Find out about licence renewals, inspections and how Council will investigate complaints and take enforcement action.

Inspections

If your business is licensed, Council may monitor your standard of operations through a routine inspection program. The expected frequency of these inspections will depend on the type of business you operate and its level of compliance.

Complaints

Council has a duty to investigate and respond to complaints received. A complaint may result in an inspection of your premises to ensure you are complying with the legislation. Substantiated complaints may result in an inspection fee being charged.

Enforcement

All personal appearance services need to comply with the Public Health (Infection Control for Personal Appearance Services) Act 2003. Businesses that provide higher risk personal appearance services such as tattooing, body piercing and other skin penetration activities must have a current licence and comply with the conditions on your licence.

If you have difficulty complying with your conditions or the Act, contact Council.

Failure to comply can result in one or more of these enforcement actions:

• a letter being issued requiring action to be taken or work to be conducted
• a legal notice being issued requiring action to be taken or work to be conducted
• suspension of a licence
• cancellation of a licence
• prosecution.

You need to have procedures in place to ensure that the body piercing of genitalia and nipples, and the tattooing of minors (under 18 years of age) does not occur, (e.g. checking identification for proof of age and recording such details). Refer to Summary Offences Act 2005 and the Child Protection Act 1999.

Tattooing of minors is still illegal even if you have signed parental consent.