Registering a new personal care or body art (tattoo and piercing) business

Registration under the Health Act 1958 is required to be renewed each year.

In order to register your business the following steps must be taken.

Step 1: Plans submission

Plans are required if you are undertaking any construction on a new or existing premises. You will need to submit two copies of the plans drawn to a scale of not less than 1:100 showing:

• General requirements: A floor plan, the layout of all the equipment, fittings and fixtures, where they will be located. Include specifications to be used on floors, walls and ceilings.
• Specific requirements: Indicate the nature of the work practices to be carried out in the premises. This includes practices carried out in each room.

You will need to fill out the Plans Approval Application form and submit it together with your plans and prescribed fee.

To assist you in the preparation of your plans, further information can be obtained from the Personal care and body art specifications and Health guidelines for personal care and body art industries.

Step 2: Plans assessment

Council’s Environmental Health Department will assess all plans within 20 working days.

Once you receive a copy of your endorsed plans together with the approval letter, you may begin work on the premises.

Step 3: Inspection/s

You may organise a progress inspection with an Environmental Health Officer to make sure that work is being carried out as per the approved plans.

At the completion of works, you will need to contact Council’s Environmental Health Department to arrange for a final inspection.

During the final inspection an Environmental Health Officer will check that all the applicable Health Act 1958 requirements have been met.

If all the requirements have not been met the premises may not be able to open.

Step 4: Registration

If all requirements have been met an Application for Health Act Registration is given to you.

This must be completed and submitted to Council with the prescribed fee before the premises may operate. Once the registration has been processed the premises will receive a Health Act 1958 Certificate of Registration and the business will then be able to operate.

If the premises operates prior to receiving the Certificate of Registration it will be operating unregistered, which is an offence under the Health Act 1958.