If you are starting your own accommodation, health or beauty business, there are important steps you will need to follow.
In Victoria it is required by law that all Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 premises are registered with their local Council.
A Public Health and Wellbeing Act premise may be:
- an accommodation premise
- a personal treatment business which includes:
- Beauty Therapy
- Body Piercing/Body Modification
- Colonic Irrigation
- Electrolysis
- Hairdressing, as well as mobile hairdressing
- Tattooing (including cosmetic tattooing)
- Other skin penetration (for example: Myotherapy, dry needling or wet cupping/micro-dermabrasion or any activity where the skin in damaged or opened)
Step one - Research your idea and form a business plan
Increase your chances of success in your business and visit the Business Victoria website to research all aspects of starting a new business. Formulating a business plan is your first and most important step to ensure your business will be sustainable.
Our website also has information on starting and growing your business in Geelong.
In August each year we are part of the Geelong Small Business Festival.
The fitout of your business space and your processes will
need to meet requirements in the Infection prevention and control guidelines for hair, beauty, tattooing and skin penetration industries.
Step two – Approval from other authorities
Permits or exemptions may be required from other authorities prior to applying for a registration with the Councils Health Services Unit.
These may include, but are not limited to:
Step three – Application process
Our registration process can take 4-6 weeks from when you
apply.
What you will need to do:
You will need to apply to register a premises under the Public
Health and Wellbeing Act 2008.
Your application will need to include a copy of plans or
photos of your operational spaces and an intended opening date.
Plans or photos should include:
- The
layout of all fixtures, fittings and equipment;
- A
description of materials to be used for surface finishes including walls,
floors and bench tops. (A legend on the side of the plan may be used).
If you are registering a beauty business, you will need to provide a summary of the work to be undertaken.
If you are registering an accommodation business, you will need to provide the number of rooms and the number of occupants. Plans will need to show measurements of rooms.
What we will do:
Our Environmental Health Officer will contact you within ten working days of us receiving your application to:
- discuss your business plan;
- determine the type of business you will operate and,
- the Registration Fee you will need to pay.
We will tell you an invoice amount to register your business during this conversation.
If you decide not to proceed with your business, please let the Environmental Health Officer know and your application will be closed.
Step four – Invoice issued and payment received
We will issue an invoice and email it to you for payment.
Your application will not progress until your invoice is
paid in full.
An Environmental Health Officer will contact you within 10 business days of us receiving your payment to discuss the next step in application and/or
arrange to inspect your business.
Step five – Application assessment
The Environmental Health Officer will assess your business
against relevant legislation and go over any requirements for registration.
The fitout of your business space and your processes will need to meet requirements in
the Infection prevention and control guidelines for hair, beauty, tattooing and skin penetration industries.
If any works are required, you will be provided with this
information verbally. You will also receive an email confirming any works to be
completed.
Step 6 - Approval and certificate of registration
If your business meets all registration requirements, you
will be given approval to trade, and a Certificate of
registration will be sent to your email.
If you were given a list of items to complete, work through
these. Once these are completed contact the Environmental Health Officer to arrange an inspection of your
premises before trading.
5 business days' notice will be required for this inspection.
Once the officer is satisfied that all requirements have been met you will be given verbal approval to trade and then a Certificate of Registration will be sent to your email.
Step 7 - Registration and compliance
You are now registered and ready to trade!
An Environmental Health Officer will conduct an infection
control inspection after 30 days.
Inspections will be carried out throughout the year to ensure compliance is maintained.
It should be noted that accommodation and personal treatment premises performance is expected to be consistently maintained.
Additional fees above the annual registration fee may be expected should a business not reach appropriate hygiene levels during the year, these are referred to as performance fees.
Other information which you should be familiar with:
For Personal treatment businesses:
For accommodation premises
Step 8 - Registration Periods
For most Accommodation, Beauty and other Personal treatment businesses registered under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act the registration period is from 1 January to 31 December each year.
A renewal of registration will be sent to you approximately six weeks prior to end of the registration period.
For businesses that have been assessed as non-compliant
during the previous year, performance fees may also be included in your renewal invoice.
Registration is slightly different for businesses that have hairdressing only and some low risk beauty therapy services. In these cases you will be giving ongoing registration.
Questions
If you do not understand your registration and compliance requirements you can speak to the Health Officer during their next inspection or contact our Health Services Unit on 03 5272 4411.