Health, beauty, and body art businesses

The Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 requires the following health businesses to be registered with Council prior to commencing operations:

• hairdressers and barbers
• beauty treatments (including waxing, tinting and spray tanning)
• tattooists and other forms of skin penetration (cosmetic tattooing and ear piercing)
• colonic irrigation
• nail treatments
• dry needling

Apply to start a new business

It is recommended that you review the below information before starting your application.

• Opening Your Health Business(PDF, 740KB)
• Guidelines for health premises(PDF, 304KB)  
• Infection prevention and control guidelines
• Include a floor plan with your application to help speed up the application process.

Apply for a new business

Processing your application

1. Your application will be assigned and reviewed for compliance by an Environmental Health Officer
2. You will be contacted by the Officer within 14 days (unless an urgent fee was paid) to discuss your application
3. Further information may be requested or a plans endorsement letter will be issued by email to you
4. A final inspection is to be scheduled by the new business prior to opening. Please allow up to three working days to book an inspection
5. All relevant fees (application and registration fees) must be paid prior to commencing operations. Council will provide you with an invoice once the final inspection has been completed for approval. Note: if you have not yet paid your plan processing fee, this amount is also payable now.
6. A certificate of registration is issued once all fees are paid.

Purchasing an existing business

Pre-purchase inspection request

If you are buying an existing health premises, you can request a pre-purchase inspection prior to settlement to ensure the premises is registered and complies with fit out requirements, particularly if you are planning to offer different services to the previous business.

Please allow five working days to schedule a pre-purchase inspection.

An inspection report identifying any works required to ensure ongoing legislative compliance will be issued after the inspection. It is up to the current proprietor and purchaser to negotiate who will take responsibility for undertaking the necessary works. 

Advise of a change in ownership

New businesses who do not request a pre-purchase inspection are required the complete the change in ownership form(PDF, 149KB).

This form must be completed and returned to the Environmental Health team, with the prescribed fee, within seven days of a change of ownership. Once a completed and signed form is received with payment a Certificate of Registration will be issued in the name of the new business owner.

An inspection of the health premises will be completed within 30 days of the change in ownership.