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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote & improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county & community efforts.

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Tanning Facilities

Contact the Health Tanning Program

 *Note: This page contains materials in the Portable Document Format (PDF).  The free Adobe Reader may be required to view these files.

Business Issues

There are currently more than 800 tanning facilities with over 4,000 tanning devices that are licensed by Florida County Health Departments.  Florida tanning facility operation requirements are found in Rule 64E-17, Florida Administrative Code and Section 381.89, Florida Statutes. Federal performance requirements for ultraviolet (UV) light equipment are found in Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) section 1040.20. 

If you wish to open a tanning facility or add tanning devices to your current business, you must obtain an operational license.  County Health Departments monitor facility's operation through regular inspections to assure that required sanitary standards are maintained. County Health Departments must inspect and approve facilities as a prerequisite to issuing an operating license.

The Department maintains Inspection Data for Tanning Facilities.

Apply for a License

Licenses for tanning facilities are issued by theDepartment of Health's County Health Departments. The first step to obtaining a tanning facilities license is to contact the Environmental Health Section of the County Health Department in which the facility will be operating and consult with an Tanning Environmental Specialist.

Once you have consulted with the Environmental Health Section,submit all of the necessary paperwork including a drawn plan of the facility, a completed Application for Tanning Facility License, and operating and safety procedures to the County Health Department in which the facility will be operating along with the required license fee. The fee is based on the number of tanning devices in your facility. The County Health Department can help you calculate the correct fee for your facility. Tanning Facility licenses are renewed annually.

The plan of the facility should show barrier walls or other devices that will shield the view of waiting customers and passersby from UV light. The plan should also include the location of restrooms. The plan does not have to be an architect or engineer drawing, however, the plan must be drawn to scale. See Rule 64E-17.002, Florida Administrative Code for further guidance.

Training

All owners/operators, managers and employees that assist customers or operate tanning devices must be trained in accordance with Rule 64E-17, Florida Administrative Code.

The Florida Department of Health recognizes the following approved training courses: 

Correspondence Courses

  • Marver Corporation, Inc.: (239) 936-2232
  • Regulatory Consultants Inc.: (800) 533-9017

Internet Courses


Tanning Risks

There are risks associated with overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from tanning beds and booths as there are with overexposure to sunlight. Tanning facility staff will advise you about the maximum exposure time for the particular device you will use, the operation of emergency shutoff controls, the requirement for protective eyewear, and the location of personal hygiene facilities. Tanning bed surfaces and protective eyewear must be sanitized between uses.

Additional information about indoor tanning can be found in the Indoor Tanning Brochure.

**Tanning facilities must only allow customers to tan only once within a 24 hour period.**Rule 64E-17.002(2)(m), Florida Administrative Code.

Resources

The following links are pdfs and open in a new window.

Section 381.89, Florida Statutes: the Florida Statute regulating tanning facilities, Florida State Legislature Web Site.

21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) section 1040.20, The US Federal Code specifying performance standards for sunlamp products and ultraviolet lamps for use in sunlamp products, US Government Printing Office Web Site.