Skin piercing and tattooing licence

Apply for a licence to provide acupuncture, electrolysis, skin piercing and tattooing.

You need to be registered if you carry out:

  • acupuncture
  • electrolysis
  • ear piercing
  • tattooing

This is governed by the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 – legislation.gov.uk.

Register a skin piercing operator or a premises

Both the person carrying out the treatment and the premises used must be registered. You will need to re-apply if you move premises.

Skin piercing operator registration form

Skin piercing premises registration form

Please return your form to: 

Environmental Health
Woking Borough Council
Civic Offices
Gloucester Square
Woking
Surrey
GU21 6YL

Email: environmental.health@woking.gov.uk 

Fees and charges

There is a one-off registration fee to register as an operator and another fee to register the business premises.

Skin piercing registration fees
Type of application Fee
Operator registration  £193
Premises registration  £350
Guest operator registration* £50
Replacement certificate £25

*Guest operator registration is available to those intending to operate in the borough:

  • for 30 consecutive days or less
  • already hold a valid registration or licence to tattoo with a local authority in the United Kingdom

Byelaws

You must also comply with the relevant byelaws relating to:

  • acupuncture
  • ear piercing and electrolysis
  • tattooing

For a copy of these byelaws, please contact us:

Email: environmental.health@woking.gov.uk

Public register

For details of licences we have issued, please contact us.

Body piercing

At present, body piercing is not affected by the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 – legislation.gov.uk. 

However, it is still subject to the general requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 – Health and Safety Executive and other related legislation.