Greater Manchester Support Offer for Tattooists →
Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership have recently launched a campaign targeted at tattooists. The campaign promotes ‘Shining A Light On Suicide’ (external link) and resources are available.
The Greater Manchester Suicide Prevention Programme recognised that many people who have experienced a bereavement or mental health struggle will often seek a tattoo in memory of a loved one or as a mark of survival of difficult times they may have recently been through.
Personal Treatments
You need to be registered under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 if you carry out any of the following treatments:
- Acupuncture
- Cosmetic piercing (including ear piercing)
- Electrolysis
- Semi permanent skin colouring (including Microblading)
- Tattooing
Registration is required for both the person carrying out the treatment and the premises used. You will need to re-apply if you move premises.
Byelaws
The practice of the above treatments are controlled through compliance with the following byelaws:
How to apply
Before you apply, you're advised to familiarise yourself with the relevant byelaws.
Supporting documents or certificates can be submitted online via the following application links or emailed (quoting your application reference).
Personal Registration
Please complete the application in full.
You must ensure you specify within the application which of the above treatment(s) you will be carrying out, and at which premises. Please remember that the premises and the treatment(s) you are proposing to carry out must be registered.
You will need to describe the following in SECTION 13 of the application form:
- Premises, giving details of treatment rooms, other rooms used for the business and the facilities provided
- Provision for disposal of waste, used materials, needles, etc.
- Provision for cleaning the premises, fittings and equipment and sterilisation of instruments.
We are unable to process applications without the above information.
The fee for this application is £192.00 and must be paid when you make your online application.
Premises Registration
Please complete the application in full.
The fee for this application is £224.00 and must be paid when you make your online application.
Personal and Premises Registration
Please complete the application in full.
The fee for this application is £416.00 and must be paid when you make your online application.
How long will my application take?
We aim to determine applications within 21 working days from receipt of a completed application, including payment. In some circumstances applications may take longer than 21 days whilst we liaise with the Environmental Health Team.
You must not begin operating / carrying out any of the above treatments until you are in receipt of your certificate of registration.
Will tacit consent apply?
No. It is in the public interest that we must process your application before we can grant a registration. Please contact us if you have not heard from us within 21 days from the date of application.
What happens if my application is granted?
Following the grant of an application a certificate of registration will be issued which sets out the treatments that have been authorised to be carried out. This will be accompanied by a copy of the Council’s byelaws in relation to the treatments listed on the certificate.
An Officer from the Environmental Health Team will visit and check that your premises have the right facilities available and that you are operating hygienically and safely. They will also be able to provide advice.
You are advised to read and check through the relevant byelaws, as you must meet the standards of them. Failure to comply with the byelaws may lead to prosecution and/or the revocation of your registration(s).
Please note that it is a legal requirement that the certificate of registration(s) and the byelaws be prominently displayed on the premises.
Any registration, if granted, lasts indefinitely. It would only end if you surrender it to the Council or it was cancelled or suspended by a Court, if you were found guilty of an offence under the law controlling your registration.
Change of circumstances
You must notify us of any change of circumstances. This includes the surrendering of a registration, a request to transfer a premises registration or any other material change to the registration or how you operate. There is a fee due in respect of any change that requires a new registration to be issued.
If you wish to apply for any additional treatment(s) to be included on your registration you must complete the online change application and pay the relevant fee. The fee payable for this change is £151.
Public register
There is no legal requirement to keep a public register. Please contact us if you want to know whether a person or premises are registered.
Complaints
If you are concerned that a someone is carrying out any of the above treatments without a registration, or that a business is trading without a registration, you can: