A Florida salon license — officially a cosmetology salon establishment license from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) — is required for every physical location that offers cosmetology services in the state. You apply on the DBPR COSMO 6 form, pay a $95 fee, and prepare your space to meet the state’s square footage and sanitation requirements. You do not need to be a licensed cosmetologist to own the salon, but every professional working inside it must hold a current individual license.
Choose Full-Service or Specialty
Florida issues two types of salon establishment licenses, and picking the wrong one can mean failing inspection over something as basic as your floor plan.
A full-service cosmetology salon can offer the complete range of regulated services: hair cutting, coloring, permanent waving, hair removal, manicures, pedicures, facials, and skin care.1The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 477.013 – Definitions A specialty salon is limited to one or more defined specialties: nail services (manicuring and pedicuring) or facials and skin care. Each type carries different space requirements, so decide before you sign a lease.
Space and Sanitation Requirements
Florida Administrative Code Rule 61G5-20.002 governs what your salon must look like. These are ongoing requirements, not just inspection-day standards, so build them into your buildout from the start.2Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Florida Administrative Code Rule 61G5-20.002 – Salon Requirements
Square Footage
A full-service salon needs a minimum of 200 square feet, which supports up to two cosmetologists or specialists. A specialty salon needs at least 100 square feet, supporting one professional. Each additional professional beyond the minimum requires another 50 square feet.2Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Florida Administrative Code Rule 61G5-20.002 – Salon Requirements If you plan to grow past a solo operation, factor the extra space into your lease now.
Restroom and Water
Your salon must have access to at least one toilet and one sink with running water, either on the premises or within 300 feet in the same building. A shared restroom in a strip mall can satisfy this. The restroom must be stocked with soap, paper towels or a hand dryer, toilet paper, and a waste receptacle.3Legal Information Institute. Florida Administrative Code 61G5-20.002 – Salon Requirements
Sanitation Setup
Inspectors look for specific infrastructure. You need hospital-grade or EPA-registered disinfectants and a wet disinfection container large enough to fully submerge your implements. Clean linens must be stored in a closed, dustproof cabinet, and used linens go in a separate closed container away from the service area. Walls, ceilings, furniture, and equipment must be kept clean and well-ventilated.3Legal Information Institute. Florida Administrative Code 61G5-20.002 – Salon Requirements
Submitting the COSMO 6 Application
The application is the DBPR COSMO 6, available through the DBPR’s online portal or as a printable PDF you mail to the department in Tallahassee.4Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Cosmetology Salon License (COSMO 6) The fee is $95, payable by check to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation if you mail it.5Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Application for Salon Licensure
The form asks for your salon’s legal business name, physical address, ownership structure, responsible parties, and your Federal Employer Identification Number. The DBPR reviews the application and issues the license when it determines your proposed salon can reasonably be expected to meet the requirements.6Florida Senate. Florida Code 477.025 – Cosmetology Salons, Specialty Salons, Requisites, Licensure, Inspection If the department denies your application, it must tell you in writing which requirements you did not meet, and you can reapply after correcting them.
When the Inspection Happens
This is where new owners often get tripped up. For most salons, the inspection does not happen before your license is issued. The DBPR grants the license first, and an inspector visits unannounced within about 90 days afterward. You can open for business as soon as the license is in hand.7Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Cosmetology – FAQs
The one exception is flea market salons, which must be inspected before the license is issued.4Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Cosmetology Salon License (COSMO 6) For everyone else, the practical takeaway is the same: your sanitation setup, square footage, and restroom access all need to be ready on the day you open, not the week you expect an inspector. Both the salon license and every individual professional license must be displayed in a visible location, typically near the entrance.
Renewing Your License
Every salon establishment license must be renewed on or before November 30 of each even-numbered year.8Legal Information Institute. Florida Administrative Code 61G5-20.005 – Salon License Renewal The next deadline is November 30, 2026. The renewal fee is $40.9Florida Administrative Code. Florida Administrative Code 61G5-24.005 – Salon License Fee Missing the deadline doesn’t automatically cancel the license, but operating with an expired one exposes you to the same penalties as operating without one. The board can also refuse renewal if you have outstanding fines or costs from a prior investigation.10Florida House of Representatives. Florida Statutes Chapter 477 – Cosmetology
Changes That Void Your License
A Florida salon license is tied to a specific name, address, and owner. Change any one of those three, and the existing license is void; you must submit a new COSMO 6 with the full $95 fee.11Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. My Cosmetology Salon Name Has Changed You cannot amend the license.
This catches owners off guard during a sale. The buyer must apply for their own license, and the seller’s license dies the moment ownership transfers. If you’re relocating, plan for a gap between the old license ending and the new one arriving. You cannot legally operate at the new address until the new license is issued.
Penalties for Operating Without a Valid License
Running a salon without a valid establishment license is a second-degree misdemeanor in Florida.12The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 477.0265 – Prohibited Acts Separately, the Board of Cosmetology can impose administrative penalties for violations:
- Revocation or suspension of your establishment license.
- Administrative fines of up to $500 per count or separate offense.
- Probation, keeping the license active under conditions the board sets.
- Reprimand or censure, a formal mark on your record that can affect future licensing.
Fraud in obtaining a license and gross negligence in running the salon are also grounds for discipline. Routine and complaint-driven inspections can happen at any time.
If You Plan to Rent Booths
Many Florida salons rent station space to individual stylists rather than employing them. The salon still needs its establishment license, and every booth renter must hold their own individual cosmetology or specialty license from the DBPR. The establishment license covers the location; it does not cover the practitioners.
Worker classification is the real issue here. If you set the renter’s prices, control their schedule, or dictate how they perform services, the IRS and Department of Labor may treat that person as your employee regardless of what the rental agreement says, and misclassification carries serious tax penalties. A legitimate booth rental means the renter controls their own clients, pricing, hours, and methods. The written agreement should state the renter’s independent contractor status and their responsibility for their own taxes and insurance.