Opening a nail salon in Virginia: the salon license: Who needs it

The Code of Virginia requires any individual or entity operating a nail care salon to hold a salon license (type Nail Salon), and every person practicing in it to hold a practitioner license. One does not substitute for the other.

Opening a nail salon in Virginia: the salon license: Fees

The application fee for a Nail Salon license is $234.50 per license type, non-refundable (form A450-1213BUS v24, dated July 1, 2026). Under 2026's House Bill 30, DPOR also charges a technology fee of $7.25 per year. A license expired more than two years cannot be reinstated; the owner applies as new. Pay by check or money order payable to the TREASURER OF VIRGINIA, or by completing the credit card insert, mailed with the application package.

Opening a nail salon in Virginia: the salon license: Paperwork and review time

Review takes up to 45 days, longer if the application is incomplete. It needs the application, the fee and the supporting documents. A sole proprietorship or general partnership must file the fictitious-name certificate from the local Clerk of Court. A corporation or LLC must be registered with the State Corporation Commission and trade under its registered name, Inc. or LLC included, unless a fictitious name is registered. NOTE that two of the Board's own sources disagree about disclosing convictions: the application form itself asks about felonies within the last 10 years, while the detailed instructions and regulation 18VAC41-20-120 require every felony within 20 years of the date of application, plus misdemeanors involving moral turpitude, a sexual offense, non-marijuana drug distribution or physical injury within two years. Answering to the wider window is the safer course.

Opening a nail salon in Virginia: the salon license: Term and renewal

Regulation 18VAC41-20-160: a license expires two years from the last day of the month in which it was issued, not on one fixed statewide date. Regulation 18VAC41-20-170: DPOR mails a renewal notice, but failure to receive it does NOT relieve you of the obligation to renew; if it never arrives you may submit a copy of the old license as evidence of intent to renew, with the fee. Regulation 18VAC41-20-180: miss the expiry date by more than 30 days and you must file a reinstatement application with both the renewal fee and the reinstatement fee; miss it by two years and reinstatement is no longer possible, so you apply as a new applicant and must meet all current entry requirements. A WARNING about the numbers: this same regulations booklet, last updated September 13, 2024, still prints the Facilities fees as $190 application, $190 renewal and $380 reinstatement. The current application form A450-1213BUS v24, dated July 1, 2026, charges $234.50. The form is the newer source, so pay what the form says and telephone before writing the check.

Opening a nail salon in Virginia: the salon license: Selling, moving, changing the legal entity

Regulation 18VAC41-20-120(B): a salon license is issued to a firm, is NOT transferable, and must bear the same name and address as the business. Any change of name or address must be reported to the board in writing within 30 days. Paragraph (C) is heavier: whenever the legal business entity holding the license is dissolved or altered to form a new entity, the original license becomes void and must be returned to the board within 30 days, and the firm must apply for a new license within 30 days. The listed triggers are the death of a sole proprietor, the death or withdrawal of a general partner in a general partnership or the managing partner in a limited partnership, and the conversion, formation or dissolution of a corporation, a limited liability company, an association or any other recognized business entity. Paragraph (D): any change in the officers of a corporation, the managers of an LLC, or the officers or directors of an association must be reported in writing within 30 days. Paragraph (E): the board or its agents may inspect a licensed salon during reasonable hours, defined as between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., or the hours the salon is actually open to the public if it generally is not open then.

Opening a nail salon in Virginia: the salon license: What the premises must have

Regulation 18VAC41-20-270(C): the floor surface in all work areas must be a washable surface other than carpet, and must be kept clean and free of hair, nail clippings, dropped articles, spills, clutter, trash, electrical cords and anything else that may pose a hazard. Furniture, fixtures, walls, floors, windows and ceilings must be clean, in good repair and free of water seepage; any mats must be secured or lie flat. There must be a fully functional bathroom in the same building with a working toilet and sink available for clients, with hot and cold running water, lighting and sufficient ventilation, a screen on any window, and soap with clean single-use towels or a hand air-drying device. The bathroom must not be used as a work area or for the open storage of chemicals. For facilities newly occupied after January 1, 2017, the bathroom must be maintained exclusively for client use or shared with other businesses in the same building, and a shared one must be within 200 feet of the entrance. The salon area must be sufficiently ventilated to exhaust hazardous or objectionable airborne chemicals and to allow the free flow of air. Adequate lighting is required. Electrical cords must be placed to prevent entanglement and outlets must be covered by plates. Regulation 270(B)(7): each nail technician must have a wet disinfection unit at his station, meaning a covered container large enough that the objects to be disinfected are completely immersed, holding an EPA registered disinfectant that is bactericidal, virucidal and fungicidal.

Opening a nail salon in Virginia: the salon license: Chemicals and MMA

Regulation 18VAC41-20-270(E): the salon must keep in the immediate working area a binder with all Safety Data Sheets (SDS) provided by manufacturers for any chemical products used. It must have a blood spill clean-up kit in the work area containing at minimum latex gloves, two 12-inch by 12-inch towels, one disposable trash bag, bleach, one empty spray bottle and one mask with face shield, or any OSHA approved blood spill clean-up kit. Flammable chemicals must be labeled and stored in a nonflammable storage cabinet or a properly ventilated room. Chemicals that could interact in a hazardous manner, such as oxidizers, catalysts and solvents, must be labeled and separated in storage. Paragraph (F): the salon may not have on the premises any cosmetic product containing a hazardous substance banned by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in cosmetic products, and no product may be used in a manner the FDA disapproves; an artificial nail may only be applied to a healthy natural nail; a nail drill or motorized instrument may be used only on the free edge of the nail. ONE POINT SAID PLAINLY: this regulations booklet does not mention methyl methacrylate or MMA anywhere. Unlike North Carolina and Oklahoma, Virginia has no MMA ban written into the Board's rules, so do not tell anyone that Virginia bans it.

Opening a nail salon in Virginia: the salon license: Display of the license

Regulation 18VAC41-20-260(A): the salon must ensure that all current licenses, certificates and permits issued by the board are displayed in plain view of the public, either in the reception area or at individual work stations. If a licensee provides services at more than one location, duplicate licenses must be posted the same way at every one. Paragraph (C): every license, certificate and permit holder must operate under the name in which it was issued. Paragraph (B): the salon must ensure that no employee, licensee, student or apprentice performs any service beyond the scope of practice for the applicable license. Paragraph (E): proof of apprenticeship must likewise be displayed in plain view of the public in the reception area or at individual work stations.

Opening a nail salon in Virginia: the salon license: The self-inspection form you must keep for five years

Virginia does not send an inspector round once a year the way North Carolina does. Instead, regulation 18VAC41-20-270(I) requires every salon to fill in and keep a Salon, Shop and Spa Self Inspection Form, updated annually and kept on the premises for five years so the board can ask to see it at any time. The form itself prints two lines in capitals: THIS FORM SHALL BE KEPT AND MAINTAINED ON THE PREMISES OF THE SALON, SHOP OR SPA, and DO NOT RETURN THIS FORM TO THE BOARD FOR BARBERS AND COSMETOLOGY. In the event of a change of address or ownership, a new form must be completed. The current version is A450-1213_SSS_INSP vs2, dated May 1, 2016. Its questions tell you what an inspector cares about: does the license bear the same name and address as the business; are licenses, certificates and apprentice cards posted in the reception area; is the facility sufficiently ventilated to exhaust hazardous or objectionable airborne chemicals and allow the free flow of air; does the facility have a Certificate of Occupancy from the local building official, zoning board or health department; and is the facility used for any purpose other than hair, nail, waxing or esthetic services. The self-inspection program is designed to complement, not take the place of, the inspections the Board conducts when investigating an alleged violation.

Opening a nail salon in Virginia: the salon license: Instructions in Vietnamese

The Board publishes the salon application instructions in Vietnamese, alongside Korean and Spanish. It also publishes a salon self-inspection form for owners to check their own premises.

Opening a nail salon in Virginia: the salon license

What Virginia Board for Barbers and Cosmetology (DPOR) publishes about licensing the salon itself, checked on September 7, 2026.

Who needs it: The Code of Virginia requires any individual or entity operating a nail care salon to hold a salon license (type Nail Salon), and every person practicing in it to hold a practitioner license. One does not substitute for the other.; Source: Virginia DPOR - Salon, shop, spa and parlor application instructions (PDF) · Checked September 7, 2026
Fees: The application fee for a Nail Salon license is $234.50 per license type, non-refundable (form A450-1213BUS v24, dated July 1, 2026). Under 2026's House Bill 30, DPOR also charges a technology fee of $7.25 per year. A license expired more than two years cannot be reinstated; the owner applies as new. Pay by check or money order payable to the TREASURER OF VIRGINIA, or by completing the credit card insert, mailed with the application package.; Source: Virginia DPOR - Salon, shop, spa and parlor license application (PDF) · Checked September 21, 2026
Paperwork and review time: Review takes up to 45 days, longer if the application is incomplete. It needs the application, the fee and the supporting documents. A sole proprietorship or general partnership must file the fictitious-name certificate from the local Clerk of Court. A corporation or LLC must be registered with the State Corporation Commission and trade under its registered name, Inc. or LLC included, unless a fictitious name is registered. NOTE that two of the Board's own sources disagree about disclosing convictions: the application form itself asks about felonies within the last 10 years, while the detailed instructions and regulation 18VAC41-20-120 require every felony within 20 years of the date of application, plus misdemeanors involving moral turpitude, a sexual offense, non-marijuana drug distribution or physical injury within two years. Answering to the wider window is the safer course.; Source: Virginia DPOR - Salon, shop, spa and parlor application instructions (PDF) · Checked September 21, 2026
Term and renewal: Regulation 18VAC41-20-160: a license expires two years from the last day of the month in which it was issued, not on one fixed statewide date. Regulation 18VAC41-20-170: DPOR mails a renewal notice, but failure to receive it does NOT relieve you of the obligation to renew; if it never arrives you may submit a copy of the old license as evidence of intent to renew, with the fee. Regulation 18VAC41-20-180: miss the expiry date by more than 30 days and you must file a reinstatement application with both the renewal fee and the reinstatement fee; miss it by two years and reinstatement is no longer possible, so you apply as a new applicant and must meet all current entry requirements. A WARNING about the numbers: this same regulations booklet, last updated September 13, 2024, still prints the Facilities fees as $190 application, $190 renewal and $380 reinstatement. The current application form A450-1213BUS v24, dated July 1, 2026, charges $234.50. The form is the newer source, so pay what the form says and telephone before writing the check.; Source: Virginia DPOR - Board for Barbers and Cosmetology Regulations and Statutes, last updated September 13, 2024 (PDF) · Checked September 21, 2026
Selling, moving, changing the legal entity: Regulation 18VAC41-20-120(B): a salon license is issued to a firm, is NOT transferable, and must bear the same name and address as the business. Any change of name or address must be reported to the board in writing within 30 days. Paragraph (C) is heavier: whenever the legal business entity holding the license is dissolved or altered to form a new entity, the original license becomes void and must be returned to the board within 30 days, and the firm must apply for a new license within 30 days. The listed triggers are the death of a sole proprietor, the death or withdrawal of a general partner in a general partnership or the managing partner in a limited partnership, and the conversion, formation or dissolution of a corporation, a limited liability company, an association or any other recognized business entity. Paragraph (D): any change in the officers of a corporation, the managers of an LLC, or the officers or directors of an association must be reported in writing within 30 days. Paragraph (E): the board or its agents may inspect a licensed salon during reasonable hours, defined as between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., or the hours the salon is actually open to the public if it generally is not open then.; Source: Virginia DPOR - Board for Barbers and Cosmetology Regulations and Statutes, last updated September 13, 2024 (PDF) · Checked September 21, 2026
What the premises must have: Regulation 18VAC41-20-270(C): the floor surface in all work areas must be a washable surface other than carpet, and must be kept clean and free of hair, nail clippings, dropped articles, spills, clutter, trash, electrical cords and anything else that may pose a hazard. Furniture, fixtures, walls, floors, windows and ceilings must be clean, in good repair and free of water seepage; any mats must be secured or lie flat. There must be a fully functional bathroom in the same building with a working toilet and sink available for clients, with hot and cold running water, lighting and sufficient ventilation, a screen on any window, and soap with clean single-use towels or a hand air-drying device. The bathroom must not be used as a work area or for the open storage of chemicals. For facilities newly occupied after January 1, 2017, the bathroom must be maintained exclusively for client use or shared with other businesses in the same building, and a shared one must be within 200 feet of the entrance. The salon area must be sufficiently ventilated to exhaust hazardous or objectionable airborne chemicals and to allow the free flow of air. Adequate lighting is required. Electrical cords must be placed to prevent entanglement and outlets must be covered by plates. Regulation 270(B)(7): each nail technician must have a wet disinfection unit at his station, meaning a covered container large enough that the objects to be disinfected are completely immersed, holding an EPA registered disinfectant that is bactericidal, virucidal and fungicidal.; Source: Virginia DPOR - Board for Barbers and Cosmetology Regulations and Statutes, last updated September 13, 2024 (PDF) · Checked September 21, 2026
Chemicals and MMA: Regulation 18VAC41-20-270(E): the salon must keep in the immediate working area a binder with all Safety Data Sheets (SDS) provided by manufacturers for any chemical products used. It must have a blood spill clean-up kit in the work area containing at minimum latex gloves, two 12-inch by 12-inch towels, one disposable trash bag, bleach, one empty spray bottle and one mask with face shield, or any OSHA approved blood spill clean-up kit. Flammable chemicals must be labeled and stored in a nonflammable storage cabinet or a properly ventilated room. Chemicals that could interact in a hazardous manner, such as oxidizers, catalysts and solvents, must be labeled and separated in storage. Paragraph (F): the salon may not have on the premises any cosmetic product containing a hazardous substance banned by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in cosmetic products, and no product may be used in a manner the FDA disapproves; an artificial nail may only be applied to a healthy natural nail; a nail drill or motorized instrument may be used only on the free edge of the nail. ONE POINT SAID PLAINLY: this regulations booklet does not mention methyl methacrylate or MMA anywhere. Unlike North Carolina and Oklahoma, Virginia has no MMA ban written into the Board's rules, so do not tell anyone that Virginia bans it.; Source: Virginia DPOR - Board for Barbers and Cosmetology Regulations and Statutes, last updated September 13, 2024 (PDF) · Checked September 21, 2026
Display of the license: Regulation 18VAC41-20-260(A): the salon must ensure that all current licenses, certificates and permits issued by the board are displayed in plain view of the public, either in the reception area or at individual work stations. If a licensee provides services at more than one location, duplicate licenses must be posted the same way at every one. Paragraph (C): every license, certificate and permit holder must operate under the name in which it was issued. Paragraph (B): the salon must ensure that no employee, licensee, student or apprentice performs any service beyond the scope of practice for the applicable license. Paragraph (E): proof of apprenticeship must likewise be displayed in plain view of the public in the reception area or at individual work stations.; Source: Virginia DPOR - Board for Barbers and Cosmetology Regulations and Statutes, last updated September 13, 2024 (PDF) · Checked September 21, 2026
The self-inspection form you must keep for five years: Virginia does not send an inspector round once a year the way North Carolina does. Instead, regulation 18VAC41-20-270(I) requires every salon to fill in and keep a Salon, Shop and Spa Self Inspection Form, updated annually and kept on the premises for five years so the board can ask to see it at any time. The form itself prints two lines in capitals: THIS FORM SHALL BE KEPT AND MAINTAINED ON THE PREMISES OF THE SALON, SHOP OR SPA, and DO NOT RETURN THIS FORM TO THE BOARD FOR BARBERS AND COSMETOLOGY. In the event of a change of address or ownership, a new form must be completed. The current version is A450-1213_SSS_INSP vs2, dated May 1, 2016. Its questions tell you what an inspector cares about: does the license bear the same name and address as the business; are licenses, certificates and apprentice cards posted in the reception area; is the facility sufficiently ventilated to exhaust hazardous or objectionable airborne chemicals and allow the free flow of air; does the facility have a Certificate of Occupancy from the local building official, zoning board or health department; and is the facility used for any purpose other than hair, nail, waxing or esthetic services. The self-inspection program is designed to complement, not take the place of, the inspections the Board conducts when investigating an alleged violation.; Source: Virginia DPOR - Salon, shop and spa self inspection form (PDF) · Checked September 21, 2026
Instructions in Vietnamese: The Board publishes the salon application instructions in Vietnamese, alongside Korean and Spanish. It also publishes a salon self-inspection form for owners to check their own premises.; Source: Virginia DPOR - Salon application instructions, Vietnamese edition (PDF) · Checked September 7, 2026

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Opening a nail salon in Virginia: the salon license

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