Acupuncture, tattooing, piercing, electrolysis

You must be registered to practice any of the following types of skin piercing activities:

• Acupuncture
• Ear piercing
• Electrolysis
• Tattooing
• Semi-permanent skin colouring

Premises and personal registrations are both required to practice in the borough. Personal registrations cannot be issued, or amended, unless associated with a valid premises registration.

Registration certificates are issued following receipt of a valid application and fee.

How to register

Before registering please read the following documents:

Skin piercing and cosmetic treatment bylaws - pdf - 136 Kb

Tattooing and body piercing guidance toolkit - pdf - 2.84 Mb

Skin piercing and cosmetic treatments registration points of note - pdf - 199 Kb

Once satisfied the byelaws can be met, submit your completed personal and/or a premises registration. You should apply for all activities that will or may apply in the near future. 

New businesses normally apply for both premises ('proprietor') and personal ('operator') registrations at the same time (submitting two forms and two fees).

Personal ('operator') registration certificates are only issued in association with valid premises ('proprietor') registrations.

• Registration does not cover local authority planning, building regulation or listed building consents.  Where these are needed, you must apply for these separately
• If you wish to operate outside the Cheltenham borough boundary, contact the relevant local authority where you wish to work and apply to them
• Operators/personal registrations need to have all places of work, within the borough, listed on their personal registration certificate.  Alternatively separate certificates for each location can be issued

Make an application

Please email completed forms to [email protected]. Alternatively you can post to Environmental Health, Cheltenham Borough Council, Municipal Offices, Promeande, Cheltenham GL50 9SA. 

Make sure to include with your application:

• receipt number for the fee paid
• any relevant current registration numbers

Application form personal registration - PDF - pdf - 225 Kb

Application form personal registration - Word - doc - 86 Kb

Application form premises registration - PDF - pdf - 278 Kb

Application form premises registration - Word - doc - 83 Kb

Once registered remember to keep your details up-to-date otherwise you may invalidate your insurance.  Incorrect registration details invalidate the registration and the person or premises will no longer be registered. See the 'Vary your registration' section for more information. 

 

Fees - pay online

Make sure you take note of the receipt number received and include this in any correspondence.  

You are responsible for keeping your registration details up-to-date. Registrations with incorrect details are invalid and this could invalidate your insurance. 

 

Skin piercing registration fees

Application type	Fee
Person Registration - the 'operator' registration	£138
Premises Registration - the 'proprietor' registration	£138
Vary a personal ('operator') registration	£65
Vary a premises ('proprietor') registration	£65
Basic Fee (replacement certificate or change of name)	£36

The fees in the table apply for 2026/27 financial year and are subject to change in April each year.

Fees are non-refundable. There is no annual fee. 

New application fees apply to:

• New operatives/practioners working in the district, regardless of any registrations from/in other local authority areas
• New premises
• Premises registrations that are invalid because details have not been kept up-to-date and/or the registrations activity has not been continuous (e.g.configuration changes may have occurred, such as removing a sink.)

Variation fees apply:

• When an additional activity is added to the registration (a visit may be triggered)
• If the 'Proprietor' (often the owner) of a premises changes (with a premises variation form)
• If an 'Operator' wishes to work at another location within the borough (with a personal variation form)   

What happens next?

You can start practicing once we confirm you are registered for your byelaw activity.  

We will normally visit new registrations to check compliance with adopted byelaws and address possible public health risks. Most businesses find a visit useful and choose to open after the visit.

Once you receive your registration certificate (normally 1-2 weeks), please check it and display it, alongside a copy of the byelaws (as required by the byelaws).  Any certificate errors can be rectified, for free, within 2 weeks of registration receipt.

Whenever you contact us in the future remember to highlight to us your registration number/s.  This helps us respond quicker.  

Remember to tell us about changes to your contact details or business details. See the ‘vary your registration’ section to find out if any fees apply (some updates are free).

Vary your registration - keep your details up-to-date

Things change, this section lets you know how to tell us.  

It is your responsibility to keep your registration details up-to-date and valid. If your details are incorrect your registration is invalid which may invalidate your insurance.  

Written notification for simple name and address changes  

It is free to change a home address or phone number, on your registration.
Email [email protected] with your registration number and the old and new details. 

We will charge a basic fee for:

• replacement certificate
• personal name change
• business name change. This is classed as a change to the name above the door and does not include a change of address

These are thought to be basic changes. Email [email protected] with the request. Please include:

• the old and the new details
• your current registration number/s (in the title of the email)
• a copy of the receipt number from the basic fee payment

When is a variation form and fee needed?

Use a variation form along with the variation fee:

• When an additional activity is added to the registration (a visit may be triggered)
• If the 'proprietor' (often the owner) of a premises changes (with a premises variation form)
• If an 'operator' wishes to work at another location within the borough (with a personal variation form) 

If the change means you need to pay a variation fee, a basic fee is not needed for relevant changes. 

Apply to vary your registration

Please email completed forms to [email protected]. Alternatively you can post to Environmental Health, Cheltenham Borough Council, Municipal Offices, Promeande, Cheltenham GL50 9SA. 

Make sure to include with your application:

• receipt number for the fee paid
• any relevant current registration numbers

Application form personal variation registration - PDF - pdf - 239 Kb

Application form personal variation registration - Word - doc - 80 Kb

Application form premises variation registration - PDF - pdf - 257 Kb

Application form premises variation registration - Word - doc - 80 Kb

Notes

• A byelaw compliance inspection may be required for some changes made.
• 'Operators' (personal registrations) should have all the places at which they work, within the borough, on their personal registration certificate (separate certificates for each location can be issued on request)
• Remember you will need to submit a new premises application form if the premises you are moving to is not already registered.  Alternatively a premises variation form may be needed if there has been a change in the owner 'proprietor' of the registered premises, you are moving to
• An invalid premises/'proprietor' registration will invalidate any connected personal/'operator' registrations because personal registrations must be associated with a valid premises registration

You don't need any authorisation from the council to practice:  

• Botox and other skin or vitamin injectables
• Light treatments (including sunbeds, lasers,intense pulse light and infra red therapies)
• Saunas, steam, spa-pool, and other baths
• Massage treatments or facials
• Nail treatments (including manicure and pedicure)

If you carry out these activities, you must still ensure safety in your practice. You must comply with health and safety legislation and any relevant industry standards.  

Cosmetic surgery

Cosmetic surgery (including buttock augmentation and other body contouring procedures) are medical practices and need to be registered with Care Qualities Commission (CQC). 

Advice on what to look for when considering cosmetic surgery is also available from the CQC.

The Health and Care Act now covers cosmetic procedures. A new licensing system is proposed. There is a new consultation closing in early January 2027 and there has already been one consultation on the proposals.   The legislation aims to go through Parliament in spring 2027. 

Bylaws covering skin piercing and cosmetic treatments

The council has adopted byelaws to ensure the hygienic operation of these activities. Registered operators must comply with the adopted byelaws.

The byelaws require the premises and its fittings to be clean and easy to keep clean. They also require persons registered to be clean and instruments to be clean and sterile. Suitable and sufficient hand wash basins are also required. You should read the byelaws before practice and application.

The registration certificates and a copy of the byelaws must be displayed.  

Skin piercing and cosmetic treatment bylaws - pdf - 136 Kb

What to look for when seeking services

If you're considering using a practitioner for any of the registered activities listed on this page, we would  suggest you check the following:

• Both registration certificates and a copy of the bylaws are displayed
• Practitioners' qualifications and experience
• Practitioners' insurance

We can check if a premises is registered.  Ask us by emailing [email protected] with the operators name and business address.

When considering an activity that does not fall under the requirement for registration we also recommend you check the practitioners' qualifications, experience and membership to a professional organisation.

Beauty and treatment qualifications should be Ofqual validated where possible and be at a level appropriate for the treatment. In good premises, a practitioners' insurance details should also be displayed. 

Raise a concern

Please contact the environmental health team by emailing [email protected] including the details of the business, the person involved and the reason for your concern or complaint. 

If urgent, please call 01242 264135 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.  Where appropriate we visit premises to check compliance and investigate concerns.

Related Pages

• Apply or renew licences and permits