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Find insurance for hair salons in North Carolina
Learn about beauty salon insurance requirements and the most common policies for hair stylists and salon owners in North Carolina.
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What are the most common policies for North Carolina hair salons?
Stylists may need different types of insurance depending on the services they offer. These are the most popular hairstylist insurance policies for North Carolina salons and beauticians, which protect against financial losses from accidents and lawsuits.
General liability insurance
General liability coverage handles basic hair salon risks, such as spilling dye on a customer’s expensive clothing. Bundle with commercial property insurance for savings in a BOP.
BEST FOR
- Customer bodily injury
- Customer property damage
- Product liability insurance
Business owner’s policy
A BOP bundles general liability insurance and commercial property insurance at a discount. This is often one of the most cost-effective salon insurance policies.
BEST FOR
- Slip-and-fall accidents
- Business property damage
- Business interruption coverage
Professional liability insurance
This policy covers lawsuits over your professional services, such as dissatisfaction over a client's hair dye or styling. It's also called errors and omissions insurance (E&O).
BEST FOR
- Lawsuits from dissatisfied customers
- Harm caused by a treatment
- Mistakes, such as using the wrong dye
Workers’ compensation insurance
North Carolina requires workers' comp for salons that have three or more employees. It also protects sole proprietors from work injury costs health insurance might deny.
BEST FOR
- Employee medical expenses
- Disability benefits
- Legal fees from employee injury lawsuits
Cyber insurance
Cyber insurance covers costs related to data breaches and cyberattacks. It's strongly recommended for hair salons that handle credit card numbers and other personal information.
BEST FOR
- Data breach notification costs
- Fraud monitoring services
- Cyber incident investigations
Commercial auto insurance
Commercial auto insurance covers the cost of accidents involving a vehicle owned by a hair salon. North Carolina requires this coverage for vehicles owned by a business.
BEST FOR
- Property damage caused by your vehicle
- Legal costs from auto accidents
- Vehicle theft and vandalism
Looking for different coverage? See more policies.
Which policies are required for hair salons and stylists in North Carolina?
Whether you're in Charlotte, Raleigh, Cary, Asheville, Winston-Salem, or elsewhere in the state, hair salon businesses in North Carolina often must carry the following types of insurance coverage to comply with laws:
Workers' compensation insurance
North Carolina state law requires hair and beauty salons with three or more employees to provide workers’ compensation insurance, which covers medical bills for work-related injuries and occupational diseases. This policy is also recommended for sole proprietors, as health insurance can deny claims for injuries related to your job.
Workers' comp provides disability benefits to offset lost wages for North Carolina workers who are disabled or recovering from a job-related injury, such as if you slip and break an arm in your salon. Policies usually include employer's liability insurance, which covers legal expenses if an employee sues their employer over an injury.
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Commercial auto insurance
State law requires commercial auto insurance for any vehicle owned by a business, including hair stylists and salons. This policy covers property damage and medical costs resulting from an accident. It can help pay for vehicle theft, weather damage, and vandalism, depending on the coverage options you choose.
All North Carolina vehicles must have the following car insurance, at a minimum:
- $30,000 bodily injury liability per person
- $60,000 bodily injury liability per accident
- $25,000 property damage liability
If you or your hair stylists drive their personal vehicles for salon work, you'll need a different policy. Because personal auto insurance won't cover work-related driving, you'll need hired and non-owned auto insurance (HNOA) in this situation, or if you rent or lease a vehicle used for business. You can often add this coverage to your general liability policy as an endorsement.
Do I need a hair salon or stylist license in North Carolina?
In North Carolina, anyone who provides cosmetology or barbering services—such as hair cutting, coloring, styling, or chemical treatments—must hold a valid license from the North Carolina Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners.
Depending on your role, this could be a cosmetologist, hairstylist, esthetician, manicurist or natural hair care specialist license. Each license requires completing a state-approved training program, passing written and practical exams, paying the licensing fee, and meeting minimum hour requirements (such as 1,500 hours for cosmetologists). Working without a valid license can result in fines or disciplinary action from the Board.
If you plan to open or operate a salon, you’ll also need a Cosmetic Art Shop License issued by the Board. This license is required even if you don’t personally perform services. Unlicensed owners may manage the business, but they cannot assist stylists or provide any services to clients. Because shop licenses are location-specific, you’ll need a new one if your salon moves location or changes ownership.
Home-based salons must also obtain a shop license and comply with state sanitation and facility rules—such as having a separate entrance, proper plumbing, and meeting local zoning or building codes.
Beyond licensing, salon owners should make sure their business is properly registered, meets state health and safety standards, and complies with tax and employment regulations enforced in North Carolina.
What do hair salons in North Carolina pay for insurance?
Hair salons in North Carolina that buy policies from Insureon pay an average of:
General liability: $29 per month
Business owner's policy: $42 per month
Workers' compensation: $50 per month
Factors that affect hair salon insurance costs during underwriting include:
- Services offered, such as haircuts, hair color, and waxing
- Value of business property
- Business income and size
- Location
- Types of business insurance purchased
- Policy limits, deductibles, and exclusions
- Coverage add-ons, such as additional insureds
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How do I get North Carolina hair salon and stylist insurance?
Insureon’s industry-leading technology helps hair salons and barbershops in North Carolina save time and money shopping for insurance by comparing policies from top U.S. carriers. Start a free online application to review quotes for the policies that best fit your business. Our insurance agents are licensed in North Carolina and can answer your questions as you consider coverage.
To make the application go quicker, have this information ready:
- Workforce details, such as the number and types of employees
- Current and projected revenue
- Business partnerships
- Insurance history and prior liability claims
- Commercial lease insurance requirements
Apply for free insurance quotes today to find cheap salon and beauty insurance that fits your business needs. Most small business owners receive a certificate of insurance (COI) for proof of insurance the same day.