Acupuncture, Tattooing, Cosmetic Piercing and Electrolysis Registration
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Introduction
You need to register with us if you’re going to carry out treatments including acupuncture, tattooing, semi-permanent skin-colouring, cosmetic piercing or electrolysis.
If you don’t, you may receive a fine.
If you provide tattooing or semi-permanent skin colouring, you can join the tattoo hygiene rating scheme.
Fees
The amount you'll need to pay will depend on where you're providing acupuncture, tattooing, semi-permanent skin-colouring, cosmetic piercing or electrolysis.
At a fixed location
To provide treatments at a fixed location, you'll need to pay:
- £354 for yourself, including one treatment
- £64 for each additional treatment
A fixed location could be a tattoo studio, for example.
The fee of £354 includes one treatment type, for example tattooing.
Events
To provide treatments at an event, you'll need to pay:
- £222 for yourself
- £35 for each additional artist that will provide treatments at the event
What you need to do
You must:
- sterilise any equipment you use during treatments, including any containers for dyes used in tattooing
- wear disposable gloves and protective clothing and change them between customers
- use disposable paper sheet to cover treatment surfaces and replace it after each customer
- disinfect treatment surfaces after each customer
- display no smoking, no drinking and no eating signs where they can be clearly seen by customers
- provide clean hot and cold running water, soap or detergent and hand washing facilities
You must display a copy of your registration certificate and the byelaws (PDF 277kb) at your premises where customers can see it. If you don’t you may receive a fine.
You can download the tattooing and piercing toolkit (PDF 3.14MB) and the Kent code of practice for hygienic skin piercing (PDF 5MB).
Acupuncture and tattooing
Acupuncture and tattooing must be carried out in an area of the premises which is used exclusively for it.
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