Laser licence

If you are removing a tattoo using a laser you will need a laser licence issued by Queensland Health.

Tattoo operator licence or tattooist licence

Businesses wanting to give tattoos also need a tattoo operator licence from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). You will need both the OFT licence and Council’s higher risk personal appearance service licence to operate.

If you haven’t applied for either licence yet, you are encouraged to apply for the OFT tattoo operator licence first. This will save you time and money if you are not eligible for the tattoo operator licence.

Business trading name

If you are registering a new business name, you will need to contact Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

Infection control qualification

Each person who performs a higher risk personal appearance service must hold an infection control qualification. You need to provide copies of your employees' statement of attainment to Council before starting your business.

Compliance with medical legislation

Please refer to the Australian Health Practitioners Regulatory Agency (AHPRA) website for more information about other approvals required to provide surgical/medical procedures or to administer associated scheduled drugs.