Tattooing, Piercing and Acupuncture

Tattooing premises must as a minimum:

• be carefully planned to provide client treatment areas totally separate from equipment cleaning/sterilising areas;
• have sufficient space for work flow and for the storage of equipment;
• have a smooth, impervious easily cleaned floor covering that is coved at floor to wall junctions;
• have walls, ceiling, benches, shelving, fittings and furniture surfaces that are smooth, not able to absorb water and easy to clean;

• have a hand wash basin with a supply of hot and cold water from a single outlet, such as a 'Flick Mixer' tap. The tap must be able to be operated hands-free by the operator, for example, by using your elbow, or foot operated; and soap and paper towel in dispensers are required;
• have a sink supplied with hot and cold water provided through a single outlet to be used only for washing equipment and instruments;
• have an autoclave unless only sterile single use equipment will be used; and
• have a toilet and hand basin available for customer use.

The Director of Public Health underPublic Health Act 1997 requires both the premises where tattooing is conducted and each individual tattooist to be licensed. 

An application for a Licence to Carry out a Public Health Risk Activity (Premises)(PDF, 35KB) is to be submitted to City of Launceston at least 14 days before the proposed start date of operation. With the application form you will need to provide plans drawn to scale, (floor and elevation plans) and which clearly show the proposed lay-out of the tattoo studio.

The plans must also include detail on the finish of the premises, such as the type of flooring and benches. 

• Before you can start operating, a City of Launceston Environmental Health Officer will conduct an inspection. 
• To prepare for the assessment and limit delays, ensure you are familiar with the Guidelines for Tattooing and have all the equipment in place that you require to comply with the Guidelines. 
• Subject to assessment of the suitability of the premises, an application may be refused, approved or approved with conditions. 
• Licences are not transferable and must be renewed each year.

An application for a Licence to Carry out a Public Health Risk Activity (Operator)(PDF, 34KB)  is to be submitted to City of Launceston at least 14 days before the proposed start date of operation.

Before you can start operating, a City of Launceston Environmental Health Officer will conduct an assessment.

To prepare for the assessment and limit delays, ensure you are familiar with the Guidelines for Tattooing and have all the equipment and processes in place that you require to comply with the Guidelines. You will be asked to explain your proposed procedures for obtaining consent and record keeping through to carrying out the tattoo and giving after-care advice. You will also be assessed on your understanding of infection control and the public health risks associated with tattooing.

Subject to assessment of the applicant to operate safely, an application may be refused, approved or approved with conditions.  

• Mobile Tattooing and Home Visits: Due to the high risk of infection transfer where skin penetration procedures are carried out, mobile tattooing businesses and home visits are prohibited.

• Age Limits: Under Section 35A of the Police Offences Act 1935, it is an offence to conduct tattoos on a person under the age of 18 years. Therefore, it is vital as an operator that you ensure that the person can provide sufficient documentation to prove their age, before you do a tattoo. Further information on this restriction is available from Tasmania Police. A poster and brochure advising of the legal age limits is also available to download and print so that you can have this information on display at your studio.

Hepatitis B is an infectious disease that is transmitted by blood and body fluids and which can occur if infection control is not carried out correctly.

A Hepatitis B vaccination course is available and may be accessed through your GP if you have not already received this vaccination. Protecting your own personal safety and your staff is very important.

Wearing personal protective equipment, such as covered shoes, single use gloves and eye protection, will help to keep you safe. You should also ensure you know what to do if you get a needle-stick injury. All sharps, including single use razors, must be disposed of into an approved sharps container. It must be puncture proof and comply with the Australian Standard (AS4031).

This waste is a 'controlled waste' under the Environmental Management & Pollution Control Act 1994 and must be disposed of by a waste company that is approved by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA). 

For further information concerning this, please contact the Waste Management Section of the EPA at 6165 4599 or EnvironmentEnquiries@environment.tas.gov.au

Tattoo businesses may require planning, building and plumbing approval. Approval from Council may also be required if the business wishes to use a portion of the footpath or road reserve for portable signs.

Ear and body piercing premises must as a minimum:

• be carefully planned to provide client treatment areas totally separate from equipment cleaning/sterilising areas;
• have sufficient space for work flow and for the storage of equipment;
• have a smooth, impervious easily cleaned floor covering that is coved at floor to wall junctions;
• have walls, ceiling, benches, shelving, fittings and furniture surfaces that are smooth, not able to absorb water and easy to clean;

• have a hand wash basin with a supply of hot and cold water from a single outlet, such as a 'Flick Mixer' tap. The tap must be able to be operated hands-free by the operator, for example, by using your elbow, or foot operated; and soap and paper towel in dispensers are required;
• have a sink supplied with hot and cold water provided through a single outlet to be used only for washing equipment and instruments;
• have an autoclave unless only sterile single use equipment will be used; and
• have a toilet and hand basin available for customer use. 

The Director of Public Health under Public Health Act 1997 requires both the premises where ear and body piercing is conducted and each individual ear and body piercer to be licensed.

Premises Licence
An application for a Licence to Carry out a Public Health Risk Activity (Premises)(PDF, 35KB)  is to be submitted to City of Launceston at least 14 days before the proposed start date of operation. With the application form you will need to provide plans drawn to scale, (floor and elevation plans) which clearly show the proposed lay-out of the ear and body piercing studio.

• The plans must also include detail on the finish of the premises, such as the type of flooring and benches.
• Before you can start operating, a City of Launceston Environmental Health Officer will conduct an inspection.
• To prepare for the assessment and limit delays, ensure you are familiar with the Guidelines for Ear and Body Piercing and have all the equipment in place that you require to comply with the Guidelines.
• Subject to assessment of the suitability of the premises, an application may be refused, approved or approved with conditions.
• Licences are not transferable and must be renewed each year.

Ear and Body Piercing Licence
An application for a Licence to Carry out a Public Health Risk Activity (Operator)(PDF, 34KB) is to be submitted to City of Launceston at least 14 days before the proposed start date of operation.

Before you can start operating, a City of Launceston Environmental Health Officer will conduct an assessment.

To prepare for the assessment and limit delays, ensure you are familiar with the Guidelines for Ear and Body Piercing and have all the equipment and processes in place that you require to comply with the Guidelines. You will be asked to explain your proposed procedures for obtaining consent and record keeping through to carrying out the piercing and giving after-care advice. You will also be assessed on your understanding of infection control and the public health risks associated with piercing.

Subject to assessment of the applicant to operate safely, an application may be refused, approved or approved with conditions.

• Mobile Piercing and Home Visits: Due to the high risk of infection transfer where skin penetration procedures are carried out, mobile piercing businesses and home visits are prohibited.

• Age Limits: Under Section 35A of the Police Offences Act 1935, it is an offence to conduct an intimate body piercing on a person under the age of 18 years. An intimate body piercing means piercing a person's genitalia, anal region, perineum, nipples or uvula. It is also illegal to perform any other body piercing, (other than intimate piercings) without the youth's guardian being present when the body piercing is being done, unless the person is aged at least 16 years old. This means that a person aged 16 or 17 can have a body piercing in a non-intimate area, without parental permission. However, if the person is aged 15 years or under, then the youth's guardian must give his or her consent for the piercing and be present during the piercing. Therefore, it is vital as an operator that you ensure that the person can provide sufficient documentation to prove their age, before you conduct a piercing. Further information on these restrictions is available from Tasmania Police. A poster and brochure advising of the legal age limits is also available to download and print so that you can have this information on display at your studio.

Hepatitis B is an infectious disease that is transmitted by blood and body fluids and which can occur if infection control is not carried out correctly. A Hepatitis B vaccination course is available and may be accessed through your GP if you have not already received this vaccination.

Protecting your own personal safety and your staff is very important. Wearing personal protective equipment, such as covered shoes, single use gloves and eye protection, will help to keep you safe. You should also ensure you know what to do if you get a needle-stick injury.

All sharps, including single use razors, must be disposed of into an approved sharps container. It must be puncture proof and comply with the Australian Standard (AS4031).

This waste is a 'controlled waste' under the Environmental Management & Pollution Control Act 1994 and must be disposed of by a waste company that is approved by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA).  For further information concerning this, please contact the Waste Management Section of the EPA at 6165 4599 or EnvironmentEnquiries@environment.tas.gov.au.

Ear and body piercing businesses may require planning, building and plumbing approval. Approval from Council may also be required if the business wishes to use a portion of the footpath or road reserve for portable signs. For further information, please contact us.

Acupuncture premises must as a minimum:

• be carefully planned to provide client treatment areas totally separate from equipment cleaning/sterilising areas;
• have sufficient space for work flow and for the storage of equipment;
• have a smooth, impervious easily cleaned floor covering that is coved at floor to wall junctions;
• have walls, ceiling, benches, shelving, fittings and furniture surfaces that are smooth, not able to absorb water and easy to clean;

• have a hand wash basin with a supply of hot and cold water from a single outlet, such as a 'Flick Mixer' tap. The tap must be able to be operated hands-free by the operator, for example, by using your elbow, or foot operated; and soap and paper towel in dispensers are required;
• have a sink supplied with hot and cold water provided through a single outlet to be used only for washing equipment and instruments;
• have an autoclave unless only sterile single use equipment will be used; and
• have a toilet and hand basin available for customer use.

The Director of Public Health under Public Health Act 1997 requires both the premises where acupuncture is conducted and each individual acupuncturist to be licensed (unless the exemption described above applies).

Premises Licence
An application for a Licence to Carry out a Public Health Risk Activity (Premises) is to be submitted to City of Launceston at least 14 days before the proposed start date of operation. With the application form you will need to provide plans drawn to scale, (floor and elevation plans) which clearly show the proposed lay-out of the acupuncture clinic.

• The plans must also include detail on the finish of the premises, such as the type of flooring and benches.
• Before you can start operating, a City of Launceston Environmental Health Officer will conduct an inspection.
• To prepare for the assessment and limit delays, ensure you are familiar with the Guidelines for Acupuncture and have all the equipment in place that you require to comply with the Guidelines.
• Subject to assessment of the suitability of the premises, an application may be refused, approved or approved with conditions.
• Licences are not transferable and must be renewed each year.

Acupuncture Licence
An application for a Licence to Carry out a Public Health Risk Activity (Operator) is to be submitted to City of Launceston at least 14 days before the proposed start date of operation.

Before you can start operating, a City of Launceston Environmental Health Officer will conduct an assessment.

To prepare for the assessment and limit delays, ensure you are familiar with the Guidelines for Acupuncture and have all the equipment and processes in place that you require to comply with the Guidelines. You will be asked to explain your proposed procedures for obtaining consent and record keeping through to carrying out the acupuncture and giving after-care advice. You will also be assessed on your understanding of infection control and the public health risks associated with acupuncture.

Subject to assessment of the applicant to operate safely, an application may be refused, approved or approved with conditions.  

Mobile Acupuncture and Home Visits: Due to the high risk of infection transfer where skin penetration procedures are carried out, mobile acupuncture businesses are prohibited. Acupuncturists providing home visits are permitted. However, wherever practicable, the Guidelines should be complied with and acupuncture provided at a home visit must be performed in a manner that does not pose a threat to public health. 

Hepatitis B is an infectious disease that is transmitted by blood and body fluids and which can occur if infection control is not carried out correctly. A Hepatitis B vaccination course is available and may be accessed through your GP if you have not already received this vaccination.

Protecting your own personal safety and your staff is very important. Wearing personal protective equipment, such as covered shoes, single use gloves and eye protection, will help to keep you safe. You should also ensure you know what to do if you get a needle-stick injury.

All sharps must be disposed of into an approved sharps container. It must be puncture proof and comply with the Australian Standard (AS4031). This waste is a 'controlled waste' under the Environmental Management & Pollution Control Act 1994 and must be disposed of by a waste company that is approved by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA).  For further information concerning this, please contact the Waste Management Section of the EPA at 6165 4599 or EnvironmentEnquiries@environment.tas.gov.au.

Acupuncture businesses may require planning, building and plumbing approval. Approval from Council may also be required if the business wishes to use a portion of the footpath or road reserve for portable signs.