A Guide To DBKL Hair Salon And Barber Shop Licenses

Besides stable demand, one of the main advantages of opening a hair salon or barber shop is the relatively undemanding technical and capital requirements.

Plus, you perform the most noble of services: Helping balding people disguise their hair loss!

barbershop in kuala lumpur — *Enjoy it while it lasts, buddy.*

If you plan to open your shop within the area of Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, you will need to apply for a salon or barber shop premise license from Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL).

Unfortunately, their official guidelines are only available in Bahasa Melayu, so we’ve translated it into English for those whose Malay is more rusty than trusty.

Here’s how we’ve broken it down:

Mandatory documents
A full breakdown of the requirements
License fee

Let’s begin.

Required documents
Barber shop and salon requirements
License fee
Let MISHU help with your barber shop license

Required documents

To apply for a barber shop or hair salon premise license, prepare the following documents:

Application form (can be found on DBKL’s eLesen portal)
Copy of company / business registration (Form 9 & 49 or Form D with business / owner details)
Copy of applicant’s identity card/passport

For those new to business, this means you can’t apply for a premise license before you register an Enterprise or incorporate a company.

That’s a problem MISHU can easily solve, so hit us up if you want to fix it!

Barber shop and salon requirements

DBKL’s premise licenses are valid for a year and must be renewed, so this list includes ongoing requirements that your business must continue to meet.

dbkl shuts down barber shop due to breaking rules — *In case you were wondering, this business model won’t work anymore!*

DBKL can inspect your premises any time, and non-compliance could lead to a license termination.

1. Licensing and display

The business licence must always be displayed in a clearly visible location.
The licensed business premises must be used solely for the activities stated in the licence.

2. Operational restrictions

Entertainment activities such as singing, karaoke, and other forms of entertainment are not permitted within the premises.
Eating, drinking, or selling any food or beverages within the premises is prohibited.
Pets are not allowed to be brought into or kept within the premises.
Partitioning walls or rooms within the premises are not allowed without prior approval of building modifications from the Department of Urban Design and Building, DBKL.

3. Premise standards

The doors or walls of the premises must be made of glass, allowing clear visibility from both outside and inside. Any posters or images placed on the glass must not cover the entire surface.
Business activities must be confined to within the premises, and it is strictly forbidden to use pavements or open spaces surrounding the premises for business purposes.
Adequate rubbish bins, approved by DBKL, must be provided, and all waste must be placed in plastic bags before being deposited into the bin.

4. Staff and conduct

Employees at the barbershop/hair salon must be 18 years of age or older.
Barbers / hairdressers must wear modest, neat, and clean uniforms.
Barbers / hairdressers must always be courteous when serving customers.
Barbers / hairdressers are required to undergo a medical check-up once a year and submit a health certificate from a government-approved doctor to DBKL.

6. Legal Compliance and Inspections

Authorised officers from the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur may enter the premises for inspection at any time.
The business must not cause any disturbances or pollution to the environment.
The sale of items that may offend the sensitivities of Malaysian society is strictly prohibited.
The premises are to be used exclusively for haircutting and hairdressing purposes. Any immoral activities, such as prostitution, gambling, or drug abuse, are strictly prohibited. It is the business operator’s responsibility to ensure such activities do not occur.