Tattooing, cosmetic piercing, acupuncture and electrolysis registration

Premises and practitioners must be licensed if they carry out acupuncture, tattooing, cosmetic body piercing (including ear piercing), semi permanent skin colouring, or electrolysis

You must be registered with the Council if your business carries out any of the following:

  • acupuncture
  • tattooing
  • cosmetic body piercing (including ear piercing, dermarolling and microneedling)
  • semi-permanent skin colouring (including microblading)
  • electrolysis 

How to apply

To apply please download the relevant application form.

For the registration of persons

For the registration of premises

Supporting documents

The following documents must be submitted with your application:

  • training certificates, including infection control
  • professional and public liability insurance 
  • evidence of general waste and clinical waste contract
  • copy of client information and consent forms, including contraindications (a specific situation in which a medicine, procedure, or surgery should not be used because it may be harmful to the person)
  • copy of written client aftercare advice

If your business offers tattooing and microneedling, you will also need to provide:

  • confirmation that cartridges (if used) have a backflow prevention valve (this can be evidenced on the packaging, manufacturer leaflet or supplier confirmation)
  • supplier handpiece with CE mark (this may be provided with the paperwork accompanying the handpiece)
  • sterilisation/autoclave details (including CE marking, servicing records and routine checks) 
  • confirmation that a hand wash basin with a readily supply of hot and cold water is present in the room where the treatment will be conducted 

Applications will not be processed until all supporting documentation is received. 

Application process

Once we receive your completed application and all the required documents, we will contact you to take payment by card. This will be from a withheld number. 

An officer will then check your application and paperwork. If anything is missing or needs updating, we will let you know. 

When everything has been approved, we will contact you to arrange an inspection of the premises.

Fees

From 1 April 2026:

  • £259 for initial registration and the addition of up to 2 persons to the registration certificate
  • £52.50 for an additional person or change of person
  • £209 for a change of premises
  • £20.50 administrative fee to change or replace certificate

Information and guidance

For further guidance, you can view and download the following checklist documents:

Byelaws

When applying for a licence you will need to be aware of the following byelaws:

Infection control training

The following providers offer infection control training:

National guidance

General health and safety requirements 

You must have a health and safety management system in place. This must include appropriate health and safety policies and risk assessments.

The duty holder is legally required to ensure that their health and safety management system clearly sets out the overall approach to managing health and safety including:

  • who is responsible for what 
  • when actions are required 
  • how they will be carried out

Risk assessments must:

  • identify hazards that could cause injury or ill health
  • assess the likelihood and severity of harm occurring
  • identify measures needed to eliminate or control risks

If you employ five or more employees, your policy and risk assessments must be written down.

If you employ fewer than five people, written documents are not legally required but are considered good practice.

Further information is available from the HSE.