Home-based Hair, Skin Penetration and Beauty Businesses
Hairdressers, skin penetration and beauty businesses from home still carries with it the same legal responsibilities and requirements as those that apply to commercial hairdressers, beauty and skin penetration premises.
Conducting hairdressing, skin penetration and beauty treatments from your home is considered a home business and in some cases, prior development approval is required to ensure that these practices are compliant with the planning regulations and public health and safety standards.
What qualifies as a home-based business?
A 'home-based business' means a business, whether or not involving the sale of items online, carried on in a dwelling, or in a building ancillary to a dwelling, by one or more permanent residents of the dwelling and not involving the following:
- the employment of more than two persons other than the residents,
- interference with the amenity of the neighbourhood because of the emission of noise, vibration, smell, fumes, smoke, vapour, steam, soot, ash, dust, waste water, waste products, grit or oil, traffic generation or otherwise,
- the exposure to view, from adjacent premises or from a public place, of unsightly matter
- the exhibition of signage, other than a business identification sign; or
- the retail sale of, or the exposure or offer for retail sale of items, whether goods or materials, not produced at the dwelling or building, other than by online retailing.
But does not include bed and breakfast accommodation, home occupation (sex services) or sex services premises.
Skin penetration (high risk) procedures
If your business is a business performing skin penetration (higher risk) procedures, you are required to comply with public health laws.
Campbelltown City Council is responsible for making sure that you are registered and operate in a hygienic manner.
All home businesses practicing skin penetration (this includes waxing) requires development consent from Campbelltown City Council prior to operating.
Not all skin penetration practices are suitable to operate as a home business. As tattoo parlours are not permitted in residential areas they are unable to operate as an home-based business.
Find out more about skin penetration businesses.
Hairdresser and non-piercing beauty treatment procedures
A hair and non-piercing beauty treatment is a procedure that does not involve skin penetration but enhances someone's personal beauty.
Hair and beauty practices which do not deliberately pierce the skin are not regulated under the Public Health Act 2010 or Public Health Regulation 2012, however these types of activities are regulated under the Local Government Act 1993 and the Local Government Regulation 2021.
Hair and non-piercing beauty practices includes:
- Haircuts and hair colouring
- Braiding
- Non-piercing facials
- Massage
- Threading
- Baths and Vichy Showers
- Body wraps
- Tinting
- Eyelash extensions
- Spray Tan
- Make Up.
Here's what you need to know
Do I need approval from Council to operate a home-based hairdresser and non-piercing beauty business?
Maybe - other home businesses such as hairdressing or non-piercing beauty treatments may require consent from Campbelltown City Council depending on the individual circumstances of the business.
A hairdressing or non-piercing beauty salon home business (that does not involve skin penetration procedures) can be exempt development under State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 if it meets specific development standards, which include:
- the home business must not constitute a change of use, which would involve more than 10% of the habitable area (a habitable area does not include garages, outbuildings or other an ancillary structures) or 30m2 of habitable floor area, whichever is the smaller.
If you fit into this category, please contact our Environmental Health Team to discuss further on 02 4645 4000.
Please note
Additionally approval maybe required if alterations and/or additions are required to the dwelling (or ancillary building) for a hairdressing or beauty salon home business. The development must not:
- result in a change of building classification;
- not result in any additional separate dwelling; and
- result in the creation of an additional floor within the dwelling or ancillary building.
Use of areas that are not habitable such as but not limited to garages and outbuildings is not permitted for any home business without Development Approval.
What are the design and construction requirements for a home based hairdresser, skin penetration and beauty business?
Home-based hairdressers, skin penetration and beauty premises must comply with specific design, construction and operational conditions as required by a commercial business.
See Development application requirements for the internal construction of a Skin Penetration Premises, Hairdresser or Beauty Salon(PDF, 240KB)
Our Environmental Health Officers are available to:
- Offer advice regarding the required construction standards for a hairdresser, skin penetration or beauty premises
- Conduct pre-construction inspections
- Review development consents and provide advice regarding your proposal.
Will my home based hairdresser, skin penetration and beauty business be inspected by Council?
Yes - Council's Environmental Health Officers undertake routine inspections of all hairdressing, skin penetration and beauty premises (including home-based businesses) to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 1993 and Public Health Act 2010.
Will I be charged for Council inspections of my home based hairdresser, skin penetration and beauty business?
Yes - once your hairdresser, skin penetration or beauty inspection is conducted, an itemised invoice is forwarded to proprietor. Where a re-inspection is required, resulting from an unsatisfactory inspection, an additional fee is charged.
Inspection fees are charged in accordance with Council's Fees and Charges.
Useful links
These websites provide useful information about legislation for hairdresser, skin penetration and beauty businesses: