupational License tax; the Department of Safety and Permits handles occupancy and zoning, issuing a Certificate of Occupancy (No Work) for $190. The license must be renewed annually and displayed at your place of business.

   Official government source

   $50/year minimum where gross sales are under $50,000, rising through the city's Occupational License Tax Tables — Table 1 runs to $6,200/year at $5.5M+ in gross sales, well above the claimed $500 ceiling. The Certificate of Occupancy is a separate $190.·Occupational License: not published — a temporary license is generated on approval through the One Stop App and the Amended Return Form is due within the first 40 days of operation. Certificate of Occupancy: same day in some situations, 2-3 days if an inspection is required.

   $50/year minimum where gross sales are under $50,000, rising through the city's Occupational License Tax Tables — Table 1 runs to $6,200/year at $5.5M+ in gross sales, well above the claimed $500 ceiling. The Certificate of Occupancy is a separate $190.

   Occupational License: not published — a temporary license is generated on approval through the One Stop App and the Amended Return Form is due within the first 40 days of operation. Certificate of Occupancy: same day in some situations, 2-3 days if an inspection is required.

Official Sources

• City of New Orleans Bureau of Revenue / Department of Safety and Permits

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