NIC Code for Hair Salon in India

Which NIC code fits a hair salon?

A hair salon is usually classified by the service it actually provides rather than by the products displayed at the counter. For a salon whose core activity is cutting, styling, shampooing, colouring, straightening, curling, shaving, beard grooming or similar hair services, NIC 962100 is the practical starting point. The code describes hairdressing and barber-related activity and is therefore more precise than a broad personal-services label when hair care is the main source of revenue.

This distinction matters for salons that combine several activities under one roof. A modern studio may sell shampoos, offer bridal styling, provide manicure services and employ a make-up artist, but the principal NIC activity should still follow the dominant business operation. If most bookings and income come from hair appointments, 962100 normally represents the establishment better than a code chosen only because an extra service is available.

What activities can sit under 962100?

The code is relevant to conventional barber shops, unisex salons, premium styling studios, neighbourhood hairdressers and businesses specialising in hair colour or grooming. Typical services include men’s and women’s haircuts, blow-drying, hair setting, colouring, bleaching, trimming, shaving, beard shaping and routine hair styling. A salon can also offer packages built around these services without changing the character of the activity.

When another code may be needed

Do not treat every beauty-related business as a hair salon. If the establishment is mainly a beauty parlour providing facials, skin care, waxing, manicure, pedicure or broader cosmetic services, a beauty-service code can be more suitable. Retail sale of cosmetics or hair-care products is also a different economic activity when product sales become a separate or dominant business line. Training students in hairdressing is another case: an academy or vocational centre is not classified in the same way as a customer-facing salon.

Choosing the principal activity for registration

Start with the service that best explains why customers visit the business. Review bookings, staff roles, equipment and expected turnover. A shop with barber chairs, wash stations, colouring work and appointment-based grooming has a clear hair-service profile. If there are multiple meaningful activities, the business may need a principal code for the main activity and additional codes for secondary operations, depending on the registration form or portal being completed.

Avoid selecting an NIC code solely from the brand name. “Salon”, “studio” or “lounge” can describe very different businesses. A hair studio focused on cuts and styling differs from a cosmetic skin clinic, a training institute or a retailer selling professional products. The NIC choice should describe the work performed, not the marketing label on the signboard.

Practical examples

• A barber shop earning from haircuts, shaving and beard styling: 962100 is a strong match.
• A unisex salon where hair services dominate but manicure is also available: use the hairdressing activity as the principal classification and review the secondary service separately.
• A beauty parlour focused on facials, waxing and skin treatments with only occasional hair styling: compare the beauty-service classification before choosing.
• A shop selling hair colour, shampoo and salon equipment without providing salon services: use the relevant retail or wholesale activity instead.

For an accurate NIC selection, match the code to the actual operating model and to the version of NIC required by the authority or platform where the code will be submitted. NIC is an activity classification, so the same brand may legitimately use different codes if it operates separate salon, retail and training businesses.