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Whether a salon or studio price list can say starting at, what the FTC, New York City and California say, how to write a variable-price service, and how Poland's rule differs.
2026-10-02 · 5 min read
What you get
• What the FTC, New York City and California say about starting at and range prices
• How to write a variable-price service so the list stays clear
• How Poland's rule differs, after UOKiK's March 2026 statement
Apply in: 15 minutes · Saves: hours of reading rules and decisions
Got a service whose price depends on the client and not sure how to list it? Send me a note and I'll help you word it.
Ask me about your siteCan a salon price list say "starting at"?
Often yes, but it is not settled everywhere. No federal rule bans "starting at" or range prices on a service price list in the sources checked. New York City's own guides allow them when the list explains them (the rule text itself was not opened). What does apply is the rule against misleading prices (checked October 2, 2026).
The Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Guides Against Deceptive Pricing, found at 16 CFR 233 in the federal rulebook, cover former-price comparisons, sale prices and similar claims. A full-text search of them finds no "starting at" or "as low as". The FTC judges an ad by whether it is "likely to mislead the consumer acting reasonably in the circumstances" (FTC Policy Statement on Deception, 1983).
A "starting at" price that few clients can actually get is risky under that test. That is a reading of the test, and the FTC has made no finding on it. The FTC's fees rule (16 CFR 464) covers only live-event tickets and short-term lodging, so it does not reach a salon. State and city rules differ:
Where
What a price list must do
Source
Federal
No rule on "starting at" found; ads must not mislead
16 CFR 233, FTC deception policy
New York City
A list with "from $" or "and up" gives the reason and the range; potential fine $50-500
City hearings office (OATH) guide, March 2026
California
Barbers and hair salons post their 15 most requested services; mandatory fees go in the advertised price
California Civil Code, sections 51.6 and 1770
What should you write instead of a bare "starting at"?
One line per variant of the service, with the price, what changes it and the top of the range. That follows the New York City wording, and no source checked says it satisfies any other state's rule.
New York City's agencies say a list with "from" or "and up" must state why prices differ and give the range. Name what moves the price (length, number of nails, an add-on), show the top of the range, and put mandatory fees in the advertised price, as California requires for fees other than government taxes. New York State adds that a complete written price list must be given on request (New York General Business Law 391-u).
Booksy's 2022 blog describes service variants: one service with several variants, each with its own description, price and duration, so a variable service becomes several clear lines.
On a Studio plan site each service has its own line with a price and a duration, you change the price in the panel, and change requests are unlimited (new features are quoted first). The site doesn't check whether a price list meets any rule; that stays your call.
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First month free - you pay from month two, and only if you keep the site. Other plans on the pricing page; no build fee on any of them.
How does Poland's rule differ?
Poland's consumer protection office, UOKiK, says ranges are not allowed. It said so in March 2026 after the Trade Inspection checked 3,026 outlets, and the Polish rule is stricter than anything found in the US sources.
Poland's price-information law wants a service price shown unambiguously. In eight appeal decisions from 2020 to 2025 on "from-to" or "from" price lists (hair salons, cosmetic studios, a dental center, an animal groomer), UOKiK upheld every fine, 400 to 2,000 zloty. In 2025 the Trade Inspection fined 899 businesses 1,204,194 zloty in all, shops and fuel stations as well as service shops.
No source opened applies the New York City rule or the California posting duty to a website price list; both speak of the shop. Only federal rules, California and New York were checked, so look up your own state and city.
How many practices in Poland show their prices?
Of 72 selected one-person practices in Poland, podology (foot care) and beauty, 11 could not be read. Of the other 61, 11 show a price on a public page, almost always inside a booking platform.
Checked October 2, 2026 in 36 podology and 36 beauty practices that had no working website in their Google profile. A price was visible for 11 of the 61 that could be read (9 podology, 2 beauty): 10 on a booking platform, 8 on Booksy and 2 on iPodologia (a Polish booking platform), and one on the practice's own site. Five of the 11 showed a plus after some prices; what it means, and whether it is a range in the sense of the decisions, was not checked. Facebook and Instagram were not searched. The result covers only these selected practices and says nothing about the whole market.
FAQ
Do I have to post a price list?
Sometimes. California requires barbers and hair salons to post one, New York City requires a displayed list, and New York State requires a written list on request. Other states were not checked, so look up yours.
Does the FTC fees rule cover salons?
No. The fees rule, 16 CFR 464, covers live-event tickets and short-term lodging only.
Can I advertise a sale price?
Yes, if the price you compare against was real. 16 CFR 233.1 treats a former price as legitimate if it was the actual price offered regularly for a reasonably substantial period. It speaks of articles and never mentions services, so applying it to a service is a reading, not an FTC finding.
Sources
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