Home hair salon in Perth: approvals to check before you take your first client

Abby's take

What this means for the industry — and for independents

Industry impact. Western Australia repealed the Hairdressing Establishment Regulations 1972 on 4 June 2024 and replaced the old low-risk regulatory model with industry guidance. That did not remove local planning, building, property or general public-health responsibilities, so the practical question has shifted from one salon registration to several address-specific checks.

For freelancers. For a Perth hairdresser, discovering an approval problem after buying basins, changing plumbing or taking deposits can create delay, rework and refunds. A written pre-lodgement check can clarify how client visits, floor area, parking, signage and fit-out are likely to be classified before money is committed.

What I'd do next

• Write a one-page operating description covering services, hours, clients per day, floor area, parking, signage, deliveries and any non-resident workers.
• Send the description and address to the relevant local government's planning team and ask for written guidance on classification and approvals.
• Ask building services whether plumbing, electrical work, a basin, access changes or a converted room require a permit or use assessment.
• Read the current WA Health hairdressing guideline and design cleaning, handwashing, linen, equipment and spill procedures around the room.
• Check the lease, strata by-laws, insurer requirements and any owner or lender permission before paying for a fit-out or accepting bookings.

Watch-out. Approval pathways vary by local government, property zoning, strata arrangements, services and fit-out. This is general information, not legal, planning, building, insurance or public-health advice; obtain written advice for the exact address and proposal.

The first answer depends on the address and operating model

There is no single Perth-wide approval answer for every home hair salon. Local governments apply their planning schemes and policies to the property and to the way the business will operate. A quiet administrative home office, a client-facing home occupation and a larger home business can sit in different categories even when they share the same residential address.

The City of Vincent says a home office or home occupation usually does not need planning approval, while a home business usually does. Its guide describes a home occupation as generally using no more than 20 square metres and a home business as a larger model that can employ up to two people who do not live at the property. These examples are orientation, not rules to copy across every Perth council.

Client attendance makes hairdressing different from working on a laptop at home. Tell the council how many clients may arrive, whether appointments overlap, where they park, what hours you plan to work, what signage is proposed and whether another worker will be present.

• Property address and zoning
• Room size and total business floor area
• Expected clients and vehicles per day
• Appointment overlap and operating hours
• Workers, deliveries, signage and proposed alterations

Compare the home model with a shared salon workspace · Use the self-employed hairdresser setup guide

Separate planning, building and public-health questions

Planning approval asks whether the business use is suitable at that location. Building approval asks whether proposed works and the way the room is used meet building requirements. Public-health guidance deals with safe operation. One answer does not settle the other two.

The City of Joondalup's current hairdressing guide says establishments are no longer required to be registered with the City following repeal of the old regulations, but planning and building requirements still apply. It advises operators to discuss the specific project with the City before lodging applications.

A wash basin, new plumbing, changed access, electrical work, ventilation or a room conversion may raise building questions even if the business use is acceptable. Ask planning and building teams separately and use licensed trades where required.

Review the WA hair-salon hygiene checklist

Build hygiene into the room before choosing finishes

WA Health's Guideline for the hairdressing industry covers premises design, infection control, waste, cleaning and blood or body-fluid spill response. The old registration rules may be gone, but the general public-health duty and safe working practices still matter. Local environmental health officers can investigate complaints and provide advice.

Plan around cleanable surfaces, accessible handwashing, separation of clean and used items, covered storage, safe chemical handling and realistic laundry. The guideline recommends clean towels or linen for each client, dry storage for clean linen, appropriate equipment cleaning and a procedure for accidental cuts.

Make the process workable on a fully booked day. If the route from a used towel to laundry crosses the clean-equipment area, the floor plan needs another pass. A cleaning schedule with task, method, frequency and responsible person turns guidance into a routine.

Test parking, neighbours and the client arrival experience

Residential amenity is a common thread in home-business policies. Traffic, parking, noise, odour, signage and operating hours can affect whether a proposal remains compatible with the area. Model the busiest realistic hour, not an ideal day with one perfectly punctual client.

Check where one client waits if the previous appointment runs late, whether a rideshare can stop safely and whether visitors will use bays needed by residents. Avoid overlaps if the property cannot absorb them. Keep colour mixing, dryers, music and waste management inside a plan that will not create an unreasonable impact.

Give clear arrival instructions without publishing private household details more widely than necessary. Decide how personal items are secured and whether clients can access a bathroom without crossing private living areas.

Get property and insurance permission in writing

Council acceptance is not permission from every party connected to the property. A residential lease may restrict business use or alterations. Strata by-laws may deal with visitors, signage, parking or common property. An owner, strata company, lender or insurer may need information or consent.

Tell the insurer what services are provided, how many clients attend, whether products or equipment are stored at home and whether any worker is present. Ask how public liability, professional risks, stock, equipment and damage to the residence are treated.

If permission is uncertain, do not rely on verbal reassurance from someone who cannot bind the relevant organisation. Written answers create a clearer record and make the true cost and risk easier to compare.

Compare home and shared space on total friction

Home can reduce a visible weekly workspace payment, but the real comparison includes fit-out, approvals, utilities, cleaning, insurance, parking, household disruption, lost privacy and reset time. A shared professional space has its own cost and terms, but may remove some property and fit-out burdens.

Score both options against five questions: Can clients reach it easily? Can you operate safely and professionally? Are permissions clear? Can the intended diary fit without harming the household or neighbourhood? What costs remain in a quiet week? The stronger model is the one you can actually operate.

If home still wins, make approval and permission conditions part of the launch plan. If it does not, compare flexible workspace structures before taking on a larger commitment.

Work through a numbers-first workspace comparison · Explore the Northbridge hairdresser workspace

Authoritative sources checked on 19 September 2026

City of Vincent, Home-based business approvals: https://www.vincent.wa.gov.au/plan-build/business/approvals/home-based-businesses.aspx

City of Joondalup, hairdressing business guide: https://www.joondalup.wa.gov.au/business-and-investment/business-approval-guides-and-checklists/hairdressing

WA Department of Health, Stage 5 of the Public Health Act, published 4 June 2024: https://www.health.wa.gov.au/News/2024/Stage-5-of-the-Public-Health-Act-is-now-live

WA Department of Health, Guideline for the hairdressing industry: https://www.health.wa.gov.au/~/media/Corp/Documents/About-us/Public-Health-Act/Guideline-for-the-hairdressing-industry.pdf

Common questions