London Fine Line Tattoo Academy

Getting licensed

How to register as a tattoo artist in London

Tattooing in London is regulated more strictly than the rest of England. Here's how licensing works in the capital, and the borough to contact wherever your studio is.

Do I legally need a licence?

Yes. London is different from the rest of England. Most London boroughs license tattooing as a "special treatment" under the London Local Authorities Act 1991, which means you need a special treatment premises licence from the borough council before anyone is tattooed there. It is a criminal offence to provide tattooing without the licence where the Act applies.

This is more involved than the one-off registration used elsewhere in England (under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982). A London special treatment licence is usually an annual licence that you renew, and the fees are set by each borough. A few boroughs run their own arrangements, so always confirm the exact rules with your borough below.

What the council is checking

The licence is about safety, hygiene and infection control. The borough wants to be satisfied that the premises are suitable, that practitioners understand cross-contamination, sterilisation and safe needle and sharps handling, and that the studio can be kept clean. This is exactly what proper training covers, and why an Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) Level 2 qualification (included on our courses) is so useful to show.

The steps

  • Contact your borough council (find yours below) and ask about a special treatment premises licence for tattooing.
  • Complete the application for the premises, and pay the borough's licence fee. Fees and forms vary by borough.
  • Meet the conditions: boroughs apply standard licence conditions covering hygiene, equipment, waste and record keeping. Some also approve individual practitioners.
  • Inspection: an environmental health or licensing officer will normally inspect the premises before the licence is granted.
  • Display your licence: once approved, display the licence at the premises and renew it when due.

Good to have ready

  • Proof of training and hygiene knowledge (for example your CPD certificate and IPC Level 2).
  • Details of the premises, layout, equipment and sterilisation you'll use.
  • The borough's fee, and any plans, photos or documents they ask for.

Always check your specific borough's page, as the exact licence, conditions and fees differ across London.

Find your borough in London

License with the borough your studio is in. Here's every London borough and the City of London, the areas each covers, and a link to its website.

City of London

City of London Corporation

Covers City of London, Square Mile, Barbican, Bank, Moorgate, Aldgate.

Tower Hamlets

London Borough of Tower Hamlets

Covers Shadwell, Whitechapel, Bethnal Green, Bow, Poplar, Stepney, Mile End, Wapping, Canary Wharf, Limehouse.

Hackney

London Borough of Hackney

Covers Hackney, Shoreditch, Dalston, Stoke Newington, Hoxton, Clapton, Homerton, Hackney Wick.

Islington

London Borough of Islington

Covers Islington, Angel, Holloway, Highbury, Finsbury Park, Archway, Clerkenwell, Caledonian Road.

Camden

London Borough of Camden

Covers Camden Town, Kentish Town, Hampstead, Bloomsbury, Holborn, Kings Cross, Belsize Park, Swiss Cottage.

Westminster

Westminster City Council

Covers Soho, Marylebone, Mayfair, Pimlico, Paddington, Covent Garden, Victoria, St Johns Wood.

Kensington and Chelsea

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

Covers Kensington, Chelsea, Notting Hill, Earls Court, Knightsbridge, Ladbroke Grove.

Hammersmith and Fulham

London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

Covers Hammersmith, Fulham, Shepherds Bush, White City, Parsons Green, Sands End.

Wandsworth

Wandsworth Council

Covers Wandsworth, Battersea, Putney, Tooting, Balham, Clapham Junction, Earlsfield.

Lambeth

London Borough of Lambeth

Covers Brixton, Clapham, Streatham, Stockwell, Vauxhall, Kennington, West Norwood.

Southwark

London Borough of Southwark

Covers Peckham, Camberwell, Bermondsey, Dulwich, Walworth, Rotherhithe, Nunhead, Elephant and Castle.

Lewisham

London Borough of Lewisham

Covers Lewisham, Deptford, Catford, New Cross, Forest Hill, Sydenham, Blackheath, Brockley.

Greenwich

Royal Borough of Greenwich

Covers Greenwich, Woolwich, Eltham, Charlton, Plumstead, Blackheath, Thamesmead.

Newham

London Borough of Newham

Covers Stratford, East Ham, Forest Gate, Plaistow, Canning Town, Beckton, Manor Park.

Waltham Forest

London Borough of Waltham Forest

Covers Walthamstow, Leyton, Leytonstone, Chingford, Highams Park.

Redbridge

London Borough of Redbridge

Covers Ilford, Wanstead, Woodford, Barkingside, Gants Hill, South Woodford.

Barking and Dagenham

London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

Covers Barking, Dagenham, Chadwell Heath, Rush Green, Becontree.

Havering

London Borough of Havering

Covers Romford, Hornchurch, Upminster, Rainham, Elm Park, Harold Hill.

Haringey

London Borough of Haringey

Covers Tottenham, Wood Green, Crouch End, Hornsey, Muswell Hill, Highgate, Harringay.

Enfield

London Borough of Enfield

Covers Enfield, Edmonton, Palmers Green, Southgate, Winchmore Hill, Ponders End.

Barnet

London Borough of Barnet

Covers Barnet, Finchley, Hendon, Edgware, Golders Green, Mill Hill, Colindale.

Brent

London Borough of Brent

Covers Wembley, Willesden, Kilburn, Harlesden, Kingsbury, Cricklewood, Neasden.

Harrow

London Borough of Harrow

Covers Harrow, Pinner, Stanmore, Wealdstone, Edgware, Rayners Lane.

Hillingdon

London Borough of Hillingdon

Covers Uxbridge, Hayes, Ruislip, Hillingdon, Northwood, West Drayton.

Ealing

London Borough of Ealing

Covers Ealing, Acton, Southall, Greenford, Hanwell, Northolt, Perivale.

Hounslow

London Borough of Hounslow

Covers Hounslow, Chiswick, Brentford, Isleworth, Feltham, Bedfont.

Richmond upon Thames

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

Covers Richmond, Twickenham, Teddington, Barnes, Mortlake, Hampton, Kew.

Kingston upon Thames

Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

Covers Kingston, Surbiton, New Malden, Chessington, Tolworth, Norbiton.

Merton

London Borough of Merton

Covers Wimbledon, Mitcham, Morden, Colliers Wood, Raynes Park.

Sutton

London Borough of Sutton

Covers Sutton, Carshalton, Cheam, Wallington, Worcester Park.

Croydon

London Borough of Croydon

Covers Croydon, Purley, Thornton Heath, South Norwood, Coulsdon, Norbury, Addiscombe.

Bromley

London Borough of Bromley

Covers Bromley, Beckenham, Orpington, Penge, Chislehurst, West Wickham.

Bexley

London Borough of Bexley

Covers Bexleyheath, Sidcup, Erith, Welling, Crayford, Belvedere.

Borough details are provided for convenience and may change, always confirm the current licence, conditions and fees on the council's own website. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Get the training your borough wants to see

Our CPD accredited fine line courses in London include Infection Prevention & Control Level 2, so you're ready to license and work.

View the courses