Hair Salon Permit Requirements in Manchester, NH

Complete permit and license guide for starting a hair salon in Manchester, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire.

Verified 2026-09-06 5 stops $300–$1,000 est. 4–10 weeks to obtain all permits and licenses
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Not legal advice. Requirements may change — always verify with your local government authority before applying. Key agencies and fees on this page were re-checked against official government sources on .

Federal — start here

1 stop

  1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

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

    Official government source

    FreeImmediate (online application)

State of New Hampshire

2 stops

  1. New Hampshire OPLC Board of Barbering, Cosmetology and Esthetics — Cosmetologist License

    Each cosmetologist must hold a New Hampshire Cosmetologist license issued by the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification under the Board of Barbering, Cosmetology and Esthetics. RSA 313-A:11 requires a minimum of 1,200 hours of training in an approved cosmetology school, or 3,000 hours of supervised apprenticeship over at least 18 months, plus passing the board examination — the 1,500-hour figure belongs to the master barber license, not cosmetology.

    Official government source

    $55 application fee for a personal Cosmetology license (renewal and reinstatement are also $55); an apprentice license is likewise $55 and an instructor license is $82No processing time is published by OPLC

  2. New Hampshire — No Sales Tax

    New Hampshire has no state sales tax and no local sales taxes, so businesses need no sales tax permit or resale registration for sales tax purposes. Businesses may instead owe the Business Enterprise Tax and the Business Profits Tax, both administered by the NH Department of Revenue Administration; BET paid can be credited against BPT. Restaurants, caterers and lodging operators separately collect the Meals and Rooms (Rentals) Tax and must hold a DRA license for it. Filing and payment are handled through DRA's Granite Tax Connect portal.

    Official government source

    No fee to register for business taxes with DRA. For taxable periods beginning on or after January 1, 2025, a BET return is due from any enterprise with more than $298,000 in gross receipts or an enterprise value tax base above $298,000; the BET rate is 0.55%Immediate — registration and filing are done online through Granite Tax Connect

City of Manchester / Hillsborough County

2 stops

  1. New Hampshire Board of Barbering, Cosmetology and Esthetics — Shop License

    All cosmetology salons in New Hampshire must be licensed as a shop by the Board of Barbering, Cosmetology and Esthetics, administered by the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification. An inspection is required before the license is issued.

    Official government source

    $110 shop application fee plus a $150 initial inspection fee; renewal $110 and routine inspection $100Confirm current processing time with OPLC (603-271-2152)

  2. Manchester City Clerk — Business License (activity-specific, not general)

    Manchester does NOT require a general business license for all businesses. The City Clerk's Business Licensing and Enforcement Division licenses only specific activities: food-service establishments, high-impact retail selling tobacco/vape/lottery products, peddlers, hawkers, dealers of junk/secondhand goods, pawnbrokers, hotels/motels/B&Bs, tattoo and body-piercing establishments, farmers markets, taxicab companies/drivers, non-consensual towing companies, employment offices, and circuses/carnivals/fairs/festivals/entertainment venues. Businesses outside these categories are not required to hold this license; call (603) 624-6348 to confirm applicability to your specific business.

    Official government source

    Varies by license type; call (603) 624-63481-3 weeks (if applicable)

Terminus

Open for business — est. $300–$1,000 · 4–10 weeks to obtain all permits and licenses

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