How to Transfer a Hair Salon or Beauty Salon in Spain: Profesional Guide 2026

Making the decision to leave a business you have dedicated years of effort to is not easy. However, in the personal image sector, rotation is a constant reality. If you are wondering how to transfer a hair salon or how to sell a beauty salon in Spain, you should know that it is not just about handing over the keys and collecting a check. It is a complex financial and legal operation that requires precision.

In 2025, the beauty market has evolved. Assets are no longer just styling chairs or laser equipment; they now include digital databases, online reputation, and increasingly strict licenses. In this comprehensive guide, we analyze step-by-step how to manage this transition to obtain maximum profitability and avoid future legal problems.

Transfer vs. Selling a Hair Salon: What is the difference?

Before putting up the "for sale" sign, it is fundamental to legally define what operation you are going to carry out. In colloquial language, we talk about "selling the hairdresser's," but legally there are substantial differences that affect taxes and liabilities.

Asset sale, company sale, or business assignment

Depending on your legal form (Autónomo/Self-employed or Sociedad Limitada/Limited Company), the operation varies:

• Business Transfer (Traspaso/Cesión de Actividad): This is the most common formula if you are self-employed and rent the premises. Here you assign the lease contract (the right to use the premises) and sell the tangible assets (furniture, stock) and intangible assets (goodwill, brand).
• Sale of Shares (Sociedad Limitada): If your beauty salon is incorporated as an S.L., you can sell all the shares to the buyer. In this case, the ownership of contracts (rent, electricity, employees) does not change, as they remain in the company's name. Only the owner of the company changes.
• Sale of individual assets: This occurs when the business closes, and the inventory and machinery are liquidated separately. This is the least profitable option, as the value of the brand and clientele is lost.

Is it a good time to sell a beauty salon in 2025?

The beauty sector in Spain has shown remarkable resilience. Following post-pandemic stabilization, the demand for personal care services has rebounded. Investors are looking for operating businesses with recurring revenue, and a well-managed hair salon offers exactly that. If your business has a loyal customer base and healthy accounting, 2025 is an optimal time to go to market and capitalize on your investment.

Valuation: How to calculate the price to sell your hair salon

The number one mistake when considering how to sell a hair salon is setting an emotional price. The buyer does not pay for your memories; they pay for the business's capacity to generate future money.

Goodwill (Fondo de Comercio): Valuing your brand and loyal clientele

In a beauty salon, the most valuable asset is the clientele. Goodwill represents that capacity to generate profits based on prestige, location, and customer loyalty. To value it objectively, you must consider:

• Recurrence: What percentage of clients return monthly?
• Average Ticket: Average spend per visit.
• Seniority: Years of uninterrupted operation.

A salon with a digitized and active database is worth much more than one that manages its appointments in a paper diary, as revenue traceability is demonstrable.

Inventory and assets: Furniture and aesthetic equipment

You must carry out a detailed inventory of all tangible goods. This includes:

• Furniture: Wash units, hydraulic chairs, mirrors, reception desk, etc. These are valued at their current market price (depreciated value), not what they cost you when new.
• Equipment: Laser machines, cavitation, pressotherapy, or professional dryers. It is vital to provide invoices and maintenance or technical inspection certificates.
• Stock of products: Dyes, shampoos, creams, and resale products. This value is usually calculated at cost price just before signing.

Financial methods to set the transfer price

To obtain a realistic figure on how to transfer a beauty salon, experts often use the EBITDA multiples method (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization). In the small hair and beauty sector, it is common to value the business between 2 and 4 times its annual net profit, adjusted according to the quality of the premises and the validity of the lease contract.

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Legal steps on how to transfer a hair salon in Spain

Bureaucracy is where many transfers stall. Having documentation ready speeds up the sale and generates confidence in the buyer.

Activity License: Change of ownership at the Town Hall

The opening and activity license is the legal "heart" of the premises. When transferring, a new license is not requested (unless a major renovation is done), but a change of ownership is processed at the corresponding Town Hall. It is crucial to verify that the current license corresponds to the reality of the premises; if you have built mezzanines or cabins without permission, the Town Hall could require legalizing them before approving the change of owner, which would entail an extra cost.

The premises lease contract and the landlord's rights

The Urban Leases Act (LAU) regulates the transfer in commercial premises. If your contract does not explicitly prohibit assignment, you have the right to transfer without the landlord's permission, but you must notify them reliably (via Burofax) within one month.

However, the law allows the landlord to raise the rent by up to 20% to the new tenant. Therefore, it is highly recommended to negotiate a three-way agreement (seller, buyer, and landlord) to agree on a new lease contract that gives stability to the buyer in the long term.

Sanitary regulations and current licenses

Beauty salons and hairdressers are subject to regional sanitary regulations. Make sure you are up to date with:

• Toxic waste management contracts (blades, needles, chemical containers).
• Complaint forms (Hojas de reclamaciones).
• Disinfection and pest control certificates.

What happens to employees when transferring a beauty salon?

The human team is often the soul of the hairdresser's, but also one of the biggest legal concerns for the investor.

Staff subrogation (Art. 44 ET)

According to Article 44 of the Workers' Statute, when an autonomous productive unit (such as an operating hair salon) is transmitted, a business succession occurs. This means that the new owner is obliged to subrogate (take over) the rights and labor obligations of the existing workforce.

The buyer must respect:

• The employees' seniority.
• The type of contract and salary.
• Debts with Social Security or pending salaries (there is joint and several liability between seller and buyer for a period of time).

Legal communication to the team of stylists

Uncertainty can cause your best stylists to leave for the competition before the sale, devaluing the business. Legally, you must inform the workers' representatives (or the employees directly) about the expected date of the transfer, the reasons, and the legal consequences. It is recommended to do this once the sales agreement is very advanced and armored.

Digital Assets and Data Protection (GDPR)

In 2025, knowing how to sell a hair salon implies knowing how to transfer its digital presence.

How to legally transfer the customer database

The client list (with their phones, emails, and treatment histories) is a critical asset. However, it is protected by the GDPR (RGPD in Spain). To transfer it legally, you must ensure that your clients signed a consent form allowing data transfer to third parties in the event of a sale, or inform them of the change of "Data Controller" so they can exercise their rights.

Transfer of Social Networks and Google Profile (Local SEO)

Reviews on Google Business Profile and followers on Instagram are part of your brand. You must hand over the administrator credentials to the buyer and change the ownership of the Google listing. Losing positive reviews (4.8 stars, for example) would be throwing money away, as they are a magnet for new customers.

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Taxes when selling or transferring your beauty business

Taxation varies depending on how the operation is structured.

Is the transfer subject to VAT (IVA)?

As a general rule, the transfer of a business in its entirety (assets + goodwill) is not subject to VAT (Article 7 of the VAT Law), provided that the set of elements allows the economic activity to be developed autonomously. This is a great financial advantage for the buyer.

Note: If the landlord of the premises charges a part of the transfer fee or if only loose goods are sold, VAT would apply.

IRPF Taxation on Capital Gains

As a seller, you must declare the amount received in your IRPF (Income Tax) as a capital gain in the savings base. The progressive tax rate ranges (depending on the amount) between approximately 19% and 28% on the profit obtained (sale price minus the net book value of what was sold).

Key tips to sell a hair salon quickly

Where to advertise the transfer to find a buyer

Posting a "for transfer" sign in the window can be counterproductive: it alarms customers and employees. Ideally, use specialized business transfer platforms that allow for some discretion or filter interested parties before giving sensitive details.

Common mistakes that lower your salon's value

• Lack of confidentiality: If the rumor of a sale spreads, revenue usually drops.
• "B" Accounting (Under the table): What is not in the books does not exist for the bank financing the buyer, and therefore, it is not paid for.
• Neglecting maintenance: Do not stop painting or repairing breakdowns because "you are going to sell." A decaying premises invites low-ball offers.

Do you want to transfer your hair salon or beauty center? Advertise on Traspasso.com

If you have decided to take the step, you need visibility among serious investors and entrepreneurs in the sector. At Traspasso.com, we connect owners of profitable businesses with qualified buyers. Publishing your ad with us allows you to expose your hair salon or beauty salon to the largest audience interested in buying and selling companies in Spain, streamlining the process and maximizing the final price of the operation.

Frequently Asked Questions about hair salon transfers

Is the landlord's consent mandatory to transfer the business?

If the lease contract does not expressly prohibit it, the landlord's prior consent is not mandatory according to the LAU (Urban Leases Act), but it is mandatory to notify them of the operation reliably within one month. Keep in mind that the landlord has the right to increase the rent by 20% to the new tenant.

Can I sell the beauty salon without the employees?

Legally it is very complicated and risky. If you transfer the productive unit in operation, business succession applies (Art. 44 ET) and the buyer is obliged to subrogate the employment contracts. Firing the staff just before the sale to hand over the business "staff-free" can be considered fraud of law, and the dismissals could be declared null or unfair, transferring the liability to the new owner.

How long does it take on average to transfer a hair salon?

The average time to close such an operation in Spain ranges between 6 and 12 months. This period depends enormously on the location of the premises, on profitability being demonstrable through official accounting, and, above all, on the starting price being adjusted to market reality.

Who pays the agency fees in the transfer?

There is no mandatory legal rule; it depends on the agreement between the parties. However, commercial custom dictates that each party assumes the cost of their own lawyers or advisors. Expenses derived from the formalization of the new lease contract, the change of ownership of the activity license, and municipal fees are usually borne by the buyer.