Skin piercing licensing

The guidance below is for skin piercing businesses that operate from a residential property.

Operating a business from a spare room in a residential property

For a skin piercing business operating from a spare room in a residential property:

• the licence applicant is responsible for checking with our planning department whether permission is needed to carry on a 'sui generis' business from a residential property – this is dependent on the property itself, the residential area as a whole and possible nuisance issues that may affect neighbouring properties
• a separate toilet facility should be adjacent to, or at least on the same floor as, the proposed treatment room – this should be for the sole use of the business operator and clients, and not accessed by family or friends
• the internal working area of the treatment room should be a minimum of 5 square metres to allow the business operator to access equipment and move around the client safely whilst carrying out their activities
• the treatment room should have a fully plumbed-in hand washbasin with hot and cold running water
• floor coverings in the treatment room should be impervious for effective hygienic cleaning – this means no carpets or rugs
• all work surfaces should be of an impervious material to allow effective hygienic cleaning
• all walls should be finished in a covering that allows effective hygienic cleaning – for example, painted without wallpaper
• all furniture in the treatment room – couches, chairs, stools, and so on – should have an impervious covering for hygienic cleaning, and not be covered with fabric
• any furniture, especially with soft furnishing, that is not essential for use within the treatment room should be removed
• all equipment and records stored in the treatment room should be held within storage units or cupboards that allow effective hygienic cleaning
• the room should offer suitable heating and ventilation for the comfort of clients and the work activities of the business operator
• the treatment room should have sufficient lighting to allow the business operator to carry on their activities in a safe manner
• the business operator is responsible for arranging a collection service for contaminated waste that is suitable for the business usage
• the business operator should carry out their activities in line with any in-force COVID-19 regulations and guidance, with a suitable risk assessment in place for doing so
• the business operator should have suitable public liability insurance in place, covering any COVID-19 risks as required

The business must also comply with all relevant general health and safety regulations – for example, making sure clients can enter and exit safely, and that all necessary signage is in place.

There may be further requirements depending on the types of property and activity involved.

Operating a business from an external building in the grounds of a residential property

For a skin piercing business operating from an external building of a residential property:

• the internal working area of the treatment room should be a minimum of 5 square metres to allow the business operator to access equipment and move around the client safely whilst carrying out their activities
• the treatment room should have a fully plumbed-in hand washbasin with hot and cold running water
• any other parts of the building not used for skin piercing activities should be separated by solid full-height partition walls, with no access to the treatment room
• a separate toilet facility with a fully plumbed-in hand washbasin with hot and cold running water should be installed next to the treatment room, with an adjoining door where possible – this should be for the sole use of the business operator and clients, and not accessed by family or friends
• the internal toilet facilities inside the main residential property should not used clients, or by the business operator whilst they are operating their skin piercing business