Hair dressing, beauty therapy and skin penetration activities such as tattooing and body piercing are known as personal appearance services. Businesses that provide personal appearance services need to meet Council's planning scheme requirements and comply with the:
A personal appearance service business can be operated from a home, commercial premises or mobile premises (e.g. a caravan). You may need to get planning, building or plumbing approvals prior to starting your business.
Some personal appearance services have a higher risk of spreading disease or causing infection. Businesses providing higher risk services require a licence from Council.
The information within includes:
If you are starting a new business, or making changes to or taking over an existing one, you need to meet Council's planning scheme requirements and comply with the Public Health (Infection Control for Personal Appearance Services) Act 2003.
Some personal appearance services have a higher risk of spreading disease or causing infection. Businesses providing higher risk services require a licence from Council.
Before you start
- Check what approvals you may need from Council (e.g. planning, building or plumbing approvals), including requirements for businesses providing higher risk personal appearance services.
- Check if you need a licence and find out how to apply. If your business provides any service that has a higher risk of causing infection or spreading disease, such as tattooing and body piercing, then you will need a higher risk personal appearance service licence.
- Ensure your premises meets the design and fit-out requirements.
- Check if you need to lodge any related applications (e.g. for other licences such as tattoo operator/tattooist or laser).
- Check if any mandatory qualifications are required. Anyone at your business who provides a higher risk personal appearance service must complete mandatory training requirements.
- Review the information in Queensland Health’s booklet Personal Appearance Services Guide for Businesses.
If you are planning to operate from a mobile premises, have a look at Queensland Health’s factsheet licenced mobile premises providing higher risk personal appearance services, what the business proprietor needs to know.
Hairdressers, nail salons and beauty therapists, as well as tattooing, body piercing and other skin penetration activities can spread diseases and cause infections. Some of these services have a higher risk of spreading disease or causing infection as they may involve the release of blood or bodily fluid.
Businesses providing higher risk services require a licence from Council.
When you need a licence
You need a licence to provide any higher risk personal appearance service, including:
- body piercing, other than closed ear and nose piercing
- implanting a natural or synthetic substance into a person’s skin, for example hair or beads
- scarring or cutting a person’s skin using a sharp instrument to make a permanent mark, pattern or design
- tattooing (including cosmetic tattooing and semi-permanent make-up)
- tattoo removal using micro needles.
When you don't need a licence
You do not need a licence if you only provide the following non-higher risk services:
- hairdressing
- beauty therapy (including facial or body treatments, application of cosmetics, manicures or pedicures, application of, or mending artificial nails, hair removal by electrolysis or wax)
- closed ear or nose piercing
- acupuncture
- massage therapy
- tattoo removal using a laser (you don’t need a licence from Council but you do need a laser licence issued by Queensland Health)
- personal appearance services provided within a health-care facility (you don’t need a licence from Council but need to comply with relevant medical legislation).
You only need to apply for a licence if your business is providing any higher risk personal appearance service such as tattooing and body piercing.
The applicant for a licence must be a legal entity (e.g. person/s or a company. Note - a trust name, business name or shop name is not a legal entity and cannot be the licence holder).
If you are operating in two separate locations within one Council area, you only need one licence.
If you have a mobile business (e.g. caravan) you only need a licence from the Council where you store your vehicle. You can use your licence all over Queensland, as long as you notify the Council at least seven days before you want to operate in their area and provide:
- your higher risk personal appearance service licence
- your employees' infection control qualifications
- dates you intend to operate
- locations you intend to operate.
A new application is not required for minor changes (e.g. a change of contact details). Contact Council for these changes.
PAS Info - Apply: Application process – Somerset Regional Council