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

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Starting a Barbershop in Mississippi typically costs between $11,550 and $134,750, with a median estimate of $50,050. Mississippi’s cost of living is 15% below the national average, which helps reduce operating expenses like commercial rent and labor. LLC formation in Mississippi 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 Mississippi?

Low

$11,550

Medium

$50,050

High

$134,750

National average: $15,000 – $175,000

Interactive Startup Cost Calculator

Startup Cost Calculator

Barbershop in Mississippi

Budget:

Shop Space Lease & Build-Out

$19,250

Barber Chairs & Equipment

$7,700

Barber Tools & Supplies

$2,310

State License & Business Permits

$770

Insurance

$1,155

Booking Software

$616

Marketing & Branding

$2,310

Working Capital Reserve

$7,700

Options

Include 3 months working capital (+$18,480)

Employees:Just Me1–34–10

Startup Costs

$41,811

Monthly Costs

$6,160

First Year Total

$115,731

Full Cost Breakdown

Cost Category	Low	Medium	High	Notes
Shop Space Lease & Build-Out	$3,850	$19,250	$61,600	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	$2,310	$7,700	$23,100	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	$770	$2,310	$6,160	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	$154	$770	$2,310	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	$385	$1,155	$3,080	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	$154	$616	$2,310	StyleSeat, Booksy, and Squire are popular barbershop-specific booking platforms billed on monthly subscriptions that scale with chair count.
Marketing & Branding	$385	$2,310	$7,700	Instagram transformation content and before/after photos are essential for barbershop marketing.
Working Capital Reserve	$2,310	$7,700	$23,100	Barbershops build loyal clientele quickly — most shops reach break-even within 6-12 months.
Total Startup Cost	$10,318	$41,811	$129,360	Required costs only

Licenses & Permits in Mississippi

General Business License

Mississippi does not have a statewide general business license. Businesses must register their entity with the Mississippi Secretary of State and register with the Mississippi Department of Revenue for sales tax purposes. Individual cities and counties in Mississippi issue their own business licenses — Jackson, Gulfport, Biloxi, and other municipalities have their own licensing programs. Mississippi offers an online business registration portal through the Secretary of State's website.

Industry-Specific Licenses

Food Service Establishment Permit — Mississippi Department of Health — Bureau of Environmental Health
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
General Contractor License — Mississippi State Board of Contractors
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Cosmetology Shop License — Mississippi Board of Cosmetology
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Real Estate Broker License — Mississippi Real Estate Commission
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Child Care Facility License — Mississippi State Department of Health — Child Care Facilities Licensure
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Retailer's Package License — Mississippi Department of Revenue — Alcoholic Beverage Control
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Gaming Operator License — Mississippi Gaming Commission
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Pesticide Business Registration — Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual

Home-Based Business Rules

Home-based businesses in Mississippi are regulated by local city and county ordinances. Mississippi's many rural areas outside incorporated municipalities generally have no restrictions on home-based businesses. Cities like Jackson and Gulfport allow home occupations with standard restrictions on commercial signage, customer visits, and business activities that could disturb neighbors. Mississippi's cottage food law supports home-based food production and 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 Mississippi Compares to Neighboring States

Mississippi is one of the more affordable states for launching a Barbershop, with a cost-of-living index of 84.7 (national average is 100). Compared to neighboring Tennessee ($59,800 median startup cost), Mississippi offers lower costs for a Barbershop.

State	Est. Cost	LLC Fee
Mississippi (current)	$50,050	$50
Tennessee	$59,800	$300
Alabama	$52,650	$200
Louisiana	$54,600	$100
Arkansas	$52,650	$45

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 Mississippi barber license from the Mississippi Board of Barber Examiners before cutting hair
2
Register your Barbershop as an LLC with the Mississippi Secretary of State ($50 filing fee)
3
Pass the Mississippi 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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi.