Layers

Salon business · costs · permits

How to start a salon business — what it costs, how many clients you need, and the permits

Short answer. Put in your rent, equipment, prices and clients a day: the calculator shows the start-up total, the break-even and when the salon pays back. Business name: If the salon is not under your own name: DTI registration, ₱200 barangay / ₱500 city or municipality / ₱1,000 regional / ₱2,000 national scope, plus ₱30 documentary stamp tax; valid 5 years (DTI BNRS — FAQ).

  • Register the business name with DTI (if not your own name) — plan it a month before: type the date
  • Sanitary permit and health certificates — must be in hand before you open: type the date
  • BIR registration (Form 1901) — on or before the day you start: type the date

Check your own case.

The DTI date is a planning suggestion. The sanitary permit is needed before operation (P.D. 856, Sec. 58). BIR: on or before the start of business — the first sale, or 30 days after the Mayor’s permit or DTI certificate, whichever comes first (BIR RMC No. 91-2024).

How to start a salon business: first page

Start typing right in the document — no sign-up. It stays in this browser; save it to your free Layers account to keep it, open it on your phone and share it.

Send to a chat: WhatsAppTelegramViberMessenger
Embed on your site

Paste this code on your site (law office, school, blog) — readers fill in the template right on your page, free.

Salon plan

What it costs, how many clients you need — and when it pays back

The fields hold example prices — put in your own quotes. You get the start-up total, the break-even in clients a day and the payback month, with a business plan and the registration checklist.

  1. If the break-even is close to the clients you can really expect, lower the costs or start at home.
  2. Fill in the business plan below with your numbers and sign it.
  3. Register before you open: DTI name, barangay clearance and Mayor’s permit, sanitary permit and health certificates, then BIR.

All prices are examples, not averages — put in your own quotes. Arithmetic only, before tax: break-even = fixed costs ÷ ((ticket − supplies per client) × working days); clients grow to the full number by the month after «months until full». Registration: DTI business name (bnrs.dti.gov.ph); Mayor’s permit from your city or municipality; sanitary permit before operation and health certificates for staff (P.D. 856, Sec. 58; DOH rules for tonsorial and beauty establishments, 1997); BIR Form 1901 on or before the start of business (BIR RMC No. 91-2024).

Atty. Liza, Layers template assistant

Atty. Liza, Layers template assistant

Put in your own prices and rent — the plan is only as good as your quotes. If the break-even looks too high, start smaller.

Do the permits before you open. The sanitary permit and BIR registration cannot wait until the first client.

An illustrated character, not a lawyer.

Deadlines

The rules, with the source

WhatDeadlineSource
Business nameIf the salon is not under your own name: DTI registration, ₱200 barangay / ₱500 city or municipality / ₱1,000 regional / ₱2,000 national scope, plus ₱30 documentary stamp tax; valid 5 yearsDTI BNRS — FAQ
Mayor’s / business permitEvery business needs one from its city or municipality; documents and fees are set by the LGU. A business name is not a license to operateDTI — Business Registration and Permits
Barangay clearanceAsked for with the business permit (for example, Makati City lists it with the lease or title, DTI certificate, locational clearance and inspection)Makati City — Securing Business Permit
Sanitary permitBeauty parlors, barber shops, hairdressing and manicuring establishments need it before they operate; valid until 31 December, renewed at the start of each year; fees by local ordinanceP.D. 856, Sec. 58; DOH rules for tonsorial and beauty establishments (1997), Sec. 3
Health certificateNo one may serve customers without one; owner and employees, renewed at least once a yearP.D. 856, Sec. 58; DOH rules (1997), Sec. 10
BIR registrationForm 1901, on or before the start of business; ₱30 documentary stamp tax; the ₱500 annual registration fee is no longer collected since 22 January 2024BIR RMC No. 91-2024; BIR Form 1901 (October 2025)
If you hireSSS: report employees within 30 days from hiring. PhilHealth: report new employees (ER2) within 30 daysSSS — Employer; PhilHealth — Reporting your employees

The calculator does not promise income: it shows what your own numbers mean. Ask your city’s Business Permit and Licensing Office for the local list and fees before you sign a lease.

Step by step

What to do, in order

  1. 1

    Put in your numbers

    Rent, renovation, equipment, prices and clients a day — the fields hold examples; replace them with your own quotes.

  2. 2

    Check the break-even

    If the break-even is close to the clients you can really expect, lower the costs or start at home.

  3. 3

    Write the plan

    The business plan below takes your numbers; sign it — it helps when you talk to family, a partner or a lender.

  4. 4

    Register before you open

    DTI name, barangay clearance and Mayor’s permit, sanitary permit and health certificates, then BIR.

  5. 5

    Keep a reserve

    Clients come step by step; the plan keeps three months of fixed costs aside.

Questions

How much does it cost to start a small salon?

It depends on the rent, the renovation and the equipment you buy. Put in your own quotes; the calculator adds a cash reserve and shows the total.

Can I start a salon at home?

Yes — choose «At home» and the rent disappears from the plan. You still need the business permit, the sanitary permit and health certificates, and BIR registration; ask your BPLO about the location rules in your area.

Do I need a sanitary permit for a salon?

Yes. The Code on Sanitation requires a sanitary permit from the local health authority before a beauty parlor, barber shop or nail salon operates, and a health certificate for everyone who serves customers.

Official sources

Other documents

Keep the papers in one place

Letters, receipts and notices in one folder you can share with family or a lawyer. The templates and the editor are free; Layers is free for up to 20 people.

This is a plan, a calculation and a checklist, not legal, tax or financial advice.