Change in Florida licensing Fees

[HOT]

If you are in Florida this will effect you!

Read this by Rick Mattoon from Looking Fit, NTTI:

Sunshine State To Rain On Florida Tanning Salons

LOOKING FIT magazine has learned that the Florida Department of Health, charged with overseeing indoor tanning salons throughout the state, soon will eliminate the current cap in its licensing fee schedule. The result could mean a significant hike in fees paid each year by the state’s tanning salons beginning Oct. 1, 2002.


The Joint Administrations Office, Florida’s legal advisory arm, has directed the Department of Health to conform its tanning salon fee structure to existing Florida law. The tanning rules written in 1991 offer specific fees that should have been charged for each tanning device used commercially in Florida.

In order to adhere to the rule, the Department of Health has been ordered to stop the current fee structure and implement a new fee schedule based on the 1991 tanning law. The result will be a considerable fee INCREASE for a majority of the nearly 1,700 licensed Florida tanning salons.

The current fee structure requires tanning facilities pay an annual or prorated fee to their county health departments according to the following:

Existing Fee Schedule

Annual license fee (one device): $150.
Each additional device: $55.
The total fee is not to exceed $315.

New Fee Schedule

Annual license fee (one device): $150.
Each additional device: $125.
No fee limit.

The new fee schedule will keep the annual license fee at $150 for the first device, but raise the fee from $55 for each additional device to $125 for each additional device. What may prove to be most economically damaging for salon owners will be the elimination of the $315 cap. This means a 10-bed salon that normally pays $315 in licensing fees will receive a bill for $1,275 at its next renewal date. That would be an increase of $960 per year. All tanning facility licenses expire annually on Sept. 30 and are not transferable from one location or person to another. The new licensing fee structure will take effect Oct. 1, 2002.
Last year’s fees collected in Florida totaled approximately $360,000. With more than 4,000 tanning units licensed with the Florida Department of Health, fees after Sept. 30 could easily top $500,000.

After learning about the Florida situation, LOOKING FIT immediately alerted the Indoor Tanning Association. ITA Board Member Chuck Robinson offered to take matter to the board for immediate consideration. “Obviously, if not dealt with, this could be detrimental for salon owners across the entire state of Florida,” Robinson said.

This issue is expected to be addressed at the ITA board meeting April 11 in Los Angeles. There is an outside chance the fee structure could be revised, but it depends on how involved the industry becomes to impact a change. For updates on this situation log on to www.lookingfit.com.
The Florida Department of Health traditionally has been sensitive to the impact license fees have on tanning salons. The origin of this fee increase comes directly from a review and implementation of existing Florida law. In the past, the department has made every effort to keep fees as low as possible while covering Florida’s tanning program expenses.

For more information on the tanning fee increase, Florida salon owners can contact the Florida Department of Health at (850) 245-4277.

[fungirlz]

Thanks HOT.. We discussed this a bit with the Ask Don section.. come join us on this topic.
What is your feeling on this?
Chris
Central Florida

[cherrybaby23509]

Hello
Can anyone tell me where i can get more info on Florida tanning salon regulations
Im new here and just wanted to research this a little more
Thanks
Cherry

[West Side Tanner]

wwwmyflorida.com Subject will be "tanning"

[cherrybaby23509]

Thanks I will check it out
Cherry