Registration to carry out tattooing, piercing, acupuncture and electrolysis

If you practice acupuncture or operate a business carrying out tattooing, semi-permanent skin colouring, electrolysis or cosmetic piercing including ear piercing, you need to register with us.

Both the person carrying out the process, and the premises where the treatment is carried out need to be registered under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 Part VIII. This requires that the following types of skin piercing are registered. 

• Acupuncture
• Body Piercing
• Ear Piercing
• Electrolysis
• Semi-Permanent Skin Colouring
• Tattooing  

Applicants will need to ensure that their procedures, equipment and facilities comply with the local byelaws - are safe, hygienic, prevent the spread of disease, and comply with the duty of care as required by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

It is illegal to conduct any of these skin piercing activities unless the premises and the person carrying out the activity are both registered with the City Council.

Consumers should only use registered premises and practitioners, and ask for proof of registration before beginning a procedure. If you are unsure that a premises is registered and wish to check, or you suspect a premises is not registered, please contact us. Phone: (0191) 2116102. Email: psr@newcastle.gov.uk

Applying for registration

You will need to submit an application, including a photograph, and pay a fee in order to register. 

Premises registration

To apply to register a business premises:

• apply online to register a premises
• download an application form to register premises (PDF 188KB)

Personal registration

To apply for a personal licence:

• apply online for registration of a person
• download an application form to register a person (PDF 172 KB)

Registration fees

Considering your application

• We must process your application before registration can be granted therefore tacit consent will not apply.
• We will visit your premises to ensure the business complies with local byelaws prior to issuing the registration certificate
• We hope to process your application within 28 days, however, if you have not heard from us after this time please contact us.

Duration of the registration

Once issued, registrations remain valid as long as the premises is used for the acupuncture, tattooing, skin piercing or electrolysis. You must inform us of any changes to the details provided and premises are subject to periodic inspections.

New Proposals on Cosmetic Procedures

On the 21 October 2026 the Government made the announcement that it will regulate on Cosmetic procedures:

• Cosmetic procedures - including liquid Brazilian butt lifts, vampire facials and chemical peels - will be carried out by specific healthcare experts only
• Cosmetic surgery and other high-risk procedures banned for under 18s 
• anyone who breaks these rules could be hit with a hefty unlimited fine 

Under the new rules, anyone carrying out the highest-risk cosmetic procedures will need to be a qualified, trained and regulated professional, giving people confidence they're in safe hands.

Fillers injected into parts of the body other than the face, including liquid BBLs, would be legally defined as cosmetic surgical procedures, meaning only doctors could perform them.

High-risk non-surgical or wellbeing treatments, including deep chemical peels, vampire facials, dermal micro-coring and some laser procedures would be restricted to:

1. doctors
2. dentists
3. some nurses, midwives and pharmacists (those who have completed an accredited training course which means they are legally authorised to prescribe medications to patients)

For more information go to GOV.UK.

Contact

Health and Safety service, Directorate of Housing and Communities, Civic Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8QH. Phone: (0191) 2116102. Email: psr@newcastle.gov.uk