You must register with the Council to carry out:
- tattooing
- semi-permanent skin colouring *
- cosmetic piercing **
- electrolysis
- acupuncture
This is covered under Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982.
Cornwall Council has also adopted skin piercing byelaws. These byelaws regulate the provision of skin piercing activities.
* Semi-permanent skin-colouring includes semi-permanent make-up, micropigmentation, dermapigmentation, microblading, temporary tattooing, cosmetic tattooing etc.
** Cosmetic piercing includes ear piercing and body piercing.
Registration
The aim of registering skin piercing activities is to protect members of the public from the transmission of blood borne viruses such as:
- HIV
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis C
- and other infections.
The council has approved byelaws that set out the standards for the hygienic operation of skin piercing premises. Persons carrying out skin piercing must comply with these byelaws.
Registration consists of two elements:
- the person
- and the place where the skin piercing takes place.
A separate fee is required for registration of the person and of the premises. This is a one-off payment as there is no annual renewal process.
Please note, it is not possible to transfer a premises registration from one premises to another. If your business moves to another location, you will need to make application to register the new location and pay the registration fee.
Events (Charitable Events, Conventions, Shows, and One-Off Events)
Before hosting an event involving skin piercing activities, you must ensure:
-
The event premises is registered.
-
All practitioners performing skin piercing procedures hold valid personal registrations for the activities they carry out.
If you plan to offer;
- Acupuncture
- Tattooing
- Cosmetic Piercing
- Electrolysis
at an event, the following registrations are required:
-
Event Premises Registration
-
A one-time registration with no annual renewal, provided the structure of the venue and organisers remain the same.
-
For large venues hosting more than one event per year, each event must have its own premises event registration. This includes venues such as showgrounds or event centres.
-
-
Event Practitioners – Temporary Personal Registration
-
Practitioners registered with another Local Authority: Temporary registration required (reduced fee).
-
Practitioners already registered with Cornwall Council: Temporary registration required (no fee).
-
There is no application form for temporary personal registration.
It is the responsibility of the event organisers to submit all relevant details.
This must include details of each participating artist to Cornwall Council.
IMPORTANT: Registration applications must be received no later than 10 working days before the event.
This includes any fees and relevant practitioners details.
Submissions received after this deadline may not be processed in time. In such cases, the Council cannot guarantee the issuance of the necessary registrations. Operating without the appropriate registrations is an offence.
Applications
Applications for Skin Piercing are not determined until an inspection of the premises has been undertaken. You must wait until the application has been determined before doing any of the activities listed at the top of this page.
The easiest way to apply is by downloading our form below:
Or alternatively you can apply via the GOV.uk website:
Apply for a skin piercing registration
Please contact businesscompliance@cornwall.gov.uk to discuss:
- an application,
- decision
- or consent.
Update a current application
If you currently have a personal or premise registration with us, you will need to inform us of any of the below changes;
- change of name for person or business
- add an additional premises or change of business location for a personal registration
- change of home address of individual
If your business location has changed, a new premises registration may be required.
If you are the business owner and are taking on a new premise, you will need to submit a premise registration. This is in addition to updates of personal registrations for anyone intending to work from the new location.
If you are transferring from one registered location to another and will be trading under the current registered business, an update to your personal registration would be required.
If you are unsure which applications or updates are needed or would like to check if we hold a registration for a premise, please contact us at: businesscompliance@cornwall.gov.uk.
Fees
Please view the current licensing fees and charges to find out how much you will need to pay.
If updating your current registration or applying via the downloadable form, please use the below link to make payment.
Public Register
Please contact businesscompliance@cornwall.gov.uk to discuss your requirements.
Consumer Complaints
If you wish to;
- make a complaint about someone carrying out any of the activities listed on this page
- suspect someone is carrying out unregistered activities
Please contact us at businesscompliance@cornwall.gov.uk.