How To Start a Spray Tan Business Step by Step

Remember those UV-powered indoor tanning booths? Chances are, you haven’t stepped into one in a while—and you’re not alone. As traditional UV-powered beds fall out of favor, sunless alternatives are taking the spotlight. The global spray tanning market generated more than $362 million in 2024 and is expected to see a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.5% between 2024 and 2031.

Airbrush spray tanning is particularly popular with clients and aspiring business owners. It’s location-flexible, and its handheld application method allows artists to customize tans according to an individual client’s preferences and physique. It also has low overhead costs, making it an affordable way to enter the beauty industry or a profitable part-time gig. 

Here’s everything you need to know about starting a spray tan business and maximizing profits.

How to start a spray tan business

1. Research your market
2. Learn the craft
3. Find your space
4. Form and register your business
5. Gather your supplies
6. Build a website
7. Curate a product library
8. Organize your paperwork
9. Set your prices
10. Market your business

Starting an airbrush spray tanning business is a relatively affordable way to enter the sunless tanning industry. It also produces the best results for clients, and unlike UV tanning, it’s a safer way to mimic natural sun exposure. Here’s how to plan and start a spray tan business in 10 steps:

1. Research your market

Building a successful spray tan business starts with research. Take the time to understand who your customers are, what they want, and how the current market meets their needs.

This process of market research involves gathering data about your target audiences and competitors to evaluate the demand for your services, learn what motivates purchasing decisions, and identify relevant industry trends. You’ll use this information to choose a business model and develop pricing and positioning strategies later.

2. Learn the craft

Creating the perfect airbrush spray tan is a skill, and it takes time to perfect. Airbrush spray tanning can involve advanced contouring that’s customized for each client, and experienced spray tan artists can charge more for superior technique. 

Spray tanning is largely unregulated, so you’re free to self-teach. Some spray tan artists started by watching free online tutorials and practicing on old bedsheets. You can also cut your learning curve by enrolling in a spray tan training course. Popular spray tanning equipment retailers like SunFX and Nuda offer online certification courses, and some cosmetology or beauty schools offer in-person spray tanning classes.

If you’re considering formal spray tan training, review the curriculum and tuition costs to choose your course. Costs range from free with product purchase to more than $1,000, and the curriculum also varies widely. If you’re a new business owner, look for a course that covers both spray tanning and business management topics. Here’s a list of valuable subjects:

• Tan preparation and application

• Troubleshooting and color correction

• Skin structure and the science of tanning

• Customer experience management

• Financial planning

• Branding and marketing

• Equipment care and maintenance

Some courses also include formats for continuing education, such as ongoing mentorship, access to an alumni forum or group, and resources for finding and retaining clients.

You don’t need a spray-tanning certificate to start your sunless tanning business, so focus on learning from your course, not just completing it. Certification can help you market your business and validate your skills to clients, but it’s less valuable than the skills you’ll gain.

3. Find your space

Spray tanning businesses can operate from one space or travel to various locations. Here’s an overview of each option:

• Static spray tanning business. Static spray tan business owners operate from one location, either their own spray tan salon or a suite in a larger beauty or wellness industry business. A static business model allows you to create a consistent, branded experience for clients. Plus, an appealing storefront in a busy district or a booth in a popular beauty salon can increase brand awareness and help you attract new clients.

• Mobile spray tanning business. Mobile spray tanning business owners offer spray tanning services on location. Although you’ll accrue gas and vehicle expenses and spend time on the road, you’ll save money on salon space and can charge more for your services. A mobile spray tanning business also allows you to sell packages for weddings, bachelorettes, or spray tan parties and attend events like outdoor concerts.

Consult your market research to make your decision. If your market is saturated with static spray tan businesses but doesn’t yet have a mobile provider, you might start a mobile spray tanning business to close the gap. Scouting locations can also provide clarity. The perfect salon space in a high-traffic location might push you toward a static business; then again, exorbitant commercial real estate costs could encourage you to go mobile. What works for you will entirely depend on your location and market demand. 

4. Form and register your business

Decide on a business structure. Explore whether a sole proprietorship, limited liability company (LLC), partnership, or corporation makes the most sense for your business. Small business owners typically opt for sole proprietorships or limited liability companies (LLCs), both of which are cost-effective and relatively simple to start. The key difference between the two is the degree of protection for your personal assets: 

• Sole proprietorship. In a sole proprietorship, the business owner and the business are the same entity, so a suit against your business is a suit against you. 

• Limited liability company. LLC formation establishes your business as a separate legal entity, which can protect your personal assets in the event of a suit against your business. 

Once you’ve decided on a structure, legally form and register your business with applicable federal, state, and local agencies. 

5. Gather your supplies

Read reviews of popular spray tanning machines, and purchase a tanning gun and sunless tanning products from a professional beauty supplier. You can also look for starter kits that offer discounts for new business owners, but check refill costs before you fall in love with a product line. 

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

• Professional spray tanning machine

• Spray tan tent or booth for mobile tanning

• Spray tan solutions in different shades

• Pre-tan spray and barrier cream

• Post-tan spray or moisturizer

• Disposable hair caps, foot covers, underwear, and bras

• Eye shields, nose filters, and safety glasses

• Point-of-sale (POS) terminal, display, and software, or an all-in-one POS system

6. Build a website 

Your website is a practical necessity: It’s where you tell your clients about your services and prices and send them to make bookings, sell products, share customer testimonials, and showcase your portfolio. Make sure you list your address and hours; a Google Map can help navigate clients your way, too. 

Invest in an intuitive scheduling system. This helps clients book their slots and prepay with ease and automates important client notifications like reminder emails and aftercare tips. If you have a Shopify website, you can use appointment booking apps such as Apntly and Meety to make this process as seamless as possible.

7. Curate a product library

Selling products in person and online boosts your business’s total income potential. Curate a collection of your favorite skin care brands and aftercare salves, and consider adding other products that reinforce your brand identity, such as sunglasses, swimsuits, beach towels, yoga mats, and health and beauty-focused supplements. You can even create your own line of tanning and post-care products, like tanning studio chain Sugared + Bronzed.

Promote your products on your website and in your salon, and look for upselling and cross-selling opportunities such as providing personalized product recommendations during client appointments or offering product discounts when customers book appointments online. 

8. Organize your paperwork

Although most states don’t require a license to sell spray tanning services, some states regulate spray tanning alongside beauty and wellness industry businesses like barbershops and nail salons. For instance, the Ohio Barber and Cosmetology Board requires spray tanning businesses to register with the state and pass a local facility inspection before opening. 

Search online to identify applicable state or local regulations, and remember that many jurisdictions require you to obtain a business license to operate a business of any type. Check zoning laws, too, especially if you plan to operate a business out of your home. 

Finally, consider obtaining insurance. Although spray tan businesses without employees aren’t legally required to maintain insurance coverage, many spray tan business owners elect to carry general liability insurance anyway, and some commercial real estate contracts require it. You can research small business insurance types to learn more about your options and contact insurance providers to compare quotes.

9. Set your prices 

Your pricing depends on two things: what your clients will pay and what you need to earn. Here’s how to set prices:

1. Determine the going rate for your services. Use your market research to determine the going rate for tanning services in your area, noting the average cost of services and the highest and lowest prices.

2. Estimate your costs. Calculate your startup costs and monthly recurring expenses to determine your break-even point, factoring in a plan to pay down your initial investment over time.

3. Compare estimated costs and revenue. Multiply the average session cost by the number of appointments you expect to book each month and subtract monthly costs to estimate profit before tax at average market prices.

4. Choose a pricing strategy. Use your findings to choose a pricing strategy. Pricing and positioning strategies are closely related, so consider your brand, too. If you offer an upscale experience targeting clients with a high disposable income, you might select a premium pricing strategy and intentionally charge a higher price than your competitors.

5. Set prices. Decide how much revenue you need and divide by monthly appointment volume to estimate your profit margins. If your estimated profit isn’t enough to meet your goals, increase service prices or look for ways to reduce expenses.

10. Market your business

Develop a marketing strategy and use it to promote your business to customers. Here are a few tactics to consider:

• Social media marketing. Social media marketing is a popular and effective strategy for beauty industry businesses. Use your audience research to focus your efforts on the channels your ideal clients already use.

• Word-of-mouth marketing. Word-of-mouth marketing encourages satisfied clients to spread the word about your company. Starting a loyalty program and providing excellent customer service are two ways to encourage referrals and generate positive buzz.

• Search engine optimization (SEO). Your website is a powerful marketing tool. If you sell products online, it’s also a source of independent revenue. Building a solid SEO strategy will help your ideal clients find your website, which can increase brand awareness, encourage bookings, and boost product sales.