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

Starting a Barbershop in Kansas typically costs between $12,450 and $145,250, with a median estimate of $53,950. Kansas’s cost of living is 10% below the national average, which helps reduce operating expenses like commercial rent and labor. LLC formation in Kansas costs $160 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 Kansas?

Low

$12,450

Medium

$53,950

High

$145,250

National average: $15,000 – $175,000

Interactive Startup Cost Calculator

Startup Cost Calculator

Barbershop in Kansas

Budget:
$20,750
$8,300
$2,490
$830
$1,245
$664
$2,490
$8,300

Options

Employees:

Startup Costs

$45,069

Monthly Costs

$6,640

First Year Total

$124,749

Full Cost Breakdown

Cost CategoryLowMediumHighNotes
Shop Space Lease & Build-Out$4,150$20,750$66,400A 4-chair shop needs 600-1,000 sq ft. Classic barber shop aesthetic (brick, dark wood, vintage chairs) drives repeat visits.
Barber Chairs & Equipment$2,490$8,300$24,900Takara 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$830$2,490$6,640Wahl 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$166$830$2,490Barber 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$415$1,245$3,320Barber 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$166$664$2,490StyleSeat, Booksy, and Squire are popular barbershop-specific booking platforms billed on monthly subscriptions that scale with chair count.
Marketing & Branding$415$2,490$8,300Instagram transformation content and before/after photos are essential for barbershop marketing.
Working Capital Reserve$2,490$8,300$24,900Barbershops build loyal clientele quickly — most shops reach break-even within 6-12 months.
Total Startup Cost$11,122$45,069$139,440Required costs only

Licenses & Permits in Kansas

Licenses & Permits in Kansas

General Business License

Kansas does not have a statewide general business license. Businesses must register their entity with the Kansas Secretary of State and register with the Kansas Department of Revenue for sales tax purposes if selling taxable goods or services. Some Kansas cities require a local business license — Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City (Kansas) have their own licensing requirements. The state offers a one-stop business registration portal at KSBizCenter.org.

Industry-Specific Licenses

  • Food Service Establishment License — Kansas Department of Agriculture — Division of Food Safety
    Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
  • Contractor Registration — Kansas Office of the State Fire Marshal or Local Jurisdiction
    Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
  • Cosmetology Establishment License — Kansas Board of Cosmetology
    Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
  • Real Estate Broker License — Kansas Real Estate Commission
    Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Biennial
  • Child Care Center License — Kansas Department for Children and Families
    Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
  • Fertilizer License — Kansas Department of Agriculture
    Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
  • Retail Liquor License — Kansas Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control
    Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
  • Motor Carrier Permit — Kansas Department of Revenue — Motor Carrier
    Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual

Home-Based Business Rules

Home-based businesses in Kansas are regulated by local zoning ordinances in incorporated municipalities. Kansas's many small towns and rural communities are generally accommodating of home-based businesses. Wichita and larger Kansas cities allow home occupations with restrictions on commercial signage, customer traffic, and the proportion of home space used for business. Kansas's cottage food law supports home-based food production with direct consumer sales.

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 Kansas Compares to Neighboring States

Kansas is one of the more affordable states for launching a Barbershop, with a cost-of-living index of 89.8 (national average is 100). Compared to neighboring Nebraska ($55,250 median startup cost), Kansas offers lower costs for a Barbershop.

StateEst. CostLLC Fee
Kansas (current)$53,950$160
Nebraska$55,250$105
Missouri$53,950$50
Oklahoma$52,000$100
Colorado$71,500$50

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  1. 1

    Opening in a location with poor foot traffic — barbershops live on walk-ins plus loyal repeat clients

  2. 2

    Not building a booking system early — appointment slots are inventory; wasted slots are revenue lost forever

  3. 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. 4

    Hiring barbers without confirming their state licensure status

  5. 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. 1

    Obtain your Kansas barber license from the Kansas Board of Barber Examiners before cutting hair

  2. 2

    Register your Barbershop as an LLC with the Kansas Secretary of State ($160 filing fee)

  3. 3

    Pass the Kansas health department inspection for your barbershop — includes sanitation practices and blade sterilization

  4. 4

    Lease your space and outfit barber chairs, mirrors, back bar, wash stations, and waiting area

  5. 5

    Establish wholesale accounts for clippers, trimmers, barbicide, and grooming product suppliers

  6. 6

    Get professional liability and general liability insurance for barbershop operations; premiums scale with chair count

  7. 7

    Set up your booking system — Square Appointments, Booksy, or GlossGenius work well for barbershops

  8. 8

    Hire licensed barbers — verify all staff hold current Kansas 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

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

Disclaimer: The cost estimates on HowMuchToStart.com are for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or legal advice. Actual startup costs may vary significantly based on location, scale, market conditions, and individual circumstances. We recommend consulting with a local accountant, attorney, or SCORE mentor before making financial decisions. Data sources include the SBA, state government agencies, industry associations, and market research.