Sapna is a content writer at Sprintlaw. She has completed a Bachelor of Laws with a Bachelor of Arts. Since graduating, she has worked primarily in the field of legal research and writing, and now helps Sprintlaw assist small businesses.
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No, New Zealand doesn't have one single national hairdressing licence that lets you cut, colour or style hair. The former national Health (Hairdressers) Regulations 1980 were revoked on 31 July 2025, and hairdressing is no longer regulated under the Health Act 1956.
That doesn't mean there are no rules. The real question is where you're operating, what services you offer, whether clients come to your home, and whether you use employees, contractors or chair renters. You should check local council planning and bylaw requirements for your premises and services, keep strong hygiene and health and safety systems, and check extra rules if you offer beauty, skin penetration, laser, IPL or injectable services. Getting those details right early can save you a lot of stress once bookings start filling up.
Do You Need A Hairdressing Licence In NZ?
There's no general hairdressing licence in NZ like some overseas cosmetology licensing systems. A qualified hairdresser may have industry training or a New Zealand Certificate in Hairdressing, but the law doesn't usually require every stylist to hold a personal licence before providing standard hairdressing services.
Until 31 July 2025, the Health (Hairdressers) Regulations 1980 set national hygiene and premises requirements for hairdressing businesses. Those regulations have now been revoked. So you shouldn't assume you need a certificate of registration under those former regulations simply because you cut or colour hair.
However, council rules still matter. Depending on your location and set-up, you may need to check:
- whether your premises can be used for a salon under the local district plan
- whether resource consent, building consent or a change of use approval is needed
- whether local bylaws apply to your business activity, signage, waste, water or trade waste
- whether your lease or body corporate rules allow salon use
- whether your fit-out has safe plumbing, ventilation, lighting, flooring and access
Rules can vary between councils, especially for home salons, mobile services and businesses that also offer beauty services. Before you launch, check your local council's current planning, environmental health and bylaw requirements for your exact address and service list.
What About Beauty Or Cosmetology Services?
There's also no single national cosmetology licence for all beauty services in NZ. But if you add services such as skin piercing, tattooing, microblading, laser, IPL, cosmetic injectables, waxing or advanced skin treatments, you may trigger extra council bylaws, health standards, training expectations and equipment requirements.
If your business is mostly hairdressing but you plan to add beauty treatments, treat that as a separate compliance check rather than assuming the hairdressing rules cover everything.
Can You Run A Hairdressing Business From Home?
Yes, you can run a hairdressing business from home in NZ if your local rules and set-up allow it. You still need to check zoning, hygiene, parking, signage, client access, insurance and whether your home set-up is safe for workers and clients.
Home Salon Requirements In NZ
A home salon often feels simple because you already have the space. Legally, it can be more complicated because you're using a residential property for business visitors and commercial hygiene processes.
Common issues to check include:
- District plan rules: whether home-based business activities are permitted at your address
- Council bylaws: whether local rules apply to signage, waste, wastewater, nuisance, noise or client visits
- Client traffic: limits on visitors, parking, noise, operating hours and access
- Hygiene fit-out: suitable hand washing, hair washing, ventilation, cleanable surfaces and waste handling
- Insurance: whether your home and business insurance actually covers clients coming onto the property
A good starting point is understanding the general rules around running a business from home, then checking your local council requirements for your address and services.
Mobile hairdressers should do a similar check. You may not have a fixed salon, but you still need safe hygiene systems, clean tools, safe chemical handling and clear client terms. If you operate across multiple council areas, check whether any local bylaws or event rules apply in those areas.
What Business Structure Should Your Salon Use?
Most hairdressing businesses operate as a sole trader, company or partnership. The best structure depends on how much risk you're taking on, whether you have co-owners, whether you're hiring staff and how you want to grow.
- Sole trader: simple to start and common for mobile stylists, freelancers and early-stage home salons
- Company: more formal and often better for a growing salon with staff, larger contracts or multiple owners
- Partnership: used where two or more people run the business together without forming a company
In NZ, you don't register a business name in the same way some other countries do. If you set up a company, you register it with the Companies Office and receive an NZBN. Sole traders and partnerships can also have or apply for an NZBN, which can help with supplier accounts and business identification.
If you're setting up a company, you may want a company constitution early, especially if there will be multiple owners or you want clearer rules for how directors and shareholders make decisions.
There are also tax and ACC steps to think about. For example, if your taxable supplies are over the GST registration threshold in a 12-month period, you generally need to register for GST. Check the current threshold and your obligations with your accountant or Inland Revenue before you start trading heavily.
What Salon Regulations And Health Rules Apply Day To Day?
Hairdressing salons aren't usually seen as high-risk workplaces, but they involve chemicals, sharp tools, heat, water, electricity and close contact with clients. The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 requires you to take reasonably practicable steps to keep workers, clients and others safe.
Even though the former Health (Hairdressers) Regulations 1980 no longer apply, practical hygiene is still essential. It protects your clients, your team, your brand and your insurance position. It also helps if a council, landlord, insurer or client ever asks how you manage risk.
Daily safety systems for a salon should cover:
- safe handling and storage of bleach, peroxide, colour and cleaning products
- manufacturer instructions and safety data sheets for chemical products
- patch testing and client screening where appropriate
- cleaning, disinfection and towel handling
- slip risks around basins, spills and wet floors
- safe use of electrical tools, extension leads and heat appliances
- training and supervision for juniors, apprentices and new staff
- recording incidents, injuries and near misses
Worked Example: Home Colour Studio In Wellington
Amelia wants to run a home colour studio from a converted garage. She plans to see 5 clients a day, 4 days a week, and charge an average of $180 per colour service. That's around $3,600 a week before expenses, so she checks GST with her accountant early rather than waiting until the business is already busy.
Before opening, Amelia contacts her council. Instead of applying under the former national hairdressing regulations, she checks whether the district plan allows a home salon, whether the garage conversion needs any building or plumbing approval, whether signage and parking are allowed, and whether any local bylaws affect wastewater or business use. She also checks her insurance, prepares booking terms with a 48-hour cancellation rule, and uses written consultation notes for colour history, allergies and patch testing.
The outcome isn't just legal compliance. Amelia has clearer pricing, fewer no-show losses, better client records and a safer set-up if a council officer, insurer or unhappy client asks questions later.
What Consumer Laws Apply To Pricing, Complaints And Products?
Most salon complaints are about expectations. A client thought the colour would be lighter, the quote would be lower, the damage wouldn't happen, or the appointment would include a treatment. Clear communication is your best first line of defence.
Two key laws apply to hairdressing services in NZ:
- Fair Trading Act 1986: your pricing, advertising and promotions must not be misleading or deceptive
- Consumer Guarantees Act 1993: your services must be carried out with reasonable care and skill and be fit for the purpose the client made known
If you advertise prices as from a certain amount, explain what changes the price. For example, long hair, colour correction, extra bowls of colour, toner, bond treatments and extra time should be flagged before the service continues. If you take deposits or charge no-show fees, make the rule clear at the time of booking and keep it reasonable.
No refunds signs don't override consumer law. If there's a genuine problem with the service, the right remedy depends on the situation. You may offer a fix, redo, partial refund or other practical solution. Good consultation notes and photos can help show what was requested, what risks were explained and what was delivered.
If you sell retail products in-salon or online, your product descriptions, prices, delivery timeframes and returns process also need to be accurate. Online sales should have clear customer terms, especially if you take payment through your website, booking platform or social media store.
What Are Your Employment And Contractor Obligations?
Hiring a junior, apprentice, receptionist or senior stylist brings extra obligations under the Employment Relations Act 2000, Holidays Act 2003, Minimum Wage Act 1983 and related employment laws. The first issue is whether the person is an employee or a genuine contractor.
Employees, Contractors And The 2026 Contractor Gateway Test
Calling someone a contractor doesn't automatically make them one. If they work under your direction, follow your roster, wear your branding, use your systems and don't run an independent business of their own, they may be treated as an employee.
The Employment Relations Amendment Act 2026 introduced a contractor gateway test intended to give businesses more certainty where a relationship genuinely meets the statutory contractor criteria. For salons, the practical point is that a chair renter or freelance stylist needs real independence, not just a different label. Written contractor terms, freedom to accept or decline work, control over how services are provided, and the ability to operate their own business all matter.
If the gateway isn't met, the usual substance-over-label analysis can still expose the salon to employment obligations such as minimum wage, holiday pay, leave, wage records and personal grievance risk. A proper Employment Contract is essential where the person is an employee.
Hair Stylist Commission Laws In Practice
Commission and incentive structures are common in salons, but they can't undercut minimum employment standards. If a stylist is an employee, you need to make sure their pay for each pay period meets at least the current minimum wage for the hours worked, even if their commission is low that week.
Using the adult minimum wage of $23.95 per hour from 1 April 2026, 32 hours creates a minimum pay floor of $766.40. If a stylist's 40 percent commission on services comes to $680, you would need to top them up by $86.40 for that week.
You should also document how commissions are calculated, when they're paid, what happens with refunds or re-dos, and whether retail sales are included. Under the Holidays Act 2003, commission and regular incentives can also affect holiday pay calculations, so payroll set-up matters.
What Legal Documents Should A Hairdressing Business Have?
The right documents depend on whether you're a home stylist, mobile hairdresser, salon owner, chair renter, employer or product seller. The goal is to make expectations clear before something goes wrong.
Client Terms And Booking Rules
Your client terms can sit in your online booking flow, confirmation emails, website and salon signage. They usually cover deposits, cancellations, no-shows, late arrivals, price variations, patch testing, complaints, refunds, client disclosures and photo consent.
Employment, Contractor And Chair Rental Documents
Employees need written employment agreements with the required terms. Contractors need contractor agreements that reflect how the relationship actually works. Where salons use chair rental, a clear Rent A Chair Agreement can set out what is included in the chair fee, access hours, product use, client ownership, cleaning, confidentiality, marketing and exit rights.
Partnership Or Co-Owner Agreements
If you're opening a salon with a friend, family member or another stylist, document the relationship while everyone is still aligned. A partnership agreement can cover contributions, profit shares, responsibilities, decision-making and what happens if someone wants to leave. If you operate through a company, a shareholders agreement usually sets the rules between owners.
Privacy Policy And Photo Consent
Salons often collect client names, phone numbers, booking history, colour formulas, allergy notes, before-and-after photos and payment details. Under the Privacy Act 2020, you should only collect information you need, tell clients how you use it, keep it secure, and allow clients to access or correct it.
If you collect information online through bookings, contact forms, marketing lists or e-commerce, a clear Privacy Policy is a practical must-have. If you use client photos on Instagram, TikTok, your website or ads, get specific consent rather than relying on a casual conversation in the chair.
Brand Protection
Your salon name, logo and signature service names can become valuable assets. A domain name or social handle doesn't stop someone else from using a similar brand. If you plan to grow, sell products or build a recognisable local brand, consider protecting your name through IPONZ with Register Your Trade Mark.
Step By Step Checklist Before You Open
- Choose Your Business Model: decide whether you're operating as a salon, home salon, mobile stylist, chair renter or multi-stylist business.
- Check Council Requirements: confirm planning, building, home business, signage, wastewater, hygiene and bylaw rules for your exact location and services.
- Set Your Structure: choose sole trader, partnership or company, register with the Companies Office if needed, and organise your NZBN and tax registrations.
- Prepare Safety Systems: document chemical handling, cleaning, incident reporting, patch testing, training and equipment checks.
- Write Client Terms: cover deposits, cancellations, no-shows, price changes, complaints, refunds and photo consent.
- Sort Staff And Contractor Documents: use proper employment agreements, contractor agreements or chair rental terms based on the real working relationship.
- Protect Client Data: use a Privacy Policy, secure your booking platform and control access to client records and photos.
- Protect Your Brand: check name availability and consider trade mark protection before investing heavily in signage, packaging or marketing.
Key Takeaways
- NZ doesn't have one national personal hairdressing licence, and the former Health (Hairdressers) Regulations 1980 were revoked on 31 July 2025.
- Salons, home salons and mobile hairdressers should still check council planning, building, bylaw, signage, waste and premises rules for their exact services.
- Extra rules may apply if you offer beauty, skin penetration, laser, IPL, injectable or advanced skin services alongside hairdressing.
- Pricing, promotions, refunds and service complaints need to comply with the Fair Trading Act 1986 and Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.
- Commission pay is allowed, but employee stylists must still receive at least minimum employment entitlements for the hours they work.
- Client terms, privacy documents, employment agreements, chair rental agreements and trade mark protection can make your salon easier to run and safer to grow.
If you'd like help with client terms, employment or contractor agreements, chair rental arrangements or privacy documents for your hairdressing business, you can reach us at 0800 002 184 or team@sprintlaw.co.nz for a free, no-obligations chat.
Sapna Goundancontent writer
