Beauty and tattooing
Starting a new or taking over an existing personal appearance service? You may need a personal appearance service licence.
Hairdressing, beauty therapy and skin penetration such as tattooing and body piercing are personal appearance services (PAS). Hairdressers, nail salons and beauty therapists, as well as tattooing, body piercing and other skin penetration can spread diseases and cause infections. There are a number of documents that new and existing PAS licences need to be aware of. They include:
- Public Health (Infection Control for Personal Appearance Services Act 2003)
- Queensland Development Code, part MP 5.2 - Higher Risk Personal Appearance Services and
- Infection Control Guidelines for Personal Appearance Services.
A personal appearance service can be operated from a home, commercial premises or mobile premises, e.g. a caravan.
When you don't need a licence?
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).
Do I need a licence?
Do I need a licence?
Whether starting a new PAS or taking over an existing PAS, 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
How to start a personal appearance business
How to start a personal appearance business
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.
- Ensure your premises meets the design and fit-out requirements.
- Complete and lodge High Risk Personal Appearance Services Application. You can submit your application by emailing customer.service@sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au.
- 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.