Beauty licensing in South Africa
Everything beauty professionals need to know about licensing, training and business registration in South Africa — sourced from SAHA — South African Hairdressing Association and 2 other regulators.
This page is informational. Regulations change — verify current requirements with the official regulators linked below before making business decisions.
Profession-by-profession requirements
| Profession | License |
|---|---|
Hairdresser Hairdressing is a designated trade under the Bargaining Council. You need a recognised SAQA qualification (Hairdressing NQF Level 3 or 4) and trade test. | Required |
Barber Same Bargaining Council framework as hairdressing. Barbering NQF Level 3 qualification. | Required |
Somatologist / Skin Care Therapist Voluntary registration with SAAHSP (South African Association of Health & Skincare Professionals). | Voluntary |
Nail Technician Voluntary certification. | Voluntary |
Registering a salon business in South Africa
Entity types
- Sole Proprietor
- Private Company (Pty) Ltd
- Close Corporation (legacy)
Est. cost: R 175 (CIPC company registration) + local business licence
Timeline: 1–3 weeks
VAT (15%) registration mandatory above R 1 million annual turnover.
Official government & regulator resources
Common questions about beauty licensing in South Africa
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