During the 2010 legislative session, the Georgia state government passed a bill that amended Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A). The amendment mandates that every “tanning facility” in Georgia will have to register with the Department of Community Health by January 1, 2011.

According to the Georgia Code a “tanning facility” is defined as any location, place, area, structure, or business which provides consumers access to tanning equipment. This includes, but is not limited to, tanning salons, health clubs, apartments, or condominiums regardless of whether a fee is charged, although any physician licensed by the Georgia Composite Medical Board is exempt from the registration. The Georgia Code defines tanning equipment as ultraviolet or other lamps and equipment containing such lamps intended to induce skin tanning.

Registration consists of a form requiring the name, address, telephone number of the business, the owner and the model number and type of each ultraviolet lamp used. There is also a registration fee of $25.00 for each business location with an additional $15.00 fee for each piece of tanning equipment.

The department is expecting a high volume of registrations so they are asking that all who operate an indoor tanning business send their application and registration fees by November 15, 2010.

For more information click here to go to the Georgia Department of Community Health site