Florida permit guide
A Florida salon license covers the establishment; each practitioner needs the relevant individual credential. Start with DBPR's salon application, then check document display, inspections, local premises approvals, and separate renewal dates.
DBPR salon license, inspection sheet
Retail sales tax, booth-rental records
BTR, CU, zoning, fire, signage
The quick answer
The exact checklist depends on the services offered, whether retail products are sold, whether independent operators rent stations, and where the salon is located.
No. DBPR's COSMO 6 checklist covers the salon establishment. Its license must be issued and available for posting before opening. A name, location, or ownership change requires a new salon application; a practitioner's credential does not replace it.
DBPR salon application checklistDBPR lists November 30, 2026 for cosmetology salon licenses and an extended November 2, 2026 deadline for Group 2 individual licenses. Check your own credential and any later agency updates. Keep the salon and practitioner renewal records separate.
DBPR current salon and individual renewalsYour permit checklist
The exact checklist depends on the services offered, whether retail products are sold, whether independent operators rent stations, and where the salon is located.
Also seen as: Cosmetology Salon License, Specialty Salon License, COSMO 6
Florida law requires cosmetology and specialty salons to be licensed before operating. DBPR's Board of Cosmetology handles salon licensing, and the salon license must be posted in a conspicuous place visible to the public. Florida rules also require the most recent salon inspection sheet to be displayed.
For cosmetologists, specialists, nail techs, facial specialists, full specialists, and similar workers
Florida's salon display rule also requires individuals performing cosmetology or specialty services to display their current license or registration at their workstation while performing services. The rule requires a recent photo attached to the certificate and laminated with it.
Applies when the salon sells taxable retail products like shampoo, cosmetics, tools, or aftercare items
Service-only salons should still verify their tax position, but salons selling tangible products typically need a Florida Department of Revenue sales tax account. PermitWatchdog tracks this separately because a retail tax account can have different filing and renewal work than the DBPR salon license.
County and city requirements vary by address
A Florida salon may need a county Local Business Tax Receipt, a city Business Tax Receipt, a Certificate of Use, zoning approval, fire or occupancy review, and sign permits. In Miami-Dade, a business inside a municipality can need both a municipal receipt and a County receipt.
Useful when stylists or specialists rent chairs, suites, or rooms
A booth-rental salon still needs the salon establishment license, and each practitioner should keep their own current license or registration visible when working. PermitWatchdog can help track renewal dates for the salon license and remind the owner to keep contractor/practitioner license records current.
Before you apply
Florida requires the salon license and most recent inspection sheet to be visible to the public.
Worker licenses and registrations can expire separately from the salon's establishment license.
Shampoo, tools, cosmetics, and aftercare products can trigger Florida sales tax registration and filing.
City and county business tax, zoning, occupancy, fire, and signage requirements depend on the address.
Continue reading
A little more clarity
Most Florida cosmetology and specialty salons need a DBPR salon license before opening. The current salon license must be posted in a conspicuous place visible to the public.
A Florida cosmetology or specialty salon generally needs a DBPR salon license before opening. The application is commonly associated with COSMO 6.
Florida rules require salon license holders to display the current salon license and a legible copy of the most recent inspection sheet in a conspicuous place visible to the public.
A salon that sells taxable retail products such as shampoo, cosmetics, tools, or aftercare items should verify Florida Department of Revenue sales tax registration obligations.
Go straight to the agency
Use the linked agency guidance for current instructions. Fees, application details, and requirements can change. Confirm them with the agency for your address and operation.
This guide is informational and is not legal or tax advice. It is a starting checklist, not a guarantee that every approval for your business is included. The stock photo does not identify a PermitWatchdog customer or a verified business in this location.
PermitWatchdog
Keep permit records, uploaded documents, and the renewal dates you enter together in PermitWatchdog. Confirm applicable requirements and submit applications, tax returns, and payments directly to each agency.
