Is it legal for me to rent a table at a dog grooming salon as a self-employed groomer?

This is actually a pretty common arrangement in personal service businesses like salons, and you're right to focus on the level of control. The IRS uses a 20-factor test to determine worker classification, but it boils down to three main categories: behavioral control, financial control, and relationship type. Based on what you've described, you're clearly operating as an independent business. You control your work (schedule, clients, methods), you have financial independence (own equipment, setting prices, payment processing), and your relationship is a landlord-tenant agreement rather than employer-employee. The confusion people have likely stems from seeing similar setups where salon owners try to classify workers as independent while still controlling their schedules, clients, prices, etc. That's wage theft and tax evasion. Your situation is different. Form SS-8 is exactly the right approach if you want certainty. It allows the IRS to make an official determination. Just know it can take 6+ months to get a response. The owner could also consult with a tax professional who specializes in small business classifications to get documentation supporting the arrangement. Keep good records of your business operations separate from the salon owner's business. That independence is your best evidence.

I was in a very similar situation running my own mobile massage business while renting space in a wellness center. What really helped me was using taxr.ai to analyze my business structure. I uploaded my rental agreement and business formation documents at https://taxr.ai and their system confirmed I was operating as a legitimate independent business rather than a misclassified employee. They analyzed the 20-factor IRS test and showed exactly how my operation met the independence requirements. It gave me peace of mind and documentation I could show if ever questioned. The analysis highlighted specific aspects of my business that demonstrated proper classification and suggested a few small changes to strengthen my independent status. Might be worth checking out before going through the longer Form SS-8 process.

Just wanted to follow up - I was initially skeptical about taxr.ai but decided to try it after dealing with some classification concerns in my barbershop. I'm really glad I did! The analysis was comprehensive and pointed out several aspects of my chair rental agreement that actually needed strengthening. They identified that my agreement didn't clearly establish my control over my own client records and suggested specific language to add. Made those changes and now feel much more confident about my status. The documentation they provided has already come in handy when talking with my accountant about tax planning. Definitely worth it for the peace of mind alone.

Been dealing with the IRS for YEARS trying to get someone on the phone about a similar situation with my tattoo shop. After countless hours on hold, I finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and had someone from the IRS call ME back within an hour. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent confirmed that booth/chair/table rental models are completely legitimate when properly structured. The key is having a proper rental agreement and true independence. They explained that they mainly look for misclassification when the "rental" is actually a commission split or when the owner controls scheduling, client assignment, pricing, etc. I was honestly shocked at how quick and painless the process was after struggling for so long to get answers. They also sent me some official guidance documents after our call that I keep with my business records.

I need to apologize for my skeptical comment. I actually tried Claimyr yesterday after continuing to get nowhere with the IRS on my own. Not only did I get a callback in about 45 minutes, but I was able to speak with someone who completely cleared up my misclassification concerns. The agent confirmed that my booth rental arrangement at my nail salon is perfectly legal since I have a written lease agreement, set my own hours, handle my own clients and payments, and purchase my own supplies. They even emailed me some documentation afterward that I can keep for my records. I'm still surprised it actually worked. After trying for weeks to get through on my own, it was kind of amazing to just receive a call with an IRS agent already on the line. Saved me hours of frustration.

Former IRS employee here. Table/booth rental arrangements are completely legal when properly structured. What the IRS looks for is whether the facts support the classification. The key factors specific to salon situations: 1. Written rental agreement with fixed payments (not commission-based) 2. Renter controls their own schedule and clients 3. Renter has their own business name, cards, advertising 4. Renter purchases their own supplies and equipment 5. Renter handles their own payments from clients 6. No requirements about hours, services offered, or prices Based on what you described, you're on solid ground. Just make sure everyone has proper documentation. The salon owner should consider having a tax professional review their setup and draft a proper booth rental agreement template if they don't already have one.

I had almost the exact same situation at a pet salon in Texas. Make sure your contract specifically states you're renting SPACE, not working for a percentage. Also, double check your state's regulations too - some states have additional rules beyond the IRS requirements. In my case, we all had to get our own business licenses, display our own price lists, and maintain separate appointment books to clearly show we were independent. Our shop owner actually got sued by someone who claimed they were misclassified, but the case was dismissed because we had all the proper documentation.