Special treatment establishment licence

Pay a special treatment licence fee

Special treatment establishments are premises run by non-medical practitioners which provide beauty treatments and other procedures including:

massages
manicures and pedicures
acupuncture
tattooing
cosmetic piercing
light treatments, such as sunbeds
electric treatments, such as electrolysis
other treatments including semi-permanent skin colouring, vapour, sauna or other bath treatments

You can use our application forms to apply for a new licence, transfer or make a variation to an existing licence, or apply for an occasional licence for one-off events on specific dates.

If your application is successful, you must comply with the conditions and restrictions of the licence, whenever using the premises to provide special treatments. Failure to comply with a condition is a criminal offence.

Access the full list of standard and special conditions that are relevant to your licence here:

Licence holders must give a consent form (PDF, 38.15 KB) to customers under the age of 16, who need to get the consent of their parent or guardian before the licence holder can carry out the treatment.

Copies of the qualifications gained by each therapist must be provided for each of the treatments applied for. Only Ofqual regulated qualifications are accepted where a regulated qualification exists for the treatment.

It is a criminal offence to carry out unlicensed activities and, if convicted, you could be given a £2,500 fine.

Apply for a new licence (PDF, 243.67 KB)

Apply to transfer a licence (PDF, 155.33 KB)

Apply for variation to a licence (PDF, 201.39 KB)

Apply for an occasional licence (PDF, 204.03 KB)

If your application is unsuccessful, you may appeal to a magistrates' court within 21 days of the decision.

For more information see: