How to Start a Hair Salon in West Virginia: Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists Licences

If you want to open a hair salon in West Virginia, you will handle two kinds of paperwork that new owners often confuse. The first is business formation: a filing with the Secretary of State that creates your company, plus a registration with the State Tax Division. The second is professional licensing: the Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists licenses the people who cut and style hair, and it licenses the salon where they work. This guide covers both, in the order most owners find easiest, with the fees and deadlines you need to plan around.

Disclaimer: This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Fees and rules change. The figures below were checked against official sources on October 23, 2026, but you should confirm each one with the agency named before you pay or sign anything. For a multi-owner salon, a lease, or any unusual ownership arrangement, talk to a West Virginia attorney and a CPA.

What You Need Before You Start

Gather these items before you file anything. Most delays come from a missing document, not from the agencies themselves.

• A salon name that is not already registered or reserved with the Secretary of State
• Your business address, plus the address of any other fixed location you plan to operate
• A decision on your business structure: sole proprietorship, limited liability company (LLC), or corporation
• Your personal cosmetology or hair stylist license, or the approved school training and exam results that lead to one
• A physician health certificate
• Proof of US citizenship or work eligibility
• A list of every stylist, booth renter, or mobile operator who will work under your salon, with their license numbers
• A payment method for each fee in the table near the end of this guide

Step 1: Choose Your Business Structure and Check the Name

Your structure determines which Secretary of State form you file and how the business is taxed. The Secretary of State handles formation documents. The Board handles the salon and individual licenses, which are separate from any formation filing. Three options are common for salons:

• LLC: File Articles of Organization (Form LLD-1) for $100. The name must include “limited liability company,” “limited company,” or an abbreviation such as “LLC,” “L.L.C.,” “LC,” or “L.C.” It must also be distinguishable from every other name already registered or reserved. A registered agent is optional, though you may want one to keep service of process at a known address.
• Corporation: File Articles of Incorporation (Form CD-1) for $100.
• Sole proprietorship: No LLC or corporation filing is needed. If you operate under a name other than your own legal name, you must register a trade name (see Step 2).

Tax treatment matters here too. An LLC pays no state franchise tax, and its members report business income on the personal income tax, which runs from 2.11% to 4.58% for tax year 2026. A corporation pays the 6.5% corporation net income tax on federal taxable income. Ask a CPA which structure fits your expected revenue and number of owners.

Before you commit to a name, search the Secretary of State’s business database at apps.sos.wv.gov/business/corporations. If the name is free but you need time to finish paperwork, you can reserve it for 120 days for $15 through the Secretary of State’s name reservation page.

Step 2: File With the Secretary of State

File online through the WV One Stop Business Portal at business4.wv.gov, or follow the instructions on the Secretary of State’s business page. Standard processing takes 5 to 10 business days. If you need speed, expedited options add the following fees on top of the filing fee: $25 for same-day in-person service, $25 for next-business-day service, $250 for a two-hour turnaround, and $500 for a one-hour turnaround. Online filings add a $1.00 portal processing fee.

Once the entity is formed, put the annual report on your calendar. An LLC files a $25 annual report between January 1 and June 30 each year after the year it was registered. If you file after June 30, the cost rises to $75 because of a $50 late fee. Corporations also pay a $25 annual report fee, with a $50 late fee for for-profit corporations and $25 for nonprofits.

If your salon will trade under a name other than your legal name or your entity’s name, register a trade name (DBA) with the Secretary of State, not with a county clerk. Individuals and sole proprietors file Form TN-1 with no filing fee. Corporations, LLCs, and other registered entities file Form NR-3 for $25, plus a $1.00 online processing fee if you use the portal. The forms and instructions are on the trade name registration page.

Step 3: Get Your Individual Cosmetology License

Every person who cuts, colors, or styles hair for pay in your salon needs an individual license from the Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists, governed by West Virginia Code chapter 30, article 27. You will likely need one yourself if you plan to work behind a chair. Each applicant must meet these requirements:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Hold a high school diploma or a GED
• Graduate from an approved school. Cosmetology training requires 1,800 clock hours under 3 CSR 1. The hair stylist track requires 1,000 clock hours.
• Pass the national exam
• Submit a physician health certificate
• Show US citizenship or work eligibility

Training students hold a student permit, which costs $25. The individual license issuance fee is $35, and the license renews every year for $35. Confirm your renewal date with the Board when you receive your license, since the Board sets the schedule for individual renewals.

If you already hold a license in another state, look into SB 458, the universal licensing law codified at W. Va. Code 30-1-27, which is meant to help out-of-state licensees. Ask the Board how it applies to your license type before you assume it covers you. If you plan to hire stylists rather than work in the chair yourself, confirm with the Board what it requires of an owner who does not practice.

Step 4: Apply for the Salon License

The salon license is separate from every individual license. The initial salon license costs $40. Before you open, you must also pay a $50 salon opening inspection fee. Your application should go to the Board, and you should confirm the current forms and submission method with the Board directly, since those details are not covered by the state facts used for this article.

The key deadline is the written notice. You must notify the Board in writing at least 20 days before you open so it can schedule an inspection. West Virginia Code 30-27-17 also allows a provisional opening if the Board does not inspect or decide within 10 days. Treat that provision as a backup, not a plan. Confirm the exact procedure with the Board in writing before you rely on it, because opening without the required license is a violation you cannot fix after the fact.

If your business is a mobile shop that travels to clients, the rules are covered separately by W. Va. Code 30-27-17a. Ask the Board which licensing requirements apply to a mobile operation before you schedule any client work.

Step 5: Pass Inspection and Post Your License

Once the Board has received your notice and fees, it inspects the salon. Prepare the space before the inspector arrives: sanitation supplies stocked, workstations clean, and each licensed stylist’s individual license ready to show. If the inspection is passed and the salon license is issued, display it where clients can see it. A salon license that is not displayed is an easy problem to avoid and an easy thing for an inspector to notice.

Step 6: Register With the State Tax Division

Every business that operates in West Virginia needs a Business Registration Certificate from the State Tax Division before it starts doing business. The one-time fee is $30. The certificate is permanent until the business name, location, or ownership changes, and you need a separate certificate for each business location. Registering with the Secretary of State does not replace it. You can apply on Form WV/BUS-APP or online at business4.wv.gov.

Salons that sell retail products or services also need to check their sales tax obligations. The state sales tax rate is 6%. Apply for a sales tax permit through the Tax Division’s business registration page. Confirm with the Tax Division which of your services and product sales are taxable before you set your prices, because the answer affects how you record every transaction from day one. Also ask the Tax Division about withholding registration if you plan to hire employees.

Step 7: Check City Requirements

West Virginia has no general statewide business license. The local layer is where many salon owners get surprised. Cities, not the state, levy the gross receipts business and occupation (B&O) tax that applies to shops and services. Most cities also require a city business license and charge a weekly per-worker city service fee. The West Virginia has 230 incorporated places, including towns, cities, and villages, and the rules differ from one to the next, so the first call should go to the city hall where your salon will be located.

Sales tax is also partly local. Of the state’s municipalities, 101 add a 1% city sales tax on top of the 6% state rate. That count rises to 107 beginning January 1, 2027. Check whether your city is on the list and what the rate is before you publish your prices. Ask the city for its current B&O rate, license application, and service fee schedule rather than relying on a figure from an online article, including this one.

Step 8: Set Up Booth Renters and Mobile Operators

Many salons rent booths or chairs to independent stylists. Under W. Va. Code 30-27-19, booth or chair renters must register with the Board for $15 and register with the Tax Division. Keep a file for each renter that includes the renter’s individual license, the Board registration, and the Tax Division registration. Confirm with the Tax Division what its registration requires and whether it carries a separate fee, since the figures in this guide cover only the $30 Business Registration Certificate.

Step 9: Calendar Your Recurring Deadlines

Most West Virginia salon owners miss at least one renewal in the first year. Put these dates on a shared calendar:

• Salon license renewal: $40 annually, due on or before July 1. A late fee of $10 applies for each 30 days of delay.
• Secretary of State annual report (LLC or corporation): file between January 1 and June 30 for $25. After June 30 the fee rises to $75 for an LLC, or the late fee applies for a corporation.
• Individual license renewals: $35 each year for every licensed stylist, on the date the Board assigns.
• Registrations you do not renew: the Tax Division Business Registration Certificate is permanent, but you must update it when the name, location, or ownership changes.

Fee Summary

Item	Agency	Cost	When
LLC Articles of Organization (Form LLD-1)	Secretary of State	$100	Before operating
Corporation Articles of Incorporation (Form CD-1)	Secretary of State	$100	Before operating
Name reservation	Secretary of State	$15 for 120 days	Optional, before filing
Trade name (DBA), individuals and sole proprietors	Secretary of State	No filing fee	Before using the name
Trade name (DBA), corporations and LLCs	Secretary of State	$25, plus $1.00 if filed online	Before using the name
LLC annual report	Secretary of State	$25 ($75 after June 30)	January 1 to June 30 yearly
Business Registration Certificate	State Tax Division	$30, one time per location	Before doing business
Student permit	Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists	$25	During training
Individual license issuance	Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists	$35	After passing requirements
Individual license annual renewal	Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists	$35	Yearly
Salon license, initial	Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists	$40	Before opening
Salon opening inspection	Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists	$50	Before opening
Salon license annual renewal	Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists	$40, plus $10 per 30 days late	On or before July 1
Booth or chair renter registration	Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists	$15	Before renting a booth or chair

City business license, B&O tax, and city service fee amounts are not included above because they vary by city. Confirm them with your city hall.

A Practical Order of Operations

1. Search and, if needed, reserve your name.
2. File your LLC or corporation with the Secretary of State, or register your trade name if you are a sole proprietor using a different name.
3. Obtain your individual license and any stylist or booth renter licenses.
4. Register with the Tax Division for the Business Registration Certificate and, if applicable, the sales tax permit.
5. Confirm city requirements and file the city business license.
6. Send the Board written notice at least 20 days before you open, and pay the $40 salon license fee and $50 inspection fee.
7. Pass the inspection, post your salon license, and open.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Treating Secretary of State registration as a license. Forming an LLC does not authorize you to run a salon. The Board license is a separate requirement.
• Skipping the 20-day notice. Late notice pushes back your inspection and can delay your opening date, which matters if you have a lease start date or hired stylists waiting to begin.
• Letting a stylist work before the license clears. Every person who performs services in the salon needs an individual license, including your own.
• Renting chairs without registering renters. Booth and chair renters must register with the Board and the Tax Division under W. Va. Code 30-27-19.
• Using an LLC name without the required words. “Hair Lounge LLC” qualifies. “Hair Lounge Co.” does not, because the name must contain “limited liability company,” an abbreviation such as “LLC,” or the other approved forms.
• Missing the July 1 renewal. The late fee is small at first, but it adds up, and a lapsed license can interrupt your business.
• Assuming there are no local taxes. The state has no general business license, but cities levy B&O tax, a city business license, and a weekly per-worker service fee.
• Making unsupported claims in marketing. Describe your services in plain terms. Avoid promising permanent results, cures, or outcomes you cannot document. The FDA regulates claims made about cosmetic products, and product labels and treatment descriptions should match what the product actually does.

What to Expect

Timelines depend largely on how complete your first submissions are. The Secretary of State’s standard processing time is 5 to 10 business days, so file early and expect the entity to take about two weeks to clear, longer if a name conflict comes up. Board timing depends on the 20-day notice and the inspection schedule, so the 20-day clock is the one you can control.

Many new owners find that clean paperwork and a well-prepared inspection make the opening itself straightforward. Revenue, client demand, and the time it takes to build a book of regular clients vary widely by location and by the services you offer, so this guide does not predict how your salon will perform. Plan your budget for the months before you have steady income, not only for the fees above.

When to Get Help

Use an attorney for ownership agreements, leases, and any arrangement that involves booth renters or several owners. Use a CPA for entity choice, sales tax setup, and payroll. The West Virginia Small Business Development Center can connect you with advisors who work with new businesses in the state. These professionals can confirm the figures in this guide for your situation, which this article cannot do.

Reminder: This article is informational only and is not legal or tax advice. Confirm every fee, deadline, and requirement with the agency named before you act.