# Barbershop Opening Checklist: Software, Screens, Door

Source: https://nextupwalkin.com/blog/barbershop-opening-checklist

> A barbershop opening checklist: the shop permit and inspection, the chairs and sinks, then the software, the lobby TV and how walk-ins join at the front door.

Getting Started

# Barbershop opening checklist: software, screens and the front door

Opening a barbershop means two lists at once: the one the state inspector brings, and the one nobody hands you about walk-ins, waits, payments and the lobby. This checklist covers both, in the order most new owners need them, so the first week runs on a plan instead of a clipboard.

[Start free, no card](https://nextupwalkin.com/signup?plan=free&from=barbershop-opening-checklist) [See it live](https://app.nextupwalkin.com/s/demo)

[Blog](https://nextupwalkin.com/blog) [By Nicholas Chadwick](https://nextupwalkin.com/about)·Updated October 30, 2026· 6 min read

Joining the line from a phone. Our public demo line.

Their place and wait, live on their own phone.

The lobby TV shows who is called and who is next.

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## The checklist at a glance

**Six jobs, in this order.** Each one has its own section below.

- **8 weeks out: permit and floor plan.** Read your state board’s shop rules before the lease and the chairs.
- **4 weeks out: stations and lobby.** Chairs, sinks, sterilization, and a wall for the TV.
- **2 weeks out: software.** The walk-in line, bookings if you take them, payment at the chair and a client list.
- **1 week out: the front door.** Hours, a QR code to get in line, and a line about waiting anywhere.
- **Opening week: three numbers.** Walk-ins, walk-outs, and quoted against real waits.
- **First month: reviews.** Ask regulars while the shop is new.

## Six to eight weeks out: the permit and the floor plan

**Every state licenses barber shops differently, so start with your state board.** In North Carolina, the Board of Barber and Electrolysis Examiners asks for a shop permit application, a $120 inspection fee and a $50 permit fee, and recommends applying early ([source](https://www.bbee.nc.gov/barbers/forms/barber-shop-forms/initial-barber-shop-license)).

The same board publishes a new-shop checklist: at least 196 square feet, 5 feet between chair centers, a 4-foot clear aisle in front of each chair, and a hand-washing sink within 7 feet of each chair ([source](https://www.bbee.nc.gov/new-shop-inspection-checklist/open)). Measure your floor plan against your own state’s numbers before the plumber locks it in.

## Four weeks out: chairs, stations and the lobby

**Stations come first, because the inspection depends on them.** Chairs, mirrors, sterilization, and a spot for towels and trash.

Then count your lobby seats honestly. A busy walk-in shop fills them fast, and people who cannot sit often decide not to wait, so plan where they will wait instead.

Pick one wall for a TV before the painters come, so the outlet and mount go in the right place. Our guide to the [best TV device for a waiting room display](https://nextupwalkin.com/blog/best-tv-device-for-waiting-room-display) covers the hardware.

## Our pick for a new walk-in shop

One app for the line, the TV and the door

The NextUp app

- **The lobby TV and the door tablet** are on every plan, Free included.
- **Walk-ins join from a QR code** with no app download and no account.
- **Card payments and tips at the chair** are live on every plan.
- **Start on Free with no card:** 1 location, 1 team member and 50 check-ins a month.
- **Add barbers on Walk-in at $29**, with 3 team members included per location.

[Start free, no card](https://nextupwalkin.com/signup?plan=free&from=barbershop-opening-checklist) [Start a 14-day trial, or pick Free at sign-up](https://nextupwalkin.com/signup?from=barbershop-opening-checklist)

Free needs no card: pick it at sign-up. The 14-day trial has every Pro feature, once per business. A card is needed to start, but nothing is charged until the trial ends, when the plan is charged unless you cancel first.

The lobby TV shows who is up and which barber is ready. Demo Barbershop, our public demo line.

## Two weeks out: the software stack

**Most new shops need software for four jobs.** A walk-in line, appointments if you take them, payment at the chair, and a client list you can reach later.

Write down what each app does before you pay for it, so you never pay twice for the same job. Our [barbershop waitlist software checklist](https://nextupwalkin.com/blog/barbershop-waitlist-software) covers what the line should do.

Set up payments before opening day. Test a real card, a tip and a refund, and make sure each barber can do all three.

A walk-in scans the code on the door, types a name and watches the wait on their own phone.

The door tablet takes names when every barber is cutting.

## One week out: the front door

**The front door is where a walk-in decides whether to stay.** Put your hours there, a QR code that says “Scan to get in line”, and one line saying they can wait anywhere and watch their place on their phone.

Print the code large enough to scan from a few steps back. Put the same link in your Instagram bio and your Google Business Profile.

Opening before the software is ready? A [printable barbershop sign-in sheet](https://nextupwalkin.com/tools/sign-in-sheet/barbershop) beats a blank notepad for the first few days.

See it on your own line

[Start free, no card](https://nextupwalkin.com/signup?plan=free&from=barbershop-opening-checklist) [Start a 14-day trial, or pick Free at sign-up](https://nextupwalkin.com/signup?from=barbershop-opening-checklist)

Free needs no card: pick it at sign-up. The 14-day trial has every Pro feature, once per business. A card is needed to start, but nothing is charged until the trial ends, when the plan is charged unless you cancel first.

## Opening week: what to watch

**Write down three numbers every day.**

NumberWhy it matters

Walk-ins who joinedYour real demand, by hour

Walk-ins who left before their turnThe cost of a long or wrong quote

Quoted wait against the real waitThe first thing to fix when people leave

Ask regulars for a review in the first few weeks, while they are glad you opened. Then set a weekly time for the numbers, using our list of [barbershop KPIs to check every week](https://nextupwalkin.com/blog/barbershop-salon-kpis-weekly-report).

## Running the line with the NextUp app

**The NextUp app puts the line, the lobby TV and the front door in one place.** Customers scan your QR code or open your link, add a name, and see their place and wait on their phone.

Barbers call the next person from the Staff Screen, and the TV shows who is up on an Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV or any web browser. Once the line runs, [managing walk-ins at a barbershop](https://nextupwalkin.com/blog/how-to-manage-walk-ins-barbershop) covers the daily routine.

See the [NextUp app for barbershops](https://nextupwalkin.com/industries/barbershops?from=barbershop-opening-checklist), [TV display](https://nextupwalkin.com/features/tv-display?from=barbershop-opening-checklist), [door tablet](https://nextupwalkin.com/features/check-in-kiosk?from=barbershop-opening-checklist), [card readers](https://nextupwalkin.com/features/card-readers?from=barbershop-opening-checklist).

The Walk-in plan is $29 a month for your first location and Pro is $59. Every paid plan starts with a 14-day free trial, once per business. A card is needed to start, but nothing is charged until the trial ends, when the plan is charged unless you cancel first. See [pricing](https://nextupwalkin.com/pricing?from=barbershop-opening-checklist).

[BarbershopsWalk-ins scan the code at your door, pick their barber (or "Anyone"), and watch their place on their phone. The TV shows who's in the chair and who's next. Booked cuts, checkout, tips and booth rent run from the same screen.](https://nextupwalkin.com/industries/barbershops?from=barbershop-opening-checklist) [TV displayPut the live line on the TV in your waiting room, so nobody has to ask how long. It shows who is being called and who is next, with a chime and a code to join, in your colors. Plug in an Apple TV or a streaming stick and pair it with a short code.](https://nextupwalkin.com/features/tv-display?from=barbershop-opening-checklist) [Check-in kioskStand any iPad or Android tablet at the entrance and walk-ins add themselves to the line the moment they arrive, without scanning anything. A name, a tap, and they see their place and wait. Then the screen resets for the next person.](https://nextupwalkin.com/features/check-in-kiosk?from=barbershop-opening-checklist)

## Ready for opening day?

Put the line on the door before you open.

The line, the TV and the door tablet are on every plan, Free included. Set it up in an afternoon and see your first Saturday in numbers.

[Start free, no card](https://nextupwalkin.com/signup?plan=free&from=barbershop-opening-checklist) [Start a 14-day trial, or pick Free at sign-up](https://nextupwalkin.com/signup?from=barbershop-opening-checklist)

Free needs no card: pick it at sign-up. The 14-day trial has every Pro feature, once per business. A card is needed to start, but nothing is charged until the trial ends, when the plan is charged unless you cancel first.

## Questions

### What do I need before I open a barbershop?

A shop permit from your state barber board and a passed inspection, licensed barbers, and a floor plan that meets your state’s spacing and sink rules. Then the stations, payment setup, a way to run the walk-in line such as the NextUp app, and a sign at the door.

### How early should I apply for a barber shop permit?

As early as you can. North Carolina’s board, for example, recommends submitting the application before the shop is ready, because an early application avoids delay.

### Do I need a TV in a barbershop waiting area?

No, but a screen that shows who is up next answers the question walk-ins ask most. The NextUp app’s TV display is on every plan, Free included. Plan the outlet and mount before the walls are finished.

### Can a new barbershop start on a free plan?

Yes, with the NextUp app: the Free plan covers 1 location, 1 team member and 50 check-ins a month, with the TV and door tablet and no card. More team members are on paid plans.

[Nicholas Chadwick](https://nextupwalkin.com/about)Founder, NextUp Walk-in

Founder of NextUp Walk-in and a software engineer with 20 years of building systems that have to work under pressure.

## Ready to try it?

NextUp Walk-in is a walk-in queue for barbershops, salons, restaurants, and service shops. Customers join from the phone they already have. No app required. The trial is 14 days, with every Pro feature.

[Start your free trial](https://nextupwalkin.com/signup) [See how it works](https://nextupwalkin.com/product)

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