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

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Tanning

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Tanning: Health Issues  

There are risks associated with overexposure to ultraviolet 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.

Tanning facilities must only allow customers to tan only once within a 24 hour period. See 64E-17.002(2)(m) F.A.C.

There are currently more than 1,600 tanning facilities with over 7,100 tanning devices that are licensed by Florida county health departments.  County Health Departments inspect tanning facilities twice per year to verify their safe and sanitary operation. In addition, the department developed two brochures to better educate the public, one on indoor tanning facts and one for teen tanners. You may download the indoor tanning facts brochure (125K PDF) as an Adobe Acrobat pdf file.  The indoor tanning facts brochure and the teen tanners brochure are available in a printed version from the contact listed below.

FAQ's about Spray-On Tanning

The Florida Department of Health works with tanning facilities that provide services using tanning devices that emit electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths between 200 and 400 nanometers. There are many devices that are ultraviolet free, which are used to create the appearance of the perfect tan. Currently the Department does not work with these types of products or devices. The most asked about products are airbrush tanning and spray-on tanning. These products use dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which interacts with the skin to produce a bronze color. The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates and approves the chemicals used in alternative tanning methods. For further information can be found on the FDA website.

Business Issues

Florida tanning facility operation requirements are found in Chapter 64E-17, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.)(41K PDF) and 381.89, Florida Statutes (F.S.).  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 granting an operating license.

Contact your county health departments and request an application for a tanning facility permit or you can download one below.

Provide the county health department with a plan of the tanning facility you intend to operate.   The plan 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 64E-17.OO2, F.A.C.

Ensure that employees that assist customers or operate tanning devices are formally trained in the operation and maintenance of those devices. See 64E-17.OO4, F.A.C. 

On-Site Training:

The Florida Department of Health recognizes the following approved training courses:
(All Training/Courses open in a new window)

Correspondence Courses:

Internet Courses

Download Files

The following links will open a new window with a pdf file. If you cannot read pdf files, you can download Adobe Acrobat Reader, at no charge, from the Adobe website.

381.89 F.S. , 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.

Apply for a License

Licenses for tanning facilities are issued by the Department 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 in which the facility will be operating and consult with an Environmental Specialist.  Once you have consulted with the Specialist, submit all of the necessary paperwork including a drawn plan of the facility, a completed license application (13K PDF), and operating and safety procedures to Environmental Health along with the required license fee. The fee is based on the number of tanning devices in your facility. The health department can help you calculate the correct fee for your facility. Tanning Facility licenses are renewed annually.
*Note: This page contains materials in the Portable Document Format (PDF).  The free Adobe Reader may be required to view these files.