Salon Permits in Georgia: Licenses, Costs, and What Most Owners Miss

A cosmetology license alone will not let you open a Georgia salon

A stylist I know in East Atlanta finished her 1,500 hours at a cosmetology school in Decatur, passed the Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers exam through PSI, paid her personal license fee through the Georgia Online Licensing System, and signed a five-year lease on a small storefront on Flat Shoals Avenue. She started taking clients the day the chairs arrived. Two months in, a Board inspector walked in, asked for the salon's separate Salon Master License, and wrote a citation when she could only produce her personal license. Those are two distinct credentials issued under two completely different sections of O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 10.

Operating a salon, barbershop, esthetics shop, or nail shop in Georgia without a Salon Master License is a violation of the Georgia Cosmetology Practice Act. The Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers, which sits inside the Professional Licensing Boards Division of the Secretary of State's office, can issue civil penalties, suspend or revoke licenses, and refer matters to the Attorney General for injunctive relief. The stylist paid administrative fines, lost almost three weeks of revenue waiting for the Salon Master License application to clear, and had to pause online booking until the city of Atlanta also issued her business tax certificate.

Georgia requires at least two licenses from the State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers before you can legally operate a salon: a personal practitioner license in your specialty AND a separate Salon Master License for the establishment. Atlanta layers on a city Business Tax Certificate, an Occupation Tax registration, and the Fulton County 8.9% combined sales tax on retail product. Savannah adds a Chatham County 7% combined sales tax and its own Business Tax Certificate through the City Revenue Department. Augusta-Richmond County runs a consolidated city-county business license through the License and Inspection Department at 8% combined sales tax. On top of that, you need a Georgia Sales and Use Tax registration through the Georgia Tax Center, every employee triggers Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation rules from the third employee, and depending on your build-out you may need a sign permit and a Certificate of Occupancy. This is the full breakdown.

Every permit a Georgia salon needs

Permit/License	Issuing Agency	Cost	Renewal
Personal Cosmetology / Esthetics / Nail Care / Master Barber license	Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers	$50-$75 + PSI exam fees	Biennial (Sept 30, odd years)
Salon Master License (Cosmetology / Esthetics / Nail Care)	Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers	$100 initial / $75 renewal	Biennial
Master Barber + Barber Shop License	Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers (Barber Section)	$50-$100	Biennial
Georgia Sales and Use Tax Number	Georgia Department of Revenue (Georgia Tax Center)	Free to register	Permanent
City Business Tax Certificate / Occupation Tax (Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Macon, etc.)	Local city or consolidated city-county	$75-$500+/year	Annual (varies by city)
Sign Permit	Local Building / Planning Dept	$50-$500+	One-time per sign
Building Permit (if remodeling)	Local Building Dept	$200-$3,000+	One-time
Certificate of Occupancy	Local Building Dept	$100-$400	One-time per use change
Workers' Compensation coverage (3+ employees)	Private carrier filed with GA State Board of Workers' Comp	Premium varies	Annual
Unemployment Insurance account	Georgia Department of Labor	Free to register	Quarterly filings
Federal EIN	IRS	Free	Permanent

Georgia is a private workers' comp state, unlike Ohio, North Dakota, Washington, or Wyoming. You buy coverage from a private carrier and the policy is filed with the Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation. The threshold is three or more regular employees — sole proprietors with two W-2 employees are exempt from the mandate but most salons hit three quickly when you add a receptionist or a part-time shampoo assistant. Booth renters reclassified as employees count toward the three.

1. Personal practitioner license from the State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers

The Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers sits at 237 Coliseum Drive in Macon, inside the Professional Licensing Boards Division of the Georgia Secretary of State's office. The Board regulates both cosmetology and barbering under O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 10, but the practitioner licenses and shop licenses are issued separately for each profession. The personal practitioner licenses and their training hour requirements:

Cosmetology (1,500 hours): Hair, scalp, basic skin care, basic nail services, and chemical processing. The broadest Georgia salon license. Most full-service Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, and Macon salons want their stylists holding this one.

Esthetics (1,000 hours): Skin care, facials, makeup, lash and brow services, body wraps, and hair removal. Does not authorize hair or nail services. Georgia's 1,000-hour requirement is one of the higher esthetics thresholds in the country and well above neighboring Florida (260 hours) or Alabama (1,000 hours).

Nail Care (525 hours): Manicures, pedicures, gel, acrylic, dipping powders, and basic nail art. Common for nail-only shops in Buford Highway, the Buckhead-area Korean salons, and the rapidly growing nail-shop scene in Smyrna and Duluth.

Master Barber (1,500 hours, separate license): Barbering is regulated under the Barber section of the same Board with its own examination, school approvals, and Barber Shop License track. A cosmetology license does NOT authorize barbering services in Georgia, and vice versa. Mixed barber/salon shops need shop licenses from both sections.

Apprentice Barber (a separate path): Allows training under a Master Barber in a registered shop while working toward the Master Barber exam. Requires Board registration before the first day on the floor.

The personal license application runs $50 to $75 to the Board, plus exam fees paid separately to PSI Services LLC, the state's testing vendor. Apply through the Georgia Online Licensing System (GOLS) at sos.ga.gov/PLB. After PSI reports the passing scores, the Board typically issues the license within 4 to 6 weeks.

Renewal is biennial, with all Georgia cosmetology, esthetics, nail care, and master barber licenses on the same statewide cycle that ends September 30 of odd-numbered years (the next renewal deadline after this article publishes is September 30, 2027). The GOLS system tracks the cycle and emails reminders to the address on file. Georgia does not currently require continuing education for cosmetology renewal — one of the few states without a CE requirement, alongside Pennsylvania and New York. If your license expires, you can reinstate within a defined window by paying the renewal fee plus a late penalty. After the reinstatement window closes, you must reapply and may need to retake the exam.

2. Salon Master License (the one most new owners miss)

This is the license most new Georgia salon owners do not realize exists. The personal license authorizes you to perform the services. The Salon Master License authorizes the location to operate as a salon. You need both, even if you are a solo operator running a one-chair shop out of a Sola Salons or Phenix Salon Suites suite in Buckhead or Sandy Springs.

The Salon Master License application is $100 initial and $75 biennial renewal, submitted to the Board through GOLS. Esthetic Salon, Nail Salon, and Barber Shop licenses are issued at similar fees on parallel application forms. You will need:

The business name, address, and ownership structure (sole prop, LLC, S corp, C corp)
The names and license numbers of all licensed practitioners who will work at the location
A designated managing licensee for the establishment — must hold a current Georgia practitioner license in the matching specialty
Floor plan showing workstations, shampoo bowls, dispensary, restroom, and clean and dirty implement storage
For corporations and LLCs, the entity must be registered with the Georgia Secretary of State Corporations Division first
Proof of workers' comp coverage if you have three or more employees, or an exemption affidavit if not

The Board may inspect the location before issuing the license, and routinely inspects unannounced after issuance. Initial processing takes 4 to 8 weeks once the application is complete. You cannot legally operate until the Board issues the Salon Master License. Operating ahead of issuance is the same Cosmetology Practice Act violation as operating without any license at all.

Booth renters and suite renters in Georgia: The Cosmetology Practice Act treats every separately operated salon space as a separate establishment that may need its own Salon Master License. If you rent a private suite at a Sola Salons, Phenix Salon Suites, or My Salon Suite location in Atlanta, Marietta, or Alpharetta, and that suite has its own door, its own utilities, its own client booking, and a separate lease in your name — the Board generally expects you to hold your own Salon Master License for that suite. The suite operator does NOT cover you under their license; they typically only license the common areas. If you rent a chair inside a shared traditional salon and the host books your clients on its system, the host's Salon Master License usually covers you. The line is fact-specific. Call the Board directly through GOLS if you are unsure — operating without the Salon Master License is the same violation as operating without any license, and Board inspectors have been more active in suite-rental enforcement since 2022.

3. City rules: Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Macon

Georgia does not have a single statewide business license system. Each city or consolidated city-county runs its own track on top of the State Board licenses, and the rules vary more than salon owners expect.

Atlanta: The city requires a Business Tax Certificate through the Office of Revenue at City Hall, plus an Occupation Tax based on number of employees and gross receipts. Initial filing fees run $75 to $250 depending on classification, with the annual occupation tax stacking on top. Salons in the City of Atlanta also need to register for Atlanta's local sales tax (the city sits across both Fulton and DeKalb counties — Fulton-side Atlanta is 8.9% combined, DeKalb-side Atlanta is 8% combined). Buckhead, Midtown, and Virginia-Highland storefronts need to verify which county the address falls in before collecting sales tax. Atlanta also enforces sign permits through the Office of Buildings and historic district overlays in Inman Park, Cabbagetown, Grant Park, and the Martin Luther King Jr. Historic District through the Atlanta Urban Design Commission.
Savannah: The City of Savannah Revenue Department issues a Business Tax Certificate that is renewed annually by March 31. Fees are based on a class schedule that runs $50 to $400+ for most personal-services businesses. Savannah also has the Historic District Board of Review for any storefront in the Landmark Historic District (most of downtown), which can require 60 to 120 days for sign and facade approvals. Chatham County sales tax is 7% combined.
Augusta-Richmond County: The consolidated city-county runs a single Business License through the License and Inspection Department, renewed annually by April 1. Fees scale by gross receipts. Sales tax is 8% combined.
Macon-Bibb County: The consolidated city-county runs an Occupation Tax Certificate through the Business License Division, renewed annually by March 31. Sales tax is 8% combined.
Columbus-Muscogee County: Consolidated city-county runs an Occupation Tax license through the Finance Department. Sales tax is 9% combined — one of the higher rates in the state.
Athens-Clarke County: Consolidated city-county runs an Occupation Tax certificate through the Tax Commissioner's office. Sales tax is 8% combined.

Smaller cities run their own ordinances. Marietta, Roswell, Alpharetta, Sandy Springs, Smyrna, Decatur, Duluth, and the rest each have their own occupation tax filings, and many require a local zoning certificate before the State Board will accept the Salon Master License application. A salon serving a multi-municipality metro area may need to register in 2 to 4 separate places.

4. Sanitation rules and Board inspections

The State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers inspects salons under the Board's Rules and Regulations Chapter 240. Inspections are typically unannounced. The most-cited violations are predictable:

EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant available at every workstation, with the contact time visible on the label
Single-use items (emery boards, nail buffers, wax sticks, neck strips) discarded after each client — not reused, ever
Multi-use implements cleaned and disinfected for the full contact time on the disinfectant label between every client
Pedicure tubs drained, scrubbed, and disinfected after each client, with a written cleaning log; full chemical flush at least weekly
Clean and dirty implement storage clearly separated and labeled at every station — clean implements in covered containers
No food, drink, smoking, or vaping in service areas
Sharps disposal in proper containers if any cuticle nipping or skin breaking is performed
Restroom available for clients and staff with running hot and cold water and soap
Current personal license posted at each operator's station, current Salon Master License posted by the entrance
SDS sheets available for all professional chemical products
Methyl methacrylate (MMA) liquid monomer is restricted in Georgia for use in nail services — possession of MMA in the salon is a citation in most circumstances
Credo blades and rasps are restricted under Board rules — pedicure callus removal must use approved files only, not blades

Board violations are issued as Notices of Violation. Penalties run from a written warning up to several thousand dollars depending on severity and repeat history. Most first-time citations for sanitation issues settle modestly with no license suspension. Repeat citations within a 24-month window can lead to Salon Master License suspension or revocation, and the Board publishes the disciplinary orders publicly through the Secretary of State's website.

5. Georgia Sales and Use Tax registration

If you sell any retail products (shampoo, conditioner, styling tools, polish, skin care), you must register for a Georgia Sales and Use Tax Number. Registration is free through the Georgia Tax Center at gtc.dor.ga.gov. Apply at least 4 weeks before you start selling, since the sales tax number is required to legally collect sales tax.

Georgia's sales tax structure is layered: a 4% state rate plus a county-level Local Option Sales Tax (LOST), Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), and Education SPLOST that vary by county. Combined rates as of 2026:

Fulton County (Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta): 7.75% county rate, 8.9% inside the City of Atlanta with the additional MARTA and city add-ons
DeKalb County (parts of Atlanta, Decatur, Dunwoody): 8% combined
Cobb County (Marietta, Smyrna, Kennesaw): 6% combined — lower than most of metro Atlanta
Gwinnett County (Lawrenceville, Duluth, Norcross): 6% combined
Chatham County (Savannah): 7% combined
Richmond County (Augusta): 8% combined
Bibb County (Macon): 8% combined
Muscogee County (Columbus): 9% combined
Most other Georgia counties: 7% to 8% combined depending on local SPLOST status

Salon SERVICES (haircuts, color, manicures, facials, waxing) are NOT subject to Georgia sales tax. Georgia is one of the majority of states that exempts personal services from sales tax. But product sales are always taxable, and the Department of Revenue audits salon sales tax filings closely because the line between "service" and "retail" gets blurred when salons bundle take-home product into the service price.

If you charge separately for take-home product, you collect sales tax on the product at your location's combined rate. If product is bundled into the service price and not separately stated on the receipt, the entire amount can be presumed taxable retail unless you can document the service portion. Best practice: itemize every receipt, with the service line and any retail line shown separately.

Filing frequency depends on volume — annual for the smallest sellers, monthly for most salons that sell retail. Returns are due the 20th of the month following the tax period. Late filings carry penalties and interest, and the Department of Revenue has been aggressive about closing salons that fall behind. A tax assessment can shut a storefront down through county sheriff levies faster than any State Board action.

6. Georgia workers' comp (the part out-of-state owners trip on)

Georgia's workers' comp threshold is three or more regular employees, including part-time. Coverage is bought from a private carrier and the policy is filed with the Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation. Unlike Ohio, there is no state monopoly fund. Most salons reach the three-employee threshold faster than they expect once you add a receptionist, a shampoo assistant, or a part-time apprentice.

Three-employee trigger: Sole proprietors and partners do not count as employees; corporate officers can elect in or out. Booth renters reclassified as employees count toward the three.
Class code 9586 (Beauty and Barber Shop): The standard Georgia salon classification. Premium typically runs $400 to $1,800 annually for a small salon depending on payroll, slightly higher than Ohio's monopoly rates because Georgia's market is private.
Filing the policy: The carrier files Form WC-1 with the Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation when coverage begins. The salon does not file directly.
Workplace poster: The Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation Bill of Rights for the Injured Worker poster must be posted in a conspicuous location accessible to employees.
Notice of injury (Form WC-14): Any reportable workplace injury must be filed with the Board.

The State Board enforces coverage through audits that cross-reference the Department of Labor's quarterly unemployment filings (DOL-4N). If the DOL shows three or more employees and the State Board of Workers' Compensation has no policy on file, the salon receives a notice and a Stop-Work Order can follow. Penalties for working without required coverage in Georgia include direct liability for any employee injury (no workers' comp shield), administrative fines up to $1,000 per occurrence, and potential criminal liability for knowing violations.

Booth renter / independent contractor question: The Georgia Department of Labor and the State Board of Workers' Compensation tend to look at booth renters as employees rather than independent contractors unless the rental is structured carefully. Factors that push toward employee classification: the salon sets the schedule, the salon books and pays out clients, the salon provides products and tools, the salon controls pricing, the renter cannot work elsewhere. Factors that support independent contractor: the renter has their own clients and books, sets their own schedule, brings their own products, sets their own pricing, holds their own Salon Master License for the suite where applicable, and the lease is for a defined space at a fixed rent (not a percentage of revenue). If you are running a booth-rental model, get this structure reviewed before opening; misclassification is one of the most common ways Georgia salons get hit with retroactive unemployment assessments and workers' comp premium audits.

7. Sign permit, Certificate of Occupancy, and home salon rules

Every Georgia municipality regulates exterior signs through its Building Department or Planning Office. Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, and Macon each require a Sign Permit for any permanent sign affixed to the building. Application fees start around $50 for a small flush-mounted sign and climb to $500+ for large illuminated signs based on sign area, illumination, and projection over the public way.

Atlanta's Inman Park, Cabbagetown, Grant Park, the MLK Historic District, and the West End historic overlays all require Atlanta Urban Design Commission review for any storefront change. Savannah's Landmark Historic District requires Historic District Board of Review approval. Augusta's Olde Town and Downtown Historic Districts run through the Augusta Historic Preservation Commission. Macon's Downtown, College Hill, and Vineville Historic Districts run through the Macon-Bibb Historic and Cultural Resources Commission. Approvals in any of these districts can take 60 to 120 days.

If you are building out a new salon or remodeling an existing one, you need a building permit from your local building code official. Plumbing work (adding shampoo bowls, sinks, pedicure stations), electrical work (new outlets, dryer circuits, illuminated signage), mechanical ventilation (required at every chemical service station under the Georgia State Minimum Standard Building Codes), and any structural changes (moving walls, modifying egress) all trigger permits. After construction, the space needs a Certificate of Occupancy. The Board may decline to issue or renew the Salon Master License if the address does not have a valid CO for salon use.

Georgia state law allows licensed practitioners to provide services in private residences in some circumstances, but the rules are strict:

You still need a State Board Salon Master License for the home address, and the Board will inspect the home space
The space must meet the same sanitation, plumbing, ventilation, and dispensary requirements as a commercial salon under Board Rules Chapter 240
The salon area should be physically separated from the residential living space, ideally with its own entrance
Local zoning generally treats salons as commercial use, which means a home occupation permit (special use, conditional use, or home occupation approval) from the local zoning office is usually required
Condo and HOA declarations frequently prohibit home businesses entirely, regardless of zoning — check before applying

For house calls (you travel to client homes), you still need your personal Georgia practitioner license, and the Board still expects sanitation rules to be followed at the client's location. House-call services are NOT covered by a Home Occupation approval; they are typically tied to a Salon Master License at a fixed operating base.

What inspectors actually check at a Georgia salon

State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers inspectors visit salons. You can expect at least one Board inspection in your first year of operation, more if you receive a complaint or work in a high-density Atlanta, Savannah, or Augusta neighborhood. They check:

Current Salon Master License posted: Must be conspicuously displayed where clients and inspectors can see it. By the entrance is standard. Not in a drawer.
Personal licenses for every operator: Each licensee must have a valid Georgia practitioner license posted at their workstation. Booth renters need their licenses up too. Inspectors check each station and verify the license number against the Secretary of State's online license verification system.
Sanitation: Clean and dirty implement storage clearly separated, EPA-registered disinfectant with contact time visible, single-use items disposed properly, multi-use tools cleaned and disinfected for the full contact time.
Pedicure tub cleaning log: If you offer pedicures, inspectors ask for the written cleaning log showing per-client cleaning and weekly chemical flush. No log is an automatic violation.
Posted notices: Georgia salons need the State Board of Workers' Compensation Bill of Rights poster, the Georgia Department of Labor unemployment insurance poster, and the federal OSHA, FLSA, FMLA, EEO, and USERRA notices. Inspectors check.
Sharps and chemical storage: Original labeled containers, no decanted bottles. SDS sheets available for chemical products under federal OSHA Hazard Communication Standard.
Restroom and water: Hot and cold running water at shampoo stations, restroom for clients and staff, soap and disposable towels available.
No prohibited tools: No credo blades, rasps, or MMA monomer on the premises. Inspectors look in cabinets and drawers.

The Board issues Notices of Violation under the Cosmetology Practice Act. Repeat citations stack, and a single visit can generate multiple citations on the same day.

Penalties for operating without proper licenses

Georgia takes unlicensed cosmetology activity seriously, and the penalty stack is substantial:

Operating a salon without a license: Civil penalties under O.C.G.A. § 43-10 up to several thousand dollars per violation. The Board can also issue a cease and desist order and refer the matter to the Attorney General for injunctive relief.
Practicing without a personal license: Civil penalty per violation. Each day of unlicensed practice can be charged as a separate violation, and unlicensed practice of cosmetology is a misdemeanor under Georgia law.
Employing unlicensed operators: The salon owner faces fines per unlicensed operator discovered. The Salon Master License can be suspended or revoked. Booth-rental salons are responsible for verifying every renter holds a current Georgia practitioner license.
Expired licenses: Operating with an expired license is treated the same as no license. Same fines, same enforcement. There is no informal grace period — the Board treats the September 30 renewal date as a hard deadline.
Failure to display licenses: Per-violation fines. Inspectors check every time.
Workers' comp violations: Direct liability for any injury claim, administrative fines up to $1,000 per occurrence, and possible criminal liability for knowing violations.
Sales tax noncompliance: Penalties and interest under O.C.G.A. § 48-8. The Department of Revenue can issue assessments that lead to liens and storefront closure through county sheriff sale.
City occupation tax delinquency: Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, Macon, and the rest all have collection authority. Penalties stack with interest and can lead to wage garnishment and bank levies.

The Board publishes disciplinary action through the Secretary of State's website. Action histories are searchable online and surface in Google results when potential clients search a salon name.

Georgia-specific rules that catch out-of-state owners

Three-employee workers' comp threshold: Higher than California (1 employee), Texas (no mandate at all), or Florida (4 employees in non-construction). Out-of-state owners moving to Georgia from California sometimes over-buy coverage; owners moving from Texas sometimes under-buy. The line is three regular employees including part-time.
September 30 odd-year biennial renewal: All Georgia cosmetology, esthetics, nail care, and barber licenses renew on the same statewide cycle. This is unusual — most states stagger renewals by license number or birthdate. The Board's GOLS system notifies licensees, but a missed September 30 is a hard expiration with no informal grace.
No continuing education requirement: Georgia is one of three states (with Pennsylvania and New York) that does not require CE for cosmetology renewal. Out-of-state owners moving from Florida (16 hours per renewal), California (no CE either, but stricter sanitation requirements), or Ohio (8 hours) sometimes spend money on CE that Georgia does not require. Confirm before paying.
1,000 esthetics hours: Higher than Florida (260) or Texas (750), matching most of the upper Southeast. Out-of-state estheticians transferring to Georgia from Florida often have to complete additional training to qualify for licensure by endorsement.
Fulton vs DeKalb sales tax inside Atlanta: The City of Atlanta straddles two counties. A salon at Ponce City Market in the Old Fourth Ward charges 8.9% (Fulton). A salon in East Atlanta Village charges 8% (DeKalb). The Department of Revenue has assessed back taxes on salons that used the wrong rate.
Consolidated city-county business licenses: Augusta-Richmond, Macon-Bibb, Columbus-Muscogee, Athens-Clarke, and a few others are consolidated city-county governments with a single business license track. Out-of-state owners often look for a separate "city" and "county" license that does not exist in these jurisdictions. The single consolidated license is correct.
Atlanta Occupation Tax stacking: Atlanta charges a Business Tax Certificate AND an annual Occupation Tax based on number of employees and class. Out-of-state owners who file only the certificate get a delinquency notice when the Occupation Tax is missed.
Credo blade and MMA restrictions: Both restricted in Georgia. Out-of-state nail technicians who used either elsewhere face citations.
Historic district overlays: Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta, and Macon all have aggressive historic preservation rules. Out-of-state owners signing leases in Inman Park, the Savannah Landmark District, or Olde Town Augusta often discover the Historic Commission process the hard way after the lease is signed.

Total first-year cost

For a solo licensee opening a small salon in Atlanta, Savannah, or Augusta:

Personal Georgia cosmetology license: $50-$75 application + PSI exam fees ($110-$150)
State Board Salon Master License: $100 initial
Georgia Sales and Use Tax registration: Free
City Business Tax Certificate / Occupation Tax: $75-$500/year depending on city and class
Sign permit: $50-$500
Building permit (if remodeling): $200-$3,000
Certificate of Occupancy: $100-$400
Workers' comp coverage (if 3+ employees): $400-$1,800 annually
Unemployment insurance registration: Free; quarterly DOL-4N filings start at the new-employer rate
Federal EIN: Free

Total: roughly $500 to $1,200 in state and city license fees for a solo operator with no buildout, $2,500 to $8,000+ if you are renovating an Atlanta, Savannah, or Augusta storefront and hiring employees. Atlanta and Savannah build-outs run higher than smaller Georgia cities because of historic district review timelines and architect costs. Add commercial general liability insurance (typically $500 to $1,200 annually for a small salon).

For each employee, verify their personal Georgia practitioner license at the Secretary of State's online license verification and track their renewal date. You are responsible if anyone in your salon has a lapsed license, and the Board will write the citation against the Salon Master License, not just the individual.

Renewal dates you need to track

The reason Georgia salon permits are hard to track manually is that they renew on completely different schedules from completely different agencies:

Personal Cosmetology Board licenses: Biennial, statewide deadline September 30 of odd-numbered years
Salon Master License: Biennial, same September 30 odd-year deadline
Personal Master Barber license and Barber Shop License: Biennial, same September 30 odd-year deadline (parallel cycle inside the Board)
Georgia Sales and Use Tax Number: Permanent (no renewal), but sales tax filings are monthly, quarterly, or annual depending on volume — returns due the 20th of the following month
Atlanta / Savannah / Augusta / Macon Business Tax Certificate: Annual, varies by city (Atlanta March 31, Savannah March 31, Augusta April 1, Macon March 31)
Quarterly DOL-4N unemployment filings: Last day of the month following the end of each quarter
Workers' comp policy renewal: Annual, set by the policy effective date
Georgia required posters: Annual updates as state and federal agencies revise the official versions
Employee Georgia licenses: September 30 odd-year cycle, but each employee's renewal history may vary

The Board sends renewal reminders by email through the Georgia Online Licensing System. If you have not registered an email or have moved, you may not receive the notice and the license can expire silently. Update your contact info any time at sos.ga.gov/PLB.

Check your full Georgia salon permit list

Use the free permit checker to see every permit your Georgia salon needs. Pick your city, select the salon business type, and get the full list with fees, deadlines, and links to the State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers, the Georgia Department of Revenue, the Department of Labor, and your local city revenue office.

Already open? Our California salon permits guide, Texas salon permits guide, Florida salon permits guide, New York salon permits guide, Illinois salon permits guide, Pennsylvania salon permits guide, and Ohio salon permits guide compare directly with Georgia (Georgia's three-employee workers' comp threshold, the September 30 odd-year biennial renewal, the absence of a CE requirement, and the consolidated city-county business license tracks in Augusta-Richmond, Macon-Bibb, and Columbus-Muscogee are the biggest differences). Our salon and barbershop permits overview covers the basics across all states, the cosmetology license requirements guide breaks down training hours and fees state by state, the cosmetology license renewal guide covers state-by-state renewal cycles, and salon business permits beyond your cosmetology license covers the rest of the stack. Tracking renewal dates across the State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers, the Georgia Department of Revenue, the Department of Labor, the Atlanta Office of Revenue or Savannah City Revenue or Augusta License and Inspection or Macon Business License Division, your workers' comp carrier, every employee's individual license, and the September 30 odd-year statewide cosmetology renewal by hand is how Georgia salons end up accidentally lapsed and learning about it from a Board inspector on a Tuesday morning. The PermitDue dashboard puts every deadline in one place with reminders at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days so the September 30 renewal never quietly passes.