1.6 Barber Shop Requirements: Registration, Equipment, Location Changes, Contact Information, and Ownership
Key Takeaways
It is unlawful to operate a barber shop without a certificate of registration, and a new or relocated shop must be inspected and approved before opening (T.C.A. 62-3-109).
A new barber shop, ownership change, or location change costs a $50 inspection fee plus a $100 registration fee, and shop renewal is $75 (Rule 0200-01-.11).
The Board must be notified within 10 days of an ownership change (Rule 0200-01-.05), and a new owner may not operate more than 30 days after the change without applying and paying (T.C.A. 62-3-109(b)).
Rule 0200-01-.07 requires at least one shampoo bowl with hot and cold water, one wet disinfectant container per barber chair, one dry sanitary compartment per station, and one ultraviolet sanitizer.
A residential barber shop must have a separate entrance that does not pass through the residence and restroom facilities separate from the living quarters.
Why this topic matters
PSI's blueprint lists "Salon and Shop Requirements" with three subtopics: change of address (location), contact information, and ownership. The questions are practical. What must happen before a shop opens, what happens when it moves, whom you notify when the owner or manager changes, and what equipment an inspector expects.
Registering a shop
T.C.A. § 62-3-109(a) makes it unlawful to operate a barber shop or barber styling shop without a valid certificate of registration. The process:
- Apply in CORE and pay the fees. Rule 0200-01-.11 sets a new shop at a $50 inspection fee plus a $100 certificate fee.
- Designate a manager. Each shop must name a manager licensed in at least one discipline the shop offers. The shop reports the manager's name and license information at application and renewal (§ 62-3-109(c)(2)).
- Pass inspection before opening. An inspector must inspect and approve a new shop or a shop that changes location before it opens. The Board makes inspections within 10 days of receiving a request paid in full (§ 62-3-109(b)).
- Watch the 90-day clock. A shop application expires 90 days after submission if the applicant has not provided all required documents and information, unless the Board extends it for good cause (Rule 0200-01-.10(2)). The Board's website adds that if the shop is not ready for inspection within 90 days, you must reapply and pay again.
One exception. A new or relocated barber shop inside an existing, licensed cosmetology shop may open before inspection if the application is submitted immediately. The inspection then happens within 10 days (Rule 0200-01-.12(3)).
Minimum equipment (Rule 0200-01-.07(1))
| Required item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Shampoo bowl with hot and cold running water, and a chair | At least 1 |
| Enclosed, labeled storage area for clean towels | At least 1 |
| Covered, labeled container for soiled towels | At least 1 |
| Dry sanitary compartment | 1 per station |
| Work station and mirror | 1 per operator |
| Covered trash container kept sanitary | At least 1 |
| Working restroom | At least 1 |
| Wet disinfectant solution container | 1 per barber chair |
| Ultraviolet sanitizer | At least 1 |
Related rules:
- Working order. The shop must have enough equipment, in working order, to perform every service it offers (Rule 0200-01-.07(6)).
- Shared restrooms. The Board may approve a shop without its own restroom if it is in a mall, strip center, or other commercial property where shared public restrooms are standard (Rule 0200-01-.07(4)).
- Limited-service waiver. The executive director may waive specific equipment for a shop offering limited services. The request must be in writing and explain why the equipment is not needed. If services change, the shop needs a new application and inspection (Rule 0200-03-.17).
Residential shops
A shop inside a home is allowed, with conditions:
- It must have a separate entrance that does not require passing through any part of the private residence (Rule 0200-01-.07(2)).
- It must have restroom facilities separate from the living quarters (Rule 0200-01-.07(2)).
- The Board's barber shop page adds that a residential shop must be on the first floor (street level or one level below) and display a sign visible from the street identifying it as a shop. Local zoning and homeowner association rules still apply.
A residential shop, where clients come to your home, is different from residential services, where you go to the client's home under a residential barber certificate (section 1.5).
Changing the shop's location
A move is treated like a new opening.
- File the Board's Change of Location form. The new location must be inspected and approved before opening (§ 62-3-109(b)).
- Rule 0200-01-.11 charges the same $50 inspection and $100 registration fees for a change of location.
- § 62-3-109(b) says any change of location, change of ownership, or new shop must be reported to the Board office immediately.
Updating contact information
- Mailing address only. If only the mailing address changes (the shop is not moving), email the shop name, license number, and request to the Board office. There is no fee.
- Individual licensees. Each barber must report a mailing address change within 30 calendar days (§ 62-3-118), usually through CORE.
- Manager change. Email the new manager's information to the Board office. The manager's name must also be posted in the shop (Rule 0200-03-.14).
Changing ownership
| Requirement | Source |
|---|---|
| Notify the Board within 10 days of the effective date of an ownership change | Rule 0200-01-.05(1) |
| The new owner may not operate more than 30 days after the change unless, within that time, the new owner applies for a license and pays the fees | § 62-3-109(b) |
| File the Change in Ownership application in CORE; fees are $50 inspection plus $100 registration for a barber shop | Rule 0200-01-.11; Board website |
| No charge when ownership changes because of the death of an immediate family member (with a death certificate or notice) | Rule 0200-01-.11(1)(n) |
A shop license is issued to a specific owner at a specific location, so it cannot be sold or moved with the business.
Renewal, dual shops, name changes, and closing
- Renewal. Shop certificates expire every two years on the last day of the month they were first granted. Renewal is $75, and the late penalty within one year is $75 (Rule 0200-01-.11). After more than one year, reinstatement costs twice the fees that timely renewal would have cost (§ 62-3-129).
- Dual shops. A shop licensed for both barbering and cosmetology pays $150 for a new dual license and $100 to renew. The late penalty is $50 per year. An existing barber or cosmetology shop can upgrade to dual in CORE.
- Name change. The fee is $10.
- Closing. Write "CLOSED" across the shop license, add a note with the closing date, and mail both to the Board.
Scenario
A licensed barber buys an existing barbershop on June 1 and keeps it at the same address. What must happen?
- By June 11, the Board must be notified of the ownership change (Rule 0200-01-.05(1)).
- By July 1, the new owner must have applied for a shop license and paid the fees, or the shop must stop operating (§ 62-3-109(b)).
- The shop must name a manager licensed in a discipline the shop offers, and that manager's name must be posted.
If the new owner later moves the shop across town, the new location must pass inspection before it opens.
A barber shop moves to a new building across town. What must happen before it serves clients at the new address?
Nothing, because the shop license stays valid anywhere in the county
The owner must email the new address within 30 days while continuing to operate
A Board inspector must inspect and approve the new location before it opens
The shop must close for 90 days
How long does a new owner of a Tennessee barber shop have to apply for a license and pay the fees before losing the right to operate?
10 days
Until the next biennial renewal
90 days
30 days after the date of the ownership change
Which item is required at every barber chair under Rule 0200-01-.07?
A wet disinfectant solution container
A shampoo bowl
A hooded dryer
A first aid kit
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.