Hair Salon Permit Requirements in Portland, OR

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

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

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online)

   Free

   Immediate (online)

1. Oregon Secretary of State Business Registration

   All formal business entities operating in Oregon must register with the Oregon Secretary of State. An LLC is the most common structure for salon owners, providing personal liability protection at a filing cost of approximately $100.

   Official government source

   $100 (LLC filing fee)·1–2 weeks

   $100 (LLC filing fee)

   1–2 weeks

2. Oregon Health Licensing Office (HLO) Facility License

   The Health Licensing Office (HLO), part of the Oregon Health Authority, licenses cosmetology facilities. All salons must hold a facility license, separate from individual practitioner certificates, and are subject to inspection.

   Official government source

   $100 application + $110 per year facility license·2–4 weeks

   $100 application + $110 per year facility license

   2–4 weeks

3. Individual Cosmetologist Licenses (OHLA)

   All practitioners (barbers, hair designers, estheticians, nail technicians) working in Oregon must hold individual certificates issued by the Health Licensing Office (HLO), part of the Oregon Health Authority. Certification requires completing an approved Oregon program in each field and passing the field exam plus the Oregon Laws and Rules exam.

   Official government source

   $20 application per field + $35 per exam + $25 original certificate (2 years); renewal $45 per 2 years·2–6 weeks

   $20 application per field + $35 per exam + $25 original certificate (2 years); renewal $45 per 2 years

   2–6 weeks

4. Oregon Department of Revenue Business Tax Registration

   Oregon has no general sales tax and no general Department of Revenue business registration — most businesses simply file Oregon income/excise tax returns. Register with DOR only for specific tax programs: payroll withholding (Business Identification Number) if you hire employees; the Corporate Activity Tax, which requires registration within 30 days once Oregon commercial activity exceeds $750,000 in a year (tax applies above $1 million); and, for self-employed individuals working in the Portland-area TriMet district (or Eugene-area Lane Transit District), the transit self-employment tax filed with DOR.

   Official government source

   Free (registration only; taxes vary)·1 week

   Free (registration only; taxes vary)

   1 week

1. City of Portland Business License Tax Registration (Revenue Division)

   Portland has no flat-fee general business license. All businesses operating in Portland - including sole proprietors and home-based businesses - must register for the City of Portland Business License Tax with the Revenue Division within 60 days of starting business. Registration is free. The tax is 2.6% of net business income with a $100 minimum, filed annually on a combined return with the Multnomah County Business Income Tax (2% of net income; gross receipts under $100,000 are exempt from the county tax). Businesses with gross receipts under $75,000 (tax years beginning in 2026; rising to $100,000 in 2027) are exempt from the city tax but must still register. The Metro Supportive Housing Services 1% business income tax applies only to businesses with gross receipts over $5 million.

   Official government source

   Free to register; no annual license fee. Tax: 2.6% of net income ($100 minimum) only if gross receipts exceed $75,000 (2026 threshold; $100,000 from 2027)·1–2 weeks

   Free to register; no annual license fee. Tax: 2.6% of net income ($100 minimum) only if gross receipts exceed $75,000 (2026 threshold; $100,000 from 2027)

   1–2 weeks

2. Certificate of Occupancy (hair salon)

   A permit from Portland Permitting & Development (PPD, formerly BDS) is required for tenant improvements or a change of the building's use or occupancy classification - even where no alterations are planned, a change-of-occupancy permit documents the new use. PPD reviews zoning compliance, accessibility, and building code. A space already approved for the same use needs no new Certificate of Occupancy.

   Official government source

   Permit fees are valuation-based; confirm with PPD·3–8 weeks

   Permit fees are valuation-based; confirm with PPD

   3–8 weeks

3. Oregon Health Licensing Office - Facility License & Inspection

   Hair salons are licensed and inspected by the STATE Oregon Health Licensing Office (HLO), not by Multnomah County. HLO issues the facility license and inspects licensed facilities for compliance with Oregon's sanitation and infection-control rules (ventilation, disinfection, equipment standards). There is no separate county salon inspection or fee.

   Official government source

   No county fee; HLO facility license fees per the state fee schedule·2–4 weeks

   No county fee; HLO facility license fees per the state fee schedule

   2–4 weeks

Official Sources

• Oregon Health Licensing Office — Cosmetology
• City of Portland Bureau of Development Services — Permits
• Multnomah County Environmental Health
• City of Portland Revenue Division — Business License

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