Commercial Tanning Facilities
The Rockland County Department of Health (RCDOH) permits and inspects commercial tanning facilities, to increase the public's knowledge of the hazards of indoor tanning, minimize user injuries and prevent tanning access by minors.
Requirements & Forms
- Application for Permit to Operate a Tanning Facility - 2-year permit required at all facilities with UV device(s).
- Injury and Illness Report - must be completed and submitted to RCDOH within 24 hours if injury or illness from UV device occurs.
- New York State Warning Sign (available in English and Spanish) - a 11x17" sign must be posted within three (3) feet of each UV device. The operator shall enter the manufacturer's maximum exposure time on the sign for the device it is posted near.
- Rockland County Warning Sign - a 17x22" sign must be posted at the front or main entrance to the facility and on each UV device in an area immediately visible to a customer using the device.
- Statement of Acknowledgement Form (available in English and Spanish) - must be signed by each customer.
- Tanning Hazards Information Sheet (available in English and Spanish) - must be read by each customer.
Regulations & Resources
- NYS Sanitary Code, Part 72, Subpart 72-1
- Rockland County Sanitary Code, Article XIV
- US Food and Drug Administration - information about skin tanning, UV exposure, UV emitting products, and skin protection.
- US Food and Drug Administration, 21 CFR 1040.20 - sunlamp products and UV lamps intended for use in sunlamp products.
- NYSDOH website - information on skin cancer.
Notable Updates
- Effective January 5, 2022, NY State Sanitary Code 10 NYCRR Subpart 72-1 (Tanning Facilities) was amended to be consistent with New York State Public Health Law, Article 35-A (the Article) and to update existing code language to improve understanding and facilitate implementation. The adopted amendments were published in the New York State Register.
- Language which prohibits the use of indoor tanning facilities by individuals less than 18 years of age was included in the code.
- The definition of a Tanning Facility was revised to include "any establishment where one or more ultraviolet radiation device is used, offered, or made available for use by any human being, whether or not a fee is charged, directly or indirectly, but shall not include any facility where any such device is used by a qualified health care professional for treatment of medical conditions."
- Amendments also include changes made to the Article in 2020, which increase the amount of the Registration fee from $30 to $120 and the Inspection fee from $50 per device to $200 per device.
Use our confidential complaint form to report underage tanning, an unclean tanning facility or other problems.