Haringey Council is set to introduce licensing requirements for businesses offering ear piercings and similar services, following a decision made at the Licensing Committee meeting on 6 November 2025. The move, enabled by the power granted to the council under s10(1) of the London Local Authorities Act 1991[1], aims to ensure safety and hygiene standards are met across the borough.
The ASB Enforcement team has been tasked with researching premises currently offering these services. The Licensing Committee heard that the fees would be paid by business owners, including individuals renting space within establishments like hairdressers, who offer massages or special treatments. In these situations, the individual providing the service is responsible for paying their own licensing fee.
The decision came as part of a broader discussion on revisions to massage and special treatment licensing, with Councillor Anna Abela, Chair of Licensing Committee, presiding over the meeting. The committee was informed that ear piercings (or similar activities) carried out by jewellers needed to be licensed. Other services that involve skin piercing will also be subject to the new Class 1 licensing requirements.
The Licensing Committee also discussed the classification of treatments, with more intrusive procedures like skin piercings categorised as Class 1, and less invasive treatments like nail services as Class 4. The committee noted that the classification of treatments listed in the agenda papers were simply a partial list. Some inconsistencies were identified in the initial treatment classifications, and the documents are being revised to address these issues. The revised documents will categorize treatments with anything that pierces the skin as Class 1 and lower levels of treatment such as nails as Class 4.
The Licensing Committee was asked to note the contents of the report and the appendices in the report, approve the proposed changes to the Massage and Special Treatment licensing process, exercise power under s10(1) of the London Local Authorities Act 1991 by regulation to prescribe the revised standard conditions for licensed special treatments establishments and the revised special conditions attached with the report, and approve the fees and charges for this function as set out in Appendices 2 and 3 in the report.
Further details on the Licensing Committee's discussions can be found in the Public Reports Pack for the meeting.
[1] The Licensing Committee was asked to exercise power under s10(1) of the London Local Authorities Act 1991 by regulation to prescribe the revised standard conditions for licensed special treatments establishments and the revised special conditions attached with the report.