Mobile hairdresser
Cut and colour hair at clients' homes, aged care homes and events, with no shop rent to pay.
- A$800-4k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Estimates for a small start in Australia, not guarantees.
What it is
A qualified hairdresser who travels to clients with a portable kit, offering cuts, colour, styling and special occasion hair at their home or venue.
Your first three steps
- Check your qualifications are current and your state's rules on practising as a hairdresser
- Put together a portable kit, set your prices and service area, and get insurance quotes
- Start with friends and neighbours, then contact local aged care homes and wedding groups
Who pays
Busy families, older people, people with limited mobility, aged care residents, and brides and wedding parties.
How it makes money
Fixed price per service, often with a travel fee or minimum booking. Repeat clients rebook every 4 to 8 weeks. Income depends on how many hours you take bookings, and travel time between clients reduces the hours you can charge for.
Skills that help
- Hairdressing qualification and current techniques
- Friendly, reliable customer service
- Booking and route planning
Watch out for
- Check whether your state or territory requires hairdressers to hold a particular qualification or registration
- Public liability insurance and professional indemnity cover
- Patch tests for colour and safe handling of chemicals
- Check hygiene requirements and any council rules that apply to mobile services
- Working with aged care or vulnerable clients may need a police check or similar clearance
- Register for an ABN and check when GST registration applies
Deep research report · Australia
Everything you need to start: mobile hairdresser
Researched with live web search for Australia: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a mobile hairdressing business?
Startup costs are typically around $800 to $4,000, depending on the kit, tools and products you need to buy. This is an estimate only, so check what you already own and price a portable setup before you commit.
How much can a mobile hairdresser earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around $1,000 to $4,500, depending on how many clients you book and your prices. That is sales before costs, and the estimate assumes at least about 8 hours a week.
What rules should I check before working as a mobile hairdresser?
Check whether your state or territory requires a particular qualification or registration, plus insurance, hygiene requirements and any council rules for mobile services. Also check patch tests and chemical handling, whether aged care work needs a police check, and ABN and GST registration.
Other ways to run this business
Home studio hairdresser
Set up a small private hair studio at home and see regular clients by appointment.
- A$2k-9k
- Side hustle
- From home
Chair-rental hairdresser in a salon
Rent a chair in an existing salon and run your own client list as a sole trader.
- A$1k-5k
- Part-time
- Own premises
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Photo: kaleido-dp on Pixabay