Tanning laws · FL
Florida tanning laws for salon owners
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Researched and written by the TanVision team
General information, not legal advice. Check your state’s current rules.
The short answer
Florida sets no minimum tanning age. Minors aged 14 to 17 need a parent's signed statement on file, and under-14s must be accompanied by a parent (Florida Statutes 381.89). Each salon needs an annual Department of Health license, a trained operator, a signed warning at every use, one session per 24 hours and records kept for 4 years.
Florida at a glance
- Minimum age for UV tanning
- Florida sets no minimum age. Under Florida Statutes 381.89(7), a minor "between the ages of 14 and 18" may tan only with a parent or guardian's signed statement on file, and under 381.89(8) a minor under 14 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Source 1
- Parental consent for minors
- For a minor between 14 and 18, keep on file a statement signed by the parent or legal guardian saying they read and understand the warnings, consent to the minor's use of a tanning device, and agree the minor will use the provided eyewear (381.89(7)). A minor under 14 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian (381.89(8)). The statute does not say when the statement expires. Source 1
- Spray tan age rule
- None. The Florida Department of Health says it does not regulate spray-on tanning (Tanning Facility Program FAQ, question 10). Section 381.89(1)(c) defines a tanning device as equipment that emits electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths between 200 and 400 nanometers and is used for tanning the skin. Source 6
- State license or registration
- Every tanning facility needs a Department of Health license before it operates (381.89(3)(a); rule 64E-17.006). Licenses are annual, expire on September 30, cannot be transferred from one location or person to another, and must be posted on the premises. The statute caps the annual fee at $250 per tanning device (381.89(3)(b)). Source 4
- Inspections
- The Department of Health must inspect or investigate each facility as necessary but at least annually (381.89(9)). The facility must keep its most recent inspection report available to the public (381.89(4)(b)). Source 1
- Operator training
- Each facility needs an operator with a certificate of formal training from a department-approved course of at least 4 hours that ends with an exam, completed before the operator takes charge of the facility. Other staff who assist customers or run devices must be trained within 30 days of hire, working under a trained operator's direct supervision until then, and proof of training stays on site (rule 64E-17.004(1) to (4)). Source 3
- Time between sessions
- Once every 24 hours. Rule 64E-17.002(2)(m) says the operator must ensure that no individual uses a tanning device more than once every 24 hours. Source 2
- Signed warning statement
- Each time a person uses a tanning facility or executes or renews a contract to use one, they must sign a statement that they read and understand the warnings and agree to use the protective eyewear (381.89(6)(g)). The written warning must also say whether the facility carries liability insurance, and its limits if it does (381.89(4)(a)). Source 1
- Customer records
- Keep a record of each customer's use of a tanning device for at least 4 years (381.89(6)(j)). Rule 64E-17.004(7) lists what it holds: the customer's signature, age, dates of tanning visits, total number of visits, exposure times, and the name of the operator or employee who assisted. Source 3
- Injury reporting
- Send a written report of any alleged tanning injury to the county health department that issued the license within five working days of the injury or of learning about it (rule 64E-17.004(8)), and give the complainant a copy (381.89(6)(i)). Source 3
- Protective eyewear
- Before each use, give the customer properly sanitized eyewear that protects against UV and allows adequate vision to keep balance (381.89(6)(b)). It must meet 21 CFR 1040.20(c)(4), there must be enough pairs for everyone who can tan at the same time, and no one who refuses eyewear may tan (rule 64E-17.002(2)(i) and (j)). Source 2
- Replacement lamps
- Replace burned-out or defective lamps with the type named on the device's label or with lamps equivalent under 21 CFR 1040.20. When using substitute lamps, keep the manufacturer's statement that they are equivalent at the facility for review (rule 64E-17.004(9)). Source 3
- Timers
- Neither 381.89 nor chapter 64E-17 sets a timer-testing interval. Each timer must be accurate to plus or minus 10 percent (381.89(6)(d)), may not exceed the manufacturer's maximum recommended exposure, is set by trained staff, and needs an override control outside the room plus an emergency shut-off on the device (rule 64E-17.002(2)(c)). Source 2
Who regulates Florida tanning salons
The Florida Department of Health licenses tanning facilities through the environmental health office of each county health department. Before a building opens as a salon, its plans go to the county health department for approval, listing every tanning device and lamp (rule 64E-17.002(1)). A new or remodeled salon is inspected before the license is issued (64E-17.006(3)(a)), and each location needs its own license (department FAQ, question 27).
Operating without a license is a third-degree felony under 381.89(10)(a), and the department can fine up to $1,000 per violation per day (381.89(11)). Florida's statute has not changed since 2004, and chapter 64E-17 was last amended in 2005.
At the front desk: a new client
- Get the client's age or date of birth. The department's FAQ says the facility must know the client's age, and a record without it is a violation.
- For a client aged 14 to 17, have the parent or guardian's signed statement on file first. For a client under 14, a parent or guardian must come with them; the FAQ says the parent must be in the room.
- Give a copy of the written warning and a chance to read it, then have the client sign that they read and understood it and agree to wear eyewear (64E-17.004(6)). If the client cannot read or is visually impaired, read the warning aloud in front of a witness, and you and the witness both sign the statement.
- Tell them the device's maximum exposure time and show them the emergency shut-off (64E-17.002(2)(l)), plus the handrails or floor markings that keep the right distance (381.89(6)(c)).
At every visit
- Check the last session time. Nobody tans twice inside 24 hours, and the FAQ counts a session split into two short ones as two. See the 24-hour rule guide.
- Get a signed statement at each use (381.89(6)(g)), and again when a client signs or renews a contract.
- Keep a trained operator or employee present whenever tanning equipment is in use (64E-17.004(6)).
- Sanitize the device, including handrails, headrests and bed surfaces, and hand over sanitized eyewear before each use (381.89(6)(b)). Test the sanitizer's strength at least twice a day (64E-17.002(2)(h)). See the sanitation guide.
- Only trained staff set the timer, and the time never goes past the manufacturer's maximum (64E-17.002(2)(c)).
Paperwork to keep on site
- Four years of client records: signature, age, visit dates, total visits, exposure times and who helped them (64E-17.004(7)). The FAQ says computerized salons must still be able to produce all four years.
- Injury reports, sent to the county health department within five working days (64E-17.004(8)).
- The license on display (381.89(6)(h)), and the latest inspection report ready for any customer who asks (64E-17.007(1)).
- Proof of staff training, each device's owner's manual, and the equivalency statement for any substitute lamps (64E-17.004(3), (9) and (10)). See the lamp replacement guide.
How TanVision helps with the Florida rules
TanVision's exposure safety settings include the time between UV sessions, which starts at 24 hours. Inside that window it refuses the session and shows when the client is next eligible. Each session is saved with its date and time, the minutes and the staff member on it, inside the client record.
Clients sign consent forms on their own phone or a tablet, a parent or guardian signs as well when the client is under 18, and each signed record keeps the exact wording. A session cannot start without a signed statement and a date of birth on file. TanVision does not ask for a new signature at each visit, so the desk still collects Florida's each-use acknowledgment. It also does not check that a parent is present for a client under 14, so the desk does that too.
Compare other states on the tanning laws page, including Texas.
Common questions
- What is the minimum age to use a tanning bed in Florida?
- Florida has no minimum age. A minor between 14 and 18 needs a parent or guardian's signed statement on file, and a minor under 14 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian (Florida Statutes 381.89(7) and (8)).
- Can you tan twice in one day in Florida?
- No. Rule 64E-17.002(2)(m) allows one use of a tanning device every 24 hours. The Department of Health's FAQ says splitting one session into two shorter ones within 24 hours is also a violation.
- Do I need a license to open a tanning salon in Florida?
- Yes. Each facility needs an annual Department of Health license before it operates, applied for through the county health department's environmental health office. A second location needs its own license.
- Is spray tanning regulated in Florida?
- The Department of Health says it does not regulate spray-on tanning. Section 381.89 covers tanning equipment that emits electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths between 200 and 400 nanometers.
- How long must Florida tanning salons keep records?
- At least 4 years, under 381.89(6)(j). The record holds each client's signature, age, visit dates, total visits, exposure times and the staff member who assisted (rule 64E-17.004(7)).
Sources
- Florida Statutes 381.89, Regulation of tanning facilities (2026)
- Florida Administrative Code 64E-17.002, Design and Safety Requirements
- Florida Administrative Code 64E-17.004, Operation and Training
- Florida Administrative Code 64E-17.006, Licenses and Fees
- Florida Administrative Code 64E-17.007, Inspection, Enforcement and Penalties
- Tanning Facility Program Frequently Asked Questions