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

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Starting a Barbershop in Montana typically costs between $14,550 and $169,750, with a median estimate of $63,050. Montana’s cost of living is 3% below the national average, which helps reduce operating expenses like commercial rent and labor. LLC formation in Montana costs $35 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 Montana?

Low

$14,550

Medium

$63,050

High

$169,750

National average: $15,000 – $175,000

Interactive Startup Cost Calculator

Startup Cost Calculator

Barbershop in Montana

Budget:

Shop Space Lease & Build-Out

$24,250

Barber Chairs & Equipment

$9,700

Barber Tools & Supplies

$2,910

State License & Business Permits

$970

Insurance

$1,455

Booking Software

$776

Marketing & Branding

$2,910

Working Capital Reserve

$9,700

Options

Include 3 months working capital (+$23,280)

Employees:Just Me1–34–10

Startup Costs

$52,671

Monthly Costs

$7,760

First Year Total

$145,791

Full Cost Breakdown

Cost Category	Low	Medium	High	Notes
Shop Space Lease & Build-Out	$4,850	$24,250	$77,600	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	$2,910	$9,700	$29,100	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	$970	$2,910	$7,760	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	$194	$970	$2,910	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	$485	$1,455	$3,880	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	$194	$776	$2,910	StyleSeat, Booksy, and Squire are popular barbershop-specific booking platforms billed on monthly subscriptions that scale with chair count.
Marketing & Branding	$485	$2,910	$9,700	Instagram transformation content and before/after photos are essential for barbershop marketing.
Working Capital Reserve	$2,910	$9,700	$29,100	Barbershops build loyal clientele quickly — most shops reach break-even within 6-12 months.
Total Startup Cost	$12,998	$52,671	$162,960	Required costs only

Licenses & Permits in Montana

General Business License

Montana does not have a statewide general business license. Businesses must register their entity with the Montana Secretary of State and register with the Montana Department of Revenue for withholding taxes. Montana has no sales tax, which simplifies business registration. Some Montana cities and counties require local business licenses. The state's outdoor economy and tourism industry influence many licensing requirements.

Industry-Specific Licenses

Food and Drug Establishment License — Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services — Food and Consumer Safety
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Contractor Registration — Montana Department of Labor and Industry — Employment Relations Division
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Cosmetology Salon License — Montana Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Real Estate Broker License — Montana Board of Realty Regulation
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Outfitter License — Montana Board of Outfitters
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Child Care Facility License — Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services — Child Care Licensing
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Beer or Liquor License — Montana Department of Revenue — Liquor Control Division
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual
Pesticide Dealer License — Montana Department of Agriculture
Cost: Varies — contact agency • Renewal: Annual

Home-Based Business Rules

Home-based businesses in Montana face minimal regulation in rural and unincorporated areas, which make up most of the state's land area. Bozeman, Missoula, Billings, and Great Falls regulate home occupations through local zoning ordinances with standard restrictions on signage and customer traffic. Montana's cottage food law supports home-based food production. Remote home-based businesses are common in Montana's scattered rural communities.

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 Montana Compares to Neighboring States

Montana is close to the national average for Barbershop startup costs, with a cost-of-living index of 96.8. Compared to neighboring North Dakota ($53,300 median startup cost), Montana has higher costs for a Barbershop.

State	Est. Cost	LLC Fee
Montana (current)	$63,050	$35
North Dakota	$53,300	$135
South Dakota	$53,950	$150
Wyoming	$54,600	$100
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 Montana barber license from the Montana Board of Barber Examiners before cutting hair
2
Register your Barbershop as an LLC with the Montana Secretary of State ($35 filing fee)
3
Pass the Montana 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 Montana 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 Montana.