General Information - Skin Piercing

The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 as amended, requires that the operator undertaking the following types of skin piercing treatments to be registered:

• acupuncture
• tattooing
• cosmetic piercing
• electrolysis
• semi-permanent skin colouring

Registration covers both the person carrying on the practice and the premises used for that purpose.  There are no powers to refuse registration, but the practice is controlled through compliance with byelaws and an inspection is carried out by an Environmental Health Officer to ensure the byelaws are met.

If you currently hold a skin piercing registration and would like to apply for an additional skin piercing activity, then a new application is required. Similarly, if you wish to practice a body piercing activity at a different premise, then the premises will need to advise us in writing and pay the appropriate administration fee to update their Premises Schedule.

If a Skin Piercing premises registration is no longer required, then this must be surrendered formally in writing. Similarly, if a Skin Piercing premises moves, this will require a new Skin Piercing Premises application for the new premises. Skin Piercing premises registrations are not transferrable.

Proprietors of a Skin Piercing Premises Registration must notify us in writing of any changes to their practitioner schedule, this includes removals and additions and pay the appropriate administration fee.

Any changes to names or addresses of Skin Piercing Practitioners or Proprietors of Skin Piercing Premises must be communicated in writing to us, together with payment of the appropriate administration fee.

The timescale for determining this registration will be 28 days following the date of receipt of an acceptable and complete application.