How Much Does It Cost to Start a Barbershop in Colorado?

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Starting a Barbershop in Colorado typically costs between $16,500 and $192,500, with a median estimate of $71,500. Colorado’s cost of living runs 3% above the national average, which increases commercial rent and labor costs. LLC formation in Colorado costs $50 to file. Most barbershop businesses take 2-4 months to launch.

Last updated: May 2026

Barbershop startup costs illustration — typical equipment and setup

How Much Does It Cost to Start a Barbershop in Colorado?

Low

$16,500

Medium

$71,500

High

$192,500

National average: $15,000 – $175,000

Interactive Startup Cost Calculator

Startup Cost Calculator

Barbershop in Colorado

Budget:

Shop Space Lease & Build-Out

$27,500

Barber Chairs & Equipment

$11,000

Barber Tools & Supplies

$3,300

State License & Business Permits

$1,100

Insurance

$1,650

Booking Software

$880

Marketing & Branding

$3,300

Working Capital Reserve

$11,000

Options

Include 3 months working capital (+$26,400)

Employees:Just Me1–34–10

Startup Costs

$59,730

Monthly Costs

$8,800

First Year Total

$165,330

Full Cost Breakdown

Cost Category	Low	Medium	High	Notes
Shop Space Lease & Build-Out	$5,500	$27,500	$88,000	A 4-chair shop needs 600-1,000 sq ft. Classic barber shop aesthetic (brick, dark wood, vintage chairs) drives repeat visits.
Barber Chairs & Equipment	$3,300	$11,000	$33,000	Takara Belmont and Belvedere are the dominant barber-chair brands and are priced as a meaningful per-chair capital purchase. Vintage chair restorations from estate sales add character at materially lower cost.
Barber Tools & Supplies	$1,100	$3,300	$8,800	Wahl and Andis professional clippers are the workhorse tools for the trade. A complete starter kit per barber — clippers, trimmers, shears, straight razor, strop — is a low-to-mid four-figure investment.
State License & Business Permits	$220	$1,100	$3,300	Barber licenses require 1,000-1,500 hours of schooling in most states. The establishment license itself is typically a low three-figure cost; the larger gate is the school requirement.
Insurance	$550	$1,650	$4,400	Barber insurance is typically a low-to-mid three-figure annual cost through industry associations like ABMP (https://www.abmp.com/) or independent insurers.
Booking Software	$220	$880	$3,300	StyleSeat, Booksy, and Squire are popular barbershop-specific booking platforms billed on monthly subscriptions that scale with chair count.
Marketing & Branding	$550	$3,300	$11,000	Instagram transformation content and before/after photos are essential for barbershop marketing.
Working Capital Reserve	$3,300	$11,000	$33,000	Barbershops build loyal clientele quickly — most shops reach break-even within 6-12 months.
Total Startup Cost	$14,740	$59,730	$184,800	Required costs only

Licenses & Permits in Colorado

General Business License

Colorado does not have a statewide general business license requirement. Businesses must register their entity with the Colorado Secretary of State and obtain a sales tax license from the Colorado Department of Revenue if selling taxable goods or services. Many municipalities require a local business license — Denver, Aurora, Colorado Springs, and Boulder all have their own business licensing programs with state-set annual fees that vary by program.

Industry-Specific Licenses

Retail Food Establishment License — Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment or County Health
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Contractor License — Local jurisdiction (Denver Building and Fire Code Services, etc.)
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Retail Marijuana Store License — Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Cosmetology Salon License — Colorado Office of Barber and Cosmetology Licensure
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Biennial
Real Estate Broker License — Colorado Division of Real Estate
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Every 3 years
Child Care Center License — Colorado Department of Early Childhood
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Retail Liquor Store License — Colorado Liquor Enforcement Division
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Outfitter and Guide License — Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual

Home-Based Business Rules

Colorado municipalities regulate home-based businesses through local zoning ordinances. Denver allows home occupations with restrictions on customer visits (typically 1 person at a time), no exterior display, and no storage of commercial vehicles. Colorado State law preempts local regulations that would completely prohibit home-based businesses. The Colorado Cottage Food Act specifically authorizes home-based food production with certain limitations.

Resources

Monthly Operating Costs

After launch, plan for these ongoing monthly expenses for your Barbershop:

Low

$3,000/mo

Medium

$8,000/mo

High

$20,000/mo

Revenue Potential

Annual Revenue Range

$60,000 – $450,000 (annual)

Profit Margins

15-30%

Break-Even Timeline

6-18 months

How Colorado Compares to Neighboring States

Colorado is close to the national average for Barbershop startup costs, with a cost-of-living index of 103.1. Compared to neighboring Wyoming ($54,600 median startup cost), Colorado has higher costs for a Barbershop.

State	Est. Cost	LLC Fee
Colorado (current)	$71,500	$50
Wyoming	$54,600	$100
Nebraska	$55,250	$105
Kansas	$53,950	$160
Oklahoma	$52,000	$100
New Mexico	$58,500	$50
Utah	$65,000	$54

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1
Opening in a location with poor foot traffic — barbershops live on walk-ins plus loyal repeat clients
2
Not building a booking system early — appointment slots are inventory; wasted slots are revenue lost forever
3
Underpricing cuts — pricing meaningfully below the local market floor races to the bottom and undercuts the entire P&L; price for the actual quality of the work
4
Hiring barbers without confirming their state licensure status
5
Not creating a distinct brand and aesthetic that makes clients want to come back and refer friends

Next Steps to Launch Your Barbershop

1
Obtain your Colorado barber license from the Colorado Board of Barber Examiners before cutting hair
2
Register your Barbershop as an LLC with the Colorado Secretary of State ($50 filing fee)
3
Pass the Colorado health department inspection for your barbershop — includes sanitation practices and blade sterilization
4
Lease your space and outfit barber chairs, mirrors, back bar, wash stations, and waiting area
5
Establish wholesale accounts for clippers, trimmers, barbicide, and grooming product suppliers
6
Get professional liability and general liability insurance for barbershop operations; premiums scale with chair count
7
Set up your booking system — Square Appointments, Booksy, or GlossGenius work well for barbershops
8
Hire licensed barbers — verify all staff hold current Colorado barber licenses before their first cut

Frequently Asked Questions

Opening a barbershop spans a wide range. A small two-chair shop in modest space can open in the low-to-mid five figures. A four-to-six chair barbershop with premium aesthetic and equipment requires meaningfully more — well into the five to low six figures. A high-end flagship barbershop with private suites and full grooming services requires materially more capital. Use the calculator on this page to model your specific scenario.

Owner take-home varies materially with model and chair count. A four-chair shop running at full utilization grosses meaningful annual revenue, with the owner's net depending on the commission split or booth-rental structure plus rent and supplies. Booth-rental shops where barbers pay weekly rent provide more predictable owner income because the rent is fixed regardless of each barber's daily volume.

You need a state barbershop establishment license, a business license, and all employed barbers must hold valid state barber licenses. Barber licenses require 1,000-1,500 hours of education at a licensed barber school plus a state licensing exam.

Booth rental (a fixed weekly chair fee) provides predictable owner income regardless of individual barber performance. Commission (a percentage split with the house) rewards high performers but leaves owner income variable. Most shops start with commission to control quality, then offer booth rental to top performers who want independence.

A skilled barber sees roughly a dozen clients per 8-hour day, averaging half an hour per cut. At standard service rates, one full-time barber generates a six-figure annual gross. A four-barber shop scales that to a multiple of single-chair revenue.

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Start a Barbershop in Other States

See the national overview for Barbershop or browse all businesses you can start in Colorado.