Tattoo artists in Wales will have to pay hundreds in licence fees and pass a course in infection prevention as part of new mandatory requirements.
Wales is the first country in the UK to introduce such rules, which aim to improve hygiene and lower the risk of bloodborne infections.
Practitioners of acupuncture, body piercings, electrolysis and tattoos – including semi-permanent make-up – are all covered by the new rules.
That means more than 4,000 individuals will face a charge of £203 for a three-year licence.
More than 2,000 businesses will also require certification for their premises or vehicle, to the tune of £385.
All practitioners will need to pass a regulated course in infection prevention to be licensed.
The licences will be provided by local authorities. All 22 authorities have agreed on the fees for at least the first year of the operation.
Keith Reid, deputy chief medical officer for Wales, said the new rules provide “important reassurance” for people having special procedures by making sure “the practitioner they use is licensed and the premises or vehicle where the procedure is performed has been approved”.
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Some tattoo artists welcomed the new rules, including Marie Lowe, the owner of Miss Rie’s Tattoo Studio in Newport.
She said in a statement via the Welsh government: “It’s good news for the special procedures industry that these new rules are now in place.
“They will be important in ensuring a consistent approach is taken by all practitioners across Wales and our clients know they are having a procedure by a licensed person in a safe and clean environment.”
Ffion Haf Hughes, owner of Little Wren Beauty and Aesthetics in Caernarfon, also said the licensing scheme “not only elevates industry standards, ensuring safety and professionalism, but also instils greater confidence in our clients”.
