There are now laws (current as of January 2009 in Victoria Australia) that apply to all piercings and modifications. They are similar to what we have been doing for years – the main difference being that we now have a legal obligation to enforce them – and legal support.
Any Piercer – or studio – who does not follow the new laws can be charged and fined – even if they are under the employ of a studio.
In summary the law is as follows:
- No intimate (genital & nipple) piercing on anyone under the age of 18 years.
- No non intimate piercing on anyone under the age of 16 years without the consent of a parent or guardian
- Prohibits scarification, tongue splitting, branding and beading on anyone under 18 years.
What this means in plain English is that no one under 18yrs can have genital, nipple or the other services listed above. Folks who are 16 years or older can have navel piercing and all facial/ear piercings without parental consent. You will need to provide Proof of Age though like a passport, learners permit, key pass or any other ID that has your picture and date of birth on it. If you are over 16 and have parental permission but not ID, your parent/guardian will need to provide consent by phone. If you would like to discuss the new legislation further please feel free to give us a call on (03) 9419 7707