Hair, beauty, tattoo and skin penetration premises

1. Check if a Planning Permit and/or Building Permit is required

Depending on where the premises is located and what works are being conducted will determine whether a Planning and/or Building Permit is required.

For further information please visit:

• Do I need a Planning Permit; and
• Do I need a Building Permit.

2. Optional pre-purchase/pre-lease inspection and/or review of floor plans

Prior to purchasing/leasing a shop or fitting out a premises, you may wish to have a Council officer conduct an inspection and/or review proposed floor plans.

This optional service is provided free of charge and is aimed at helping you understand potential costs for upgrades or corrective works before committing to a business.

To use this service, complete the online registration form and follow the prompts, or otherwise contact Council's Environmental Health Unit on (03) 5261 0600 or ehadmin@surfcoast.vic.gov.au.

3. Apply for registration

Complete online application form and pay applicable registration fee (which is also done online through the form).

Apply for hair, beauty, tattoo and skin penetration registration

4. Pre-opening inspection

Once you application has been received by Council, an Environmental Health Officer will get in touch to organise a pre-opening inspection. The purpose of this inspection is to check that your premises and services provided comply with the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 and associated Regulations and Guidelines.

Any non-compliance items identified through this process will need to be corrected prior to approval.

5. Approval

Once Council is satisfied with your premises and associated procedures, you will then be issued with a Certificate of Registration.

After receiving your Certificate of Registration you may commence trading.

If you take over an existing registered premises, you must firstly apply to transfer the registration into your name before operating.

Once your transfer application has been received, a Council Environmental Health Officer will then arrange to conduct an inspection of the premises.

After completing this inspection, a new Certificate of Registration will be issued to the new proprietor.

Application to transfer a hair, beauty, tattoo or skin penetration premises(PDF, 52KB)

To prevent and control the transmission of infection, operators must:

• Maintain a clean and hygienic premises.
• Ensure all equipment is cleaned, disinfected, or sterilised as required.
• Prevent cross-contamination between clients by using suitable hand washing facilities, gloves and single-use items where applicable.
• Follow correct waste disposal for sharps and potentially infectious materials.
• Keep accurate records where required.

For more detailed information about infection prevention and control please refer to the Department of Health's 'Infection prevention and control guidelines for hair, beauty, tattooing and skin penetration industries'.

 To ensure ongoing compliance, Council's Environmental Health Officers typically inspect most premises on an annual basis. In addition, officers follow up and investigate any complaints received by Council.

For more information or inspection/plans assessment requests, please contact Council's Environmental Health Unit on (03) 5261 0600 or ehadmin@surfcoast.vic.gov.au.