Barber shops are named in the tonsorial and beauty rules under the sanitation code. That means a sanitary permit before opening, and a health certificate for the owner and every barber, renewed at least yearly. Barbers who cut at clients' homes are covered too. This sample plan fills in DTI and BIR fees; chair rental, haircut prices and sales are blanks for you.[3]
The shop at a glance
Example: [Shop name] Barbershop will have [number] chairs at [street], [city], offering haircuts, fades, shaves and beard trims, walk-in and by booking. Owner: [name], sole proprietor and a barber with [years] of experience. Barbers will work on [commission, chair rental or salary].
Capital required: ₱____ for barber chairs, mirrors, a wash sink, clippers and tools, sterilisers, a waiting area and permits. Owner ₱____; loan ₱____.
Who comes in, and who else cuts hair nearby
Fill in: Men and boys within [distance] who pass at [times]: [number], counted on [days]. Nearby schools, offices or barracks: [names]. We asked [number] how often they get a haircut and what they pay now. Booking demand: [number] people messaged our page before opening.
Competitors: [number] barbershops and [number] salons within [distance]. For each, price of a basic cut by your visit on [date], number of chairs, wait time on Saturday. Your angle: [booking system, shaves, kids' cuts, late hours].
Chairs, barbers and the hygiene routine
Pay model. Choose one and write it down: commission of ____% per cut, chair rental of ₱____ per week, or a salary of ₱____. The model changes who bears slow days, so show it in the financial plan.
Health certificates. The operator and every employee must secure a health certificate, renewed at least every year. If barbers rent chairs instead of being employed, ask your health office how it treats them.[3]
Hygiene. Clean and disinfect clippers, combs and razors between clients; fresh neck strips and towels each time; single-use blades for shaves. Post the routine at each station. In Bacolod, the sanitary permit for tonsorial shops follows an inspection, with updated health certificates for all employees.[4]
Home service and events
The tonsorial IRR also covers individuals who provide home service of a similar trade. If you offer house calls for seniors, weddings or groups, those barbers need the same health certificates and a sealed kit of disinfected tools.[3]
Price home service separately: base cut ₱____ plus travel ₱____ within [distance].
Keep a booking log for home service with date, address and barber, so you can show it if the health office asks.
Permits
No tonsorial establishment may open for public patronage without a sanitary permit from the local health officer; the city or municipality sets the fee.[3]
Money
Start-up. Barber chairs [number] × ₱____; mirrors and stations ₱____; sink and water heater ₱____; clippers, trimmers and sterilisers ₱____; waiting area and sign ₱____; renovation ₱____; DTI name ₱200 plus ₱30 stamp tax; barangay clearance ₱____; mayor's permit ₱____; sanitary permit ₱____; health certificates ₱____ × [barbers]; reserve ₱____.[1]
Monthly. Rent ₱____; power ₱____; water ₱____; supplies ₱____; barber pay per your model ₱____; booking app ₱____.
Sales. Cuts per chair per day [number] × chairs × price ₱____ × days. Break-even cuts per day = fixed costs ÷ (price − commission and supplies per cut) ÷ days.
Risks
A barber leaves with regulars. Shop-owned booking list and loyalty cards. Skin infection complaint. Written hygiene routine and single-use blades. Slow weekdays. Student or senior pricing on [days].
Permit and registration costs: barbershop
| Registration or permit | Office | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| DTI business name (sole proprietor) | DTI | ₱200–₱2,000 by scope, barangay scope often fits one shop | DTI BNRS FAQ |
| Documentary stamp tax on DTI fee | DTI | ₱30 | DTI BNRS FAQ |
| Barangay business clearance | Barangay hall | Set by the barangay | Ask the barangay |
| Mayor's permit and city fees | City or municipal hall | Assessed by the city | Ask the BPLO |
| BIR registration (Annual Registration Fee) | BIR | ₱0, not collected since 22 Jan 2024 | BIR RMC 14-2024 |
| Sanitary permit to operate | Local health office | Set by the city or municipality | PD 856 Ch. XII IRR |
| Health certificate, owner and each barber | Local health office | Set by the city or municipality | PD 856 Ch. XII IRR |
| Inspection before the sanitary permit (Bacolod example) | City health office | Not published | Bacolod requirements list |
Questions people ask
- Do barbershops need a sanitary permit?
- Yes. Barber shops are covered by the tonsorial and beauty rules, and no such establishment may open without a sanitary permit.
- Do barbers need health certificates?
- The operator and every employee need one, renewed at least yearly.
- Can I offer home-service haircuts?
- Yes, and the same IRR covers individuals who provide home service, so plan their health certificates and tool kit.
- Commission or chair rental: which suits a new shop?
- Commission shares slow days with the barber and is simpler at the start. Chair rental gives you fixed income but makes barbers less likely to stay through quiet months. Model both in the financial plan before choosing.
Sources
Checked 14 November 2026. We link the agency's own page for every requirement. Rules change; confirm with the office before you pay.
- Frequently Asked Questions · DTI Business Name Registration System
- Digest of Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 14-2024 · Bureau of Internal Revenue · 24 January 2024
- Implementing Rules and Regulations of Chapter XII, Tonsorial and Beauty Establishments, of P.D. No. 856 · Department of Health (Supreme Court E-Library copy) · 15 December 1997
- Sanitary and Non-Sanitary Requirements (New) · City Government of Bacolod · June 2024