Skin piercing registration

If you want to carry out acupuncture, electrolysis, tattooing, semi-permanent skin colouring or cosmetic piercing (any part of the body), you must be registered as an individual to work from a premises that has an operator registration in the Borough of Reigate and Banstead.  We cannot register individuals as mobile operators.   

The process of registration is in place to protect public health, primarily the risk of transmission of blood-borne viruses such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis D or HIV which can have more serious and long term health consequences.

Registration only needs to be carried out once, provided the person and the premises do not change. Please read the page below as it contains important information.

Preparation and advice prior to registration

Home Operator or Commercial Premises

We often find that when we come out to do an inspection the working setup is not compliant with the Bye laws or Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 - GOV.UK. This may lead to remedial work being necessary. A common example is that a home operator only has a kitchen sink, family bathroom and or cloakroom to wash their hands and equipment in, or a commercial business only has access to a hand wash basin in a staff and or public toilet area.

The bye laws require that there is ''suitable and sufficient washing facilities appropriately located for the sole use of the operators including an adequate and constant supply of clean hot and cold water, soap or detergent with the exception of operators using a hygienic piercing instrument (ear piercing gun)'' (Section 4 (1) (b) (i) of the bye laws).

Before making your application for tattooing or body piercing please refer to the guidance below.

• CIEH Tattooing and body piercing guidance toolkit (CIEH website)
• HSE Bio Safety - GOV.UK

Before making your application for semi-permanent skin colouring (micropigmentation) please refer to the guidance document below as this will be used in your audit.

• Micropigmentation design of equipment and disinfecting 

Bye Laws

Reigate & Banstead Borough Council has adopted specific bye laws relating to skin piercing.  These adopted byelaws set out the basic standards expected for hygienic and safe operation of skin piercing premises. Anyone registered for skin piercing with us must read and comply with the relevant byelaws, which can be found below:

• Skin Piercing Byelaws (PDF)

Application forms

Before applying please ensure that you have read and understood the above byelaws. In particular we draw your attention to the requirement in Section 4 (1) (b) (i) for suitable and sufficient  washing facilities appropriately located for the sole use of the operators including an adequate and constant supply of clean hot and cold water, soap or detergent with the exception of operators using a hygienic piercing instrument (ear piercing gun).

Make an application and pay

What happens next?

Once an application has been made and a fee has been paid, your application will be reviewed and processed. In due course an Officer may undertake an inspection of the premises to check compliance with the bye-laws,  as well as ensuring that general health and safety requirements are being met.

Fees and Charges

For information on fees and charges please consult our licences and permit fees page.