How to Start a Barber Shop in Kentucky: Board of Barbering Shop License $100, 1,500 Hours Plus Apprenticeship and the $50 Independent Contract Owner License

If you want to open a barber shop in Kentucky, you will handle two separate kinds of paperwork. The first is personal: you need your own barber license from the Kentucky Board of Barbering. The second is business: you need to form an entity, register for taxes, and meet the Board’s rules for the shop itself. Many first-time owners mix these up, or assume a cosmetology license covers them. It does not. Barbering is governed by KRS Chapter 317 and is regulated by its own board.

This guide covers the full sequence, from school hours to opening day, with the current fees. The short version of the barber license Kentucky requires is this: 1,500 hours at a licensed barber school, an apprentice exam, 6 to 9 months of apprenticeship, the barber exam, and a $50 barber license. Opening your own shop adds a $100 shop license and a Board inspection.

Disclaimer: This article is informational, not legal or tax advice. Fees, deadlines and rules can change. Confirm current requirements with the Kentucky Board of Barbering, the Secretary of State, the Department of Revenue and your city or county government. Talk with a licensed attorney or CPA before you sign a lease, sign contractor agreements or choose a business structure.

What You Need Before You Start

Gather these items before you file anything. A single missing document usually stalls the whole application.

• Government-issued photo ID and proof of age. You must be at least 17.5 years old.
• A high school diploma or equivalent.
• The official completion record from a licensed barber school showing 1,500 hours.
• Payment for each fee. The $100 shop fee must be paid by money order or certified check, so do not plan on a personal check.
• Your current barber license number. The shop application requires the owner to hold a current barber license.
• A Kentucky street address for the shop, backed by a signed lease or proof of ownership. Post office boxes do not work for registered offices.
• A notary public for the notarized shop application.
• Formation documents if you plan to form an LLC or corporation: Articles of Organization (Form KLC) or Articles of Incorporation (Form PAI).
• Access to a computer for online filings through the Kentucky One Stop Business Portal and MyTaxes.ky.gov.

Kentucky Barber License Fees at a Glance

Item	Fee	Notes
Apprentice license	$50	Issued after you pass the apprentice exam
Barber license	$50	Issued after you pass the barber exam
Each exam	$200	Applies to the apprentice exam and to the barber exam
Barber shop license	$100	Paid by money order or certified check
Barber school license	$500	A school license, paid by the school rather than the student
Independent Contract Owner license	$50	Required within 10 days for a chair renter who is not a W-2 employee
Duplicate for each extra shop	$10	Charged for each additional shop covered by one Independent Contract Owner license
Renewal	$50	Due every July 1. Shop renewal is also $50.
Late fee	$25	Added when renewal is late

These figures are the Board’s fees as of July 1, 2026. Confirm them on the Board’s page before you pay, because fees can change.

Step-by-Step: How to Get a Barber License in Kentucky

Step 1: Confirm You Meet the Basic Eligibility Rules

You must be at least 17.5 years old and hold a high school diploma or equivalent. Barbering is overseen by the Kentucky Board of Barbering under KRS Chapter 317. This is a different board from cosmetology, so the requirements, forms and fees are not interchangeable. Read the Board’s current requirements before you enroll anywhere.

Step 2: Complete 1,500 Hours at a Licensed Barber School

Kentucky requires graduation from a licensed barber school after 1,500 hours of training. Confirm that the school holds a barber school license before you enroll, because hours from an unlicensed program will not count. Ask every school for a written cost breakdown, a schedule and the official completion record you will need later. Tuition and program length vary by school, so compare more than one.

Step 3: Pass the Apprentice Exam and Get Your Apprentice License

After graduation, you take the apprentice exam for $200. Passing it lets you apply for an apprentice license at $50. This license is what you hold while you complete your apprenticeship.

Step 4: Complete the Apprenticeship (6 to 9 Months)

Under KRS 317.450, the apprenticeship runs 6 to 9 months before you sit for the barber exam. Keep your own log of training dates, hours and the supervising barber’s name, and save copies of anything you submit. Ask the Board to confirm the exact order of the apprentice exam and the apprenticeship, and whether any specific form is required to document the apprenticeship.

Step 5: Pass the Barber Exam and Get Your Barber License

Take the barber exam for $200. After you pass, apply for your $50 barber license. You need a current barber license to own a shop, so this step is required before you can open. Plan to renew your license every July 1 for $50. Barber licenses renew annually on July 1, not biennially like some cosmetology licenses, so put that date on your calendar.

Step 6: Decide How You Will Work

Your work arrangement determines which licenses you need.

• Owner-operator who works in the shop: You need your barber license plus the shop license.
• Chair renter who is not a W-2 employee: You must hold a $50 Independent Contract Owner license within 10 days. Under 317.420(3)(d), one license can cover several shops, and each extra shop costs a $10 duplicate.
• W-2 employee of a shop: The Independent Contract Owner requirement does not apply to you under this rule.

Worker classification affects taxes and liability, not just licensing. Ask a CPA to review your arrangement before you sign a chair rental agreement.

Step 7: Form Your Business Entity and Register Your Name

Many shop owners form an LLC. Kentucky files Articles of Organization (Form KLC, Profit Limited Liability Company) with the Secretary of State for a $40 filing fee. File online through the Kentucky One Stop Business Portal at https://onestop.ky.gov/. Filings are usually processed the same day received but may take up to three business days. The Secretary of State offers no expedited service or fee, so online filing is the fastest route.

Your entity name must include “limited liability company,” “limited company,” “LLC” or “LC.” To abbreviate “limited company,” you must use “LTD CO.” The name must be distinguishable from any name already on record. Search the business database at https://sosbes.sos.ky.gov/BusSearchNProfile/search.aspx before you choose a name. If you need time, you can reserve a name for 120 days for $15.

Every entity must keep a registered office in Kentucky and a registered agent. The agent must be a Kentucky resident whose business address matches the registered office, or a qualified entity with the same address. Unless the agent signs the formation document, the appointment is not effective until the agent delivers a written acceptance to the Secretary of State. Changing the registered agent or office costs $10.

If you will operate the shop under a name other than your legal entity name, file a Certificate of Assumed Name (Form ASN) for $20. Registration lasts five years and is renewable. Sole proprietors file with the county clerk of the county where they live, under KRS 365.015(3).

Step 8: Secure the Location and Complete the Plumbing Inspection

The shop application must be notarized and signed by the state plumbing inspector, which you arrange through your county health department. Start this step early, because the inspection timeline can set your opening date. Before you sign a lease, confirm zoning and occupancy rules with your city or county planning office. Ask whether the space needs any additional permits for a business use.

Step 9: Notify the Board Five Days Before Opening

You must notify the Board of Barbering at least 5 days before you open. Put this deadline on your timeline, because a late notice can push back your first client day.

Step 10: Submit the $100 Shop Application and Pass the Board Inspection

Submit the notarized application, signed by the plumbing inspector, with the $100 shop fee paid by money order or certified check. The owner must hold a current barber license. The shop is also subject to a Board inspection. Plan to have the space fully set up, sanitized and compliant with the Board’s rules when the inspector arrives.

Display the barber pole only after the shop is licensed and a licensed barber is working there (317.420(5)). A pole displayed before those conditions are met is a common and avoidable violation.

Step 11: Register for State and Local Taxes

Kentucky has no statewide general business license, but you still register your tax account with the Department of Revenue using Form 10A100 through MyTaxes.ky.gov (https://revenue.ky.gov/). Then review these tax items:

• Sales tax: Kentucky’s state sales tax rate is 6%, and there are no local sales taxes. The tax reaches about 50 services, so check with the Department of Revenue whether your barber services are taxable before you set prices. Register for a sales tax permit at https://revenue.ky.gov/Business/Pages/Register-Business.aspx if required.
• Income tax: LLC income passes through to members and is taxed at the 3.5% flat individual rate for 2026. A corporation pays a 5% flat corporate income tax.
• Limited Liability Entity Tax (LLET): LLCs and corporations owe the LLET, with a $175 minimum if Kentucky gross receipts or gross profits are $3 million or less. Confirm how the sliding scale applies to your business with a CPA.
• Local occupational license tax: Cities, counties and school districts may levy occupational license taxes on payroll, net profits or gross receipts. Kentucky has 120 counties and about 420 cities, and each runs its own forms and revenue office. Check the district for the city and county where your shop operates.
• Annual report: The Secretary of State annual report costs $15 and is due June 30 each year. The filing window opens January 1. A domestic entity that misses June 30 can be administratively dissolved after notice and 60 days to cure (KRS 14A.7-020).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming a cosmetology license covers barbering. Barbering is governed by KRS Chapter 317 and its own board.
• Paying the shop fee with a personal check. The $100 fee must be paid by money order or certified check.
• Notifying the Board fewer than 5 days before opening. Build the notice into your lease and buildout timeline.
• Letting a chair renter work without an Independent Contract Owner license. The license is due within 10 days.
• Using a post office box as your registered office. You need a Kentucky street address.
• Displaying a barber pole too early. It is allowed only for a licensed shop with a licensed barber (317.420(5)).
• Forgetting the July 1 renewal. Late renewals add a $25 fee.
• Missing the June 30 annual report. An LLC that misses the deadline can be administratively dissolved.
• Skipping the local occupational license check. Your city or county may charge a tax even if the state does not.

Expected Results

Following these steps may help you move through the licensing process in a predictable order, with fewer rejected filings and fewer surprise costs. Results vary. Your school’s schedule, the Board’s processing time, your inspection timeline and your local requirements all affect when you can open. Nothing in this guide guarantees a license approval date, a specific opening date or any level of income. Treat the timelines here as planning estimates and confirm each one with the responsible agency.

Get Help From the Right People

The Kentucky Small Business Development Center (KSBDC) offers business advising to new owners at https://kentuckysbdc.com/. The U.S. Small Business Administration also lists Kentucky resources at https://www.sba.gov/district/kentucky. For your entity choice, lease terms, chair rental agreements and tax treatment, consult a licensed attorney and a CPA who works with Kentucky small businesses.

Next Steps

1. Confirm your eligibility and choose a barber school with a valid license.
2. Track your 1,500 hours, exam dates and apprenticeship records from day one.
3. Decide your work arrangement, then reserve a business name and file your entity.
4. Find a shop location, start the plumbing inspection and check local zoning and occupational license rules.
5. Notify the Board at least 5 days before opening, then submit the $100 shop application.
6. Register your tax account, calendar your July 1 renewal and your June 30 annual report, and open your doors.