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

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Starting a Barbershop in Wyoming typically costs between $12,600 and $147,000, with a median estimate of $54,600. Wyoming’s cost of living is 5% below the national average, which helps reduce operating expenses like commercial rent and labor. LLC formation in Wyoming costs $100 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 Wyoming?

Low

$12,600

Medium

$54,600

High

$147,000

National average: $15,000 – $175,000

Interactive Startup Cost Calculator

Startup Cost Calculator

Barbershop in Wyoming

Budget:

Shop Space Lease & Build-Out

$21,000

Barber Chairs & Equipment

$8,400

Barber Tools & Supplies

$2,520

State License & Business Permits

$840

Insurance

$1,260

Booking Software

$672

Marketing & Branding

$2,520

Working Capital Reserve

$8,400

Options

Include 3 months working capital (+$20,160)

Employees:Just Me1–34–10

Startup Costs

$45,612

Monthly Costs

$6,720

First Year Total

$126,252

Full Cost Breakdown

Cost Category	Low	Medium	High	Notes
Shop Space Lease & Build-Out	$4,200	$21,000	$67,200	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	$2,520	$8,400	$25,200	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	$840	$2,520	$6,720	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	$168	$840	$2,520	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	$420	$1,260	$3,360	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	$168	$672	$2,520	StyleSeat, Booksy, and Squire are popular barbershop-specific booking platforms billed on monthly subscriptions that scale with chair count.
Marketing & Branding	$420	$2,520	$8,400	Instagram transformation content and before/after photos are essential for barbershop marketing.
Working Capital Reserve	$2,520	$8,400	$25,200	Barbershops build loyal clientele quickly — most shops reach break-even within 6-12 months.
Total Startup Cost	$11,256	$45,612	$141,120	Required costs only

Licenses & Permits in Wyoming

General Business License

Wyoming is one of the most business-friendly states in the nation with no corporate income tax, no personal income tax, and very low fees. Wyoming does not have a statewide general business license. Businesses must register their entity with the Wyoming Secretary of State and register with the Wyoming Department of Revenue for sales tax purposes. Wyoming's LLC laws are particularly favorable for asset protection, making it a popular choice for business formation nationwide. Some Wyoming municipalities require local business licenses, but requirements are minimal.

Industry-Specific Licenses

Food Service Establishment License — Wyoming Department of Agriculture or Local Health Department
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Contractor License — Wyoming Building Codes Division (local jurisdictions primarily)
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Cosmetology Salon License — Wyoming Department of Agriculture — Cosmetology
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Real Estate Broker License — Wyoming Real Estate Commission
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Outfitter License — Wyoming Professional Hunting and Fishing Guides and Outfitters Licensing
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Mining Permit — Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality — Land Quality Division
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Retail Liquor License — Wyoming Liquor Division
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Child Care Center License — Wyoming Department of Family Services
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual

Home-Based Business Rules

Wyoming has virtually no statewide restrictions on home-based businesses, reflecting its libertarian-leaning regulatory philosophy. Local municipalities in Wyoming have minimal home occupation regulations. Rural areas, which make up most of Wyoming's land area, have no restrictions on home-based businesses. Wyoming's cottage food law is among the most permissive in the nation with no sales cap for direct consumer sales. Wyoming's business-friendly environment extends fully to home-based business operations.

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 Wyoming Compares to Neighboring States

Wyoming is one of the more affordable states for launching a Barbershop, with a cost-of-living index of 94.6 (national average is 100). Compared to neighboring Montana ($63,050 median startup cost), Wyoming offers lower costs for a Barbershop.

State	Est. Cost	LLC Fee
Wyoming (current)	$54,600	$100
Montana	$63,050	$35
South Dakota	$53,950	$150
Nebraska	$55,250	$105
Colorado	$71,500	$50
Utah	$65,000	$54
Idaho	$62,400	$100

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 Wyoming barber license from the Wyoming Board of Barber Examiners before cutting hair
2
Register your Barbershop as an LLC with the Wyoming Secretary of State ($100 filing fee)
3
Pass the Wyoming 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 Wyoming 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 Wyoming.