Most women who want to open a beauty salon already know how to do a good facial. The trouble is everything else: which paper comes first, how much money should be in the account before the first client sits down, and whether the salon will pay for itself before your patience runs out. This guide follows the whole path, from the decision to the first six months of work.
It is written for future owners, for beauticians thinking of leaving someone else's salon for their own business, and for those who work from home off the books and want to make it legal.
Prices, fees and thresholds in this text are rough guides, and they vary by city and year. Check current figures with an accountant, at your municipality and on the official sites before you decide anything. Use the numbers to get an order of magnitude, and do not sign contracts based on them.
Legal form: flat-rate sole trader, regular sole trader or d.o.o.
For one salon with one to three people working, the practical choice is between a sole trader on flat-rate tax and a sole trader taxed on actual income. A d.o.o. (limited company) comes into play later.
Sole trader on flat-rate tax (paušalac). The most common choice for a new salon. The tax authority sets tax and contributions in advance for the year, and you do not keep full business books. The limit is annual turnover: if you exceed the legal threshold, you move to taxation on actual income. Check the current threshold with your accountant. Our article on how the paušalac works in a salon covers what counts toward turnover and when the flat rate stops paying off.
Sole trader on actual income. You keep books and pay tax on the difference between revenue and expenses. It makes sense if you have large start-up costs you can deduct, or expect turnover above the flat-rate limit. Accounting costs more and record keeping takes discipline.
D.o.o. It separates personal assets from business risk and makes it easier to bring in a partner or investor. You pay more for that: founding documents, double-entry bookkeeping, annual financial statements, pricier accounting. For one beautician with one salon it is rarely justified at the start. Come back to it when you have three or four employees and a second location.
Begin as a sole trader on the flat rate and reconsider when turnover approaches the limit. A talk with an accountant before registering costs a few thousand dinars and prevents mistakes that cost far more later.
Registering the activity: SKD codes
A sole trader registers with the Serbian Business Registers Agency (APR). The process is electronic and usually quick, and the registration fee for sole traders is symbolic. You need an ID card, a registered address (premises or your apartment), a choice of tax regime and activity codes.
Two codes from the activity classification matter for a beauty salon:
- 96.02 Hairdressing and other beauty treatment. It covers make-up, face and body care, hair removal, manicure and pedicure. For most salons this is the main code.
- 96.04 Physical well-being activities. This covers tanning, saunas, massage and similar treatments. Add it if you offer relaxation and body treatments.
If you sell cosmetics from the salon, there is also a retail code for cosmetic products. Ask your accountant whether you need it or whether it sits fine under the main activity.
The order in practice: 1) agree on the lease conditionally or with a pre-contract, 2) register the sole trader at APR, 3) open a business bank account, 4) register with the tax authority and pension/health funds as the decisions direct, 5) complete the sanitary process described below, 6) notify the municipality of the premises if your local administration requires it. The exact steps differ by municipality, so ask yours and your accountant.
Sanitary and hygiene permits
Beginners underestimate this part, and it delays more openings than anything else. A beauty salon works on clients' skin, so it falls under sanitary supervision.
What is checked in the premises. The sanitary inspection looks at whether the space has:
- running hot and cold water and a sink in the work area or within reach
- ventilation (natural or mechanical) proportionate to the size of the space and the treatments
- walls and floors that can be wiped and disinfected, without damage or damp
- a separate place for clean and used materials
- means of sterilizing or disinfecting instruments, depending on what you do
- a toilet available to clients and staff
- a closed waste bin, plus a separate container for sharps
Instruments and sterilization. If a treatment brings an instrument into contact with skin or blood vessels (extractions, microneedling, manicure and pedicure), sterilization is mandatory. A dry-heat sterilizer or autoclave, single-use materials and a cycle log decide whether an inspection goes well or ends in a warning. Ask the inspection which type of device it accepts for your range of services.
Health certificates. Everyone working in the salon needs a valid sanitary examination and health certificate, renewed within the periods set by regulation. It includes swabs and examinations at the regional public health institute. Each person needs the certificate before their first working day, you included.
How the procedure goes. The application to confirm compliance goes to the sanitary inspection at the municipality or city. An inspector visits and writes a report. Some municipalities require the check before you start work, others allow filing at opening. Get a clear answer on this before you open. Fines for operating without the conditions met are not small, and the inspection also acts on complaints from competitors.
Before you sign a lease, call the inspection or the municipality and ask whether that specific space (ground-floor apartment, commercial unit, part of an office) is suitable for beauty services. Some apartments in residential buildings need a change of use or the approval of the residents' assembly.
Premises: floor area, zoning, rent
Floor area. A working salon for one beautician fits in about 15 m²: a treatment room of 9 to 12 m² plus a small reception corner and access to a toilet. For two people or a separate room for devices, count 25 to 35 m². Below 12 m² it gets cramped as soon as you buy a treatment bed and a machine, and clients feel it.
Zoning. Even in a small space, separate three zones:
- Reception: a counter or desk, a waiting spot, a shelf of retail cosmetics.
- Work zone: bed, instrument table, lamp, machine. A sink must be within reach.
- Support zone: storage, sterilization spot, towel cabinet, a small kitchenette or coffee machine if there is room.
Clean and dirty flows must not cross, so instruments coming back from sterilization should not pass over the reception counter.
Rent. Monthly commercial rents depend heavily on location. Reference ranges for 2026, to be checked against listings for your specific area:
| Location | Approx. rent per m² per month | Small salon, 20 to 25 m² |
|---|---|---|
| Belgrade, centre and busy areas | 15 to 30 EUR | 300 to 750 EUR |
| Belgrade, outskirts and residential districts | 8 to 15 EUR | 160 to 375 EUR |
| Novi Sad | 8 to 18 EUR | 160 to 450 EUR |
| Niš, Kragujevac, Subotica and similar cities | 5 to 10 EUR | 100 to 250 EUR |
| Smaller towns | 3 to 7 EUR | 60 to 175 EUR |
These are rough estimates, not offers. Prices depend on city and year, so verify with your accountant and a real estate agency. Add a deposit (usually one to two months' rent), utilities and any fit-out costs.
In negotiation, ask for a lease of at least three years with an option to extend, since a fit-out only pays if you stay. Check whether the landlord registers the contract with the tax authority, and make sure the activity is permitted in that building. A ground-floor unit on a busy street is worth more than the best interior equipment in a building with no foot traffic.
Equipment: budget vs premium estimate
Equipment decides whether a salon opens in a month or carries a loan for years. Below are two worked estimates for a facial treatment room. Amounts are approximate and exclude rent, deposit and fit-out.
Budget version, about 2,000 to 4,000 EUR in total
- treatment bed or chair (manual adjustment): 250 to 500 EUR
- magnifying lamp: 80 to 200 EUR
- dry sterilizer or UV cabinet: 100 to 300 EUR
- multifunction beauty device (ultrasound, galvanic current, vacuum, brushes): 600 to 1,200 EUR
- steamer, towel warmer: 100 to 250 EUR
- instrument trolley or table, shelf, beautician's chair: 250 to 500 EUR
- first batch of consumables and cosmetics (serums, masks, creams, gloves, disposables, disinfectants): 400 to 800 EUR
- linens, sheets, towels, a little decor: 100 to 250 EUR
This kit covers basic care: cleansing, hydration, peels, masks, facial massage, simple microdermabrasion. Most successful small salons start exactly like this and buy machines once clients start asking for them.
Premium version, about 8,000 to 15,000 EUR in total
- electric treatment bed with height adjustment: 800 to 1,500 EUR
- LED magnifying lamp with cold light: 300 to 600 EUR
- class B autoclave for instruments: 1,200 to 2,500 EUR
- hydrodermabrasion device (HydraFacial type): 3,000 to 6,000 EUR
- radiofrequency or microneedling device: 1,500 to 3,000 EUR
- ultrasound, LED mask, extra module: 500 to 1,500 EUR
- professional steamer, trolley, ergonomic chair: 500 to 900 EUR
- first batch of a professional cosmetics line (wider choice, ampoules, spa products): 1,000 to 2,000 EUR
- reception styling, retail shelf, air conditioning or better ventilation: 800 to 1,500 EUR
Before buying a premium device, ask three questions. Do you have training and a certificate for it? Is there demand in your city for that treatment at a price that repays the investment? Is the device new, with a warranty and service in Serbia? A used device without service is cheap until it breaks.
Owners usually go wrong in one of two directions. Some buy premium machines before they have clients and pay them off for months. Others save on the bed and lamp and work in discomfort. Every treatment uses the bed and lamp, while a machine you use once a week can wait.
Service prices in Serbia, 2026
Prices vary by city, district, the beautician's experience and the cosmetics line. The table gives a range in dinars per treatment, based on publicly listed price lists; prices depend on city and year, so check with your accountant and look at competitors in your area.
| Service | Belgrade | Novi Sad | Elsewhere |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facial cleansing (classic, 60 to 75 min) | 3,500 to 6,000 RSD | 3,000 to 5,000 RSD | 2,000 to 3,800 RSD |
| Hydrating facial | 3,500 to 7,000 RSD | 3,000 to 6,000 RSD | 2,500 to 4,500 RSD |
| Microdermabrasion | 4,500 to 8,000 RSD | 4,000 to 7,000 RSD | 3,000 to 5,500 RSD |
| Hydrodermabrasion (HydraFacial type) | 7,000 to 12,000 RSD | 6,000 to 10,000 RSD | 5,000 to 8,000 RSD |
| Chemical peel | 4,000 to 8,000 RSD | 3,500 to 7,000 RSD | 2,500 to 5,000 RSD |
| Microneedling (dermapen) | 6,000 to 12,000 RSD | 5,000 to 10,000 RSD | 4,000 to 8,000 RSD |
Injections of botulinum toxin and hyaluronic fillers are medical procedures and may be performed only by doctors in a medical facility or clinic, so a beauty salon must not offer them under any "Botox alternative" label. A salon may offer non-invasive options: radiofrequency, needle-free mesotherapy, superficial microneedling, LED therapy and peptide-based care. If clients ask about Botox, arrange a partnership with a dermatology clinic in your city and refer them there. That protects you and them.
To set your own prices, go through the price lists of five to ten salons in your area, including ones that look weaker than you. Do not drop below average just to draw clients, because a low price attracts people who switch salons for the next discount. Start at market level with a promotional first-visit price, then raise the list after two months once the calendar fills.
Marketing for the first 6 months
In the first six months marketing is a half-time job, because a salon without clients is a room full of expensive equipment.
- Google Business Profile: create it for free, enter the exact address, opening hours, list of services and photos of the premises. Most people searching "beauty salon near me" look at the top three on the map. Ask every client for a review after the treatment, since ten honest ratings outweigh professional photos.
- Instagram: one account for the salon, not a personal one. Post before and after shots (with the client's permission), short treatment videos, the price list in stories. Three posts a week are enough if they are real.
- QR code on receipts and business cards: every fiscal receipt and card carries a QR code leading to the booking page or review page. It is the cheapest promotion because only people who have already visited you see it.
- Local partnerships: hair salons, gyms, photographers, bridal shops, clinics. The offer is mutual: a discount on the first treatment for their clients, a discount with them for yours.
- Referrals: a "bring a friend" programme with a discount for both. In smaller towns this is often the main channel.
- Paid advertising: try it only when your calendar is reliably full, otherwise ads bring people you cannot fit in or cannot keep.
Track one number: how many new clients come each month and where they heard of you. Ask at the first visit, and within a month you have data instead of a feeling.
ESIR and fiscalization
Every service paid for by a private individual needs a fiscal receipt. Sole traders serving consumers fall under the electronic fiscal invoice system (ESIR), which replaced the traditional fiscal cash registers. You need certified equipment or software that receives and signs receipts through the tax authority, plus a point-of-sale identifier.
Fines for issuing receipts without fiscalization and for missing records are among the strictest in the tax system, so do not skip this step. Our ESIR guide covers how ESIR works in a beauty salon, which equipment or app to choose and what happens when the internet is down. Your accountant can tell you whether you must introduce fiscalization immediately and which route is simplest.
Software for running a salon
Many owners begin with a notebook and a phone. That works until the fifteenth client, when you book two people at the same time for the first time. You do not need software on day one, but by the third month most salons need the four things below.
Appointment diary. A calendar where you see who comes, when and for which service. It should work on your phone, remember the duration of each service and prevent double booking.
Online booking. A client scrolling Instagram in the evening wants to book right now, not wait for your reply tomorrow. A link in your bio, a button on your Google profile or a Telegram bot handle this without calls and messages. Most lost bookings happen because booking was awkward or slow.
Reminders. No-shows are one of the biggest losses of a small practice. An automatic message the day before reduces missed appointments, and an empty hour is a cost you never recover.
Client database (CRM). Treatment history, allergies, favourite cosmetics lines, date of last visit. After six months it is the most valuable thing you own, because you know whom to call when a gap opens in the schedule.
Skip the system with fifty features. Pick something you can set up in an hour, that clients understand without instructions and that costs nothing until you start earning.
Agendo was built for small salons in Serbia: it is free, with an appointment diary, online booking (link, widget or Telegram bot), a CRM with client history and reminders via Telegram and web push at no extra charge. It works in Serbian, Russian and English, which helps salons with foreign clients. You can try it before opening: enter your services, set working hours and publish the link before the first clients arrive. Create a free account at agendo.work.
The first 6 months: expectations and reality
Break-even. In a small salon with one beautician, average monthly costs (rent 200 to 500 EUR, utilities, consumables, taxes and contributions, insurance, marketing) run roughly 700 to 1,500 EUR, depending on the city. With an average ticket of 5,000 RSD (about 43 EUR) that means 16 to 35 treatments a month just to cover costs, with no pay for you. A decent income needs roughly 60 to 90 treatments a month, about three to four a day. Most salons get there within four to eight months, some sooner, some later. Expect to work at a loss or with minimal income for the first three months, and keep a reserve for six months of costs.
Typical mistakes.
- equipment too expensive before the first client
- premises chosen for low rent: hidden, no foot traffic, no parking
- no record of income and expenses, so in September nobody knows whether the salon earns anything
- a price list at competitor level with no reason to choose you
- working without sanitary conditions and waiting for the inspection to knock first
- too many services at once instead of two or three you are truly good at
- booking by messages, no reminders, and missed appointments every week
When to think about hiring. The signal is a calendar 80 percent full week after week, clients turned away for lack of slots, and you are tired. Before the first employee, work out the costs: gross salary with contributions, an extra workstation or time-sharing the room, training. Many owners first look for a beautician who rents the room or works for a percentage, which lowers the risk until you see that two workstations stay busy.
FAQ
How much does it cost to open a beauty salon in Serbia? For a modest version, count about 3,000 to 6,000 EUR in total, including equipment, lease deposit, small fit-out and the first month of costs. A premium salon with devices easily exceeds 15,000 to 25,000 EUR. Prices depend on city and year, so verify with your accountant.
Can I work from home? It depends on the municipality and the type of housing. Consent is often needed, and the sanitary inspection must confirm the space meets the conditions (water, ventilation, a separate work area). Call the municipality and the inspection before buying equipment.
Do I need a beautician's diploma? Working in a beauty salon generally expects a completed beautician school or an accredited course, and for some devices a manufacturer or training certificate. Check the exact requirements with the relevant ministry and your municipality.
What comes first, premises or registration? Start with the premises on a pre-contract, because the address must be known for registration and sanitary supervision. Then registration at APR, a business account, the sanitary check and fiscalization, and only then the purchase of expensive equipment.