How to start a mobile hair and barber services business in Quebec

A good fit if you're a stylist or barber who wants your own clients

A mobile stylist or barber brings the salon to the client: busy parents, seniors who can't travel, offices and wedding parties. You skip chair rent and set your own hours. In most US states and some other places you'll need a hairdressing or barber license first, and some places have extra rules for working outside a salon.

From CA$781 to start

Start lean with the essentials and upgrade as customers come, or set up fully from day one.

Once you're running: about CA$60 a month, plus about 10% of what you earn. Insurance, a booking app and your license renewal every month, plus products, fuel and card fees for each client.

Work out your own numbers

Move the sliders to match your plans. The chart shows a first year that builds up as word gets around.

12 steps to your first customers

Each step says what it costs and how long it takes. Most owners get through them in a few weeks.

1. 1

   Get licensed, or check your license

   Months, if you're not licensed yet CA$60–22k

   If you're already licensed, check that your license lets you work outside a salon in Quebec. If you're not, cosmetology or barber school and an exam come first. The low end is a license fee; the high end is school.

   • Training hours and exam
   • License application
   • Renewal dates
2. 2

   Check the rules for home visits

   1–2 days Up to CA$180

   Places differ. Some need a mobile or personal service permit, some only allow certain services at a client's home, and some only allow home visits for clients who are ill or at events.

   • Which services you can do at home
   • Any mobile permit
   • Records and receipts you must keep
3. 3

   Choose your name

   1 day Free

   Pick a name that says what you do and that you come to them. Make sure no one in Quebec has it.

   • 3–5 name ideas
   • Check no one else uses it
   • Check the domain

   Get name ideas for your businessFind a name
4. 4

   Register your business in Quebec

   1 day to 2 weeks CA$41–CA$397

   Most owners start as a sole proprietor and register a business name with their province; incorporating costs more and keeps business debts separate.

   • Register a business name: CA$41
   • Incorporate in Quebec: CA$397
5. 5

   Get your Business Number (BN)

   1–5 days Free

   Your business's tax number from Canada Revenue Agency, for taxes and banking.

   • Register with Canada Revenue Agency
   • Open a business bank account
6. 6

   Sort out GST + QST

   1–3 days Free

   You must register for GST + QST once your sales pass CA$30,000 a year. The rate is 14.975%.

   • Know when to register for GST/HST
   • Keep records of income and costs
   • Set money aside for income tax
7. 7

   Get insured

   1–2 days Quotes are free

   Insurance protects you if something goes wrong on a job. Get quotes from two or three insurers.

   • Professional liability
   • General liability
   • Business use on your car insurance
8. 8

   Build your mobile kit

   1 week CA$560–1.7k

   Start with cordless clippers, good shears, capes and a disinfectant. Add a portable basin and chair once you know what your clients book.

   • Cordless clippers and trimmer
   • Shears, capes and disinfectant
   • A case that rolls
9. 9

   Set your prices and area

   1 day Free

   Set a price for each service and a travel area. Charge a travel fee, or a minimum, beyond it. See the prices below.

   • Cut, wash and event prices
   • Your travel area
   • A minimum or travel fee
10. 10

    Put your business online

    1 day Included

    Clients want to see your prices, your work and when you're free. Online booking lets them pick a time while you plan your route.

    • Website with your prices
    • Online booking
    • Google Business Profile

    PressUp websites can take free online bookingsBuild your website
11. 11

    Get your first 10 clients

    1–4 weeks Free

    Start with past clients, friends and neighbors, then senior communities, offices and wedding planners.

    • Tell past clients you're mobile
    • Visit senior communities
    • Ask every client for a review

    Ask your customers for reviews by email with PressUpSee how
12. 12

    Keep track as you grow

    Ongoing Included

    Know who your clients are, what they had done and when they're due back.

    • Client list and notes
    • Invoices and receipts
    • Rebooking reminders

    Keep your customers and invoices in one place with PressUpSee how

What Quebec asks for

Registering, taxes, and what this business needs. Check the details with each authority: rules change.

What to buy first

Buy the "must haves" to start. Add the rest when customers pay for them.

3 packages that sell

Simple choices make it easy to say yes. Most customers pick the middle one.

How to get your first customers

You don't need an ad budget. These work for new owners almost everywhere.

A month from now, you could be open

Common questions