Tattooing, piercing, electrolysis and acupuncture

Anyone carrying out skin piercing (acupuncture, tattooing, ear piercing, cosmetic piercing, semi-permanent skin colouring and electrolysis) must be registered with the council.

They need to be registered under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 and the Local Government Act 2003.

Why register?
The aim of registering skin piercing activities is to protect members of the public from the transmission of blood borne viruses such as HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and other infections. There are standards for the hygienic operation of skin piercing premises. Those carrying out skin piercing must comply with strict bye-laws. Please see these in the downloads below.

How do I register?
Registration consists of the place where the skin piercing takes place. A fee is required for registration of the premises. This is a one-off payment as there is no annual renewal process.

To summarise the procedure for registration, upon receipt, applications will be forwarded for consultation to the environmental health technical officer, who will carry out an inspection. Following receipt of the approval for registration, the appropriate certificate will be issued.

Please use the application download below to apply.

Fees
See the download below to view our fees.

Consumer complaint
If you have a complaint in relation to a business operating under this registration, please contact us on the details below.

Date Updated: 07/07/11

Downloads:

File name	Summary	File size / Download time	File Format
Adobe Acrobat Reader is available FREE of charge. You can download it directly from Adobe's website by clicking the link to the right. Once on Adobe's website, follow the instructions on screen to install the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Application form for all skin piercing activities	Use this this form to apply for a new licence for acupuncture, ear piercing, electrolysis or tattooing	71KB 56Kbps Modem: Less than 1 Minute Broadband : Less than 1 Minute
Licensing Fee		7KB 56Kbps Modem: Less than 1 Minute Broadband : Less than 1 Minute
Acupuncture by-laws	Bye-laws on acupuncture services	87KB 56Kbps Modem: Less than 1 Minute Broadband : Less than 1 Minute
By-law relating to Tattooing	Information on Tattooing By-laws 1984	59KB 56Kbps Modem: Less than 1 Minute Broadband : Less than 1 Minute
Ear piercing and electrolysis by-laws	Bye-laws of ear piercing and electrolysis	56KB 56Kbps Modem: Less than 1 Minute Broadband : Less than 1 Minute