Technical Requirements for a Nail Salon - Polish Sanitary Authority 2026 (Walls, Floors, Ventilation)

Are you opening a salon or moving to a new premises? The Polish State Sanitary Inspectorate (Sanepid) has a specific and unambiguous list of technical requirements for nail salons. Failing to meet them at the renovation stage means expensive corrections and a delayed opening. It is far better to know the requirements before you start laying tiles.

This article covers all the key requirements: from floor area and room layout, through wall and floor materials, to ventilation, water supply, and lighting. A pre-inspection checklist is at the end.

Rooms and Zones in a Nail Salon

Workstation Floor Area

The practical rule applied by Sanepid is a minimum of 8 square metres of usable floor area per workstation. Local regulations and the specific guidelines of the relevant sanitary and epidemiological station may vary, so always consult your floor plan with the local Sanepid office before starting renovation work. What applies in Warsaw may be interpreted differently in Kraków.

Workstations may be separated by screens or by the arrangement of furniture. Rigid partition walls are not required. Each workstation must have unobstructed access to a washbasin and must not create corridors that hinder evacuation.

Dedicated Sterilization Area

Sanepid requires a separate room or a clearly demarcated area designated for tool sterilization. You do not sterilize tools at the client workstation. The sterilization area must have access to electricity and a worktop resistant to chemical disinfectants.

Toilet and Changing Area

Salon staff must have access to a toilet. This may be a shared WC within the building (for example, shared by tenants), but it must be easily accessible and referenced in the premises documentation. A separate client toilet is not a mandatory requirement for small salons, though Sanepid views it favorably.

A changing room or designated area for storing private and work clothing is required. A staff member does not arrive at work already wearing their work uniform and does not leave wearing it. Work clothing must be stored separately from personal clothing.

Walls and Floors: Materials and Requirements

Walls

Walls in a nail salon must be smooth and washable to a minimum height of 1.6 metres from the floor. This means:

• Ceramic tiles: the most durable and easiest to disinfect option.
• PVC wall panels: a more affordable alternative, accepted by Sanepid provided joints are fully sealed.
• Washable paint (latex or epoxy): permitted, but requires regular repainting because it absorbs chemical products over time.

What is not used in a nail salon:

• Paper wallpaper: it absorbs moisture and chemicals and cannot be effectively disinfected.
• Walls with cracks or chips: every gap is a harbour for microorganisms.
• Untreated wood on walls in the workstation zone.

Floors

Flooring must be washable and non-slip. The most commonly used materials are:

• Glazed or technical porcelain tile: the best choice, easy to maintain.
• PVC sheet flooring (vinyl): permitted provided there are no joints or seams that collect contaminants.

Carpet is excluded. Carpets accumulate nail dust, chemical substances (acetone, primer, adhesive), allergens, and microorganisms. Sanepid will flag carpet at the very first inspection.

Work Surfaces

The worktop at the nail station must be made of a material resistant to chemical products and suitable for effective disinfection:

• Stainless steel: ideal, but expensive.
• High-pressure laminate (HPL): a popular choice, resistant to acetone and disinfectants.
• Quartz composite: good chemical resistance.

Untreated wood, veneer, and unlaminated MDF are not acceptable. They absorb chemical and biological substances and cannot be effectively disinfected.

Ventilation: The Most Commonly Overlooked Requirement

This is the point Sanepid examines most closely in salons working with gel and acrylic products.

Gravity or Mechanical Ventilation

Every commercial premises must have adequate air exchange. The minimum requirement for a nail salon is functional gravity ventilation (building ventilation ducts) or mechanical ventilation. Check that the ventilation ducts in the premises are clear before signing a lease agreement.

Local Extraction at the Workstation

When working with acrylic, UV gel, and cyanoacrylate adhesives, local extraction at the workstation is mandatory: a hood or extraction fan directed outside the building, not into shared spaces. Extraction into shared areas (corridor, stairwell) is not permitted.

E-Files and Nail Dust

Working with an electric nail file generates nail dust containing particles of acrylate, gel, and organic matter. Requirements at a workstation with an e-file:

• Local extraction at the workstation (ideally with a built-in dust collector in the nail desk).
• An FFP2 protective mask for the nail technician during filing.

Air Conditioning

Air conditioning is permitted and welcome, but the filter must be cleaned in accordance with the equipment's technical documentation (typically every one to three months). A dirty air conditioning filter spreading dust and microorganisms is exactly what an inspector looks for. Keep a filter cleaning log.

Water and Drainage

Washbasin

A minimum of one washbasin with running hot and cold water in the salon. At the washbasin, you must have:

• Liquid soap in a dispenser (not a bar of soap, which harbours bacteria).
• Single-use paper towels or a hand dryer.
• A bin for used paper towels next to the washbasin.

Pedicure Station

If the salon offers pedicure services, the foot soaking station must be in a separate area, allow for disinfection after each client, and drain directly into the sewage system. Plastic bowls carried to a bathroom sink do not meet sanitary requirements for commercial operations.

Disposal of Chemical Waste

Chemical products (acetone, disinfectants, primers) must not be poured directly down the drain at working concentration if the product's Safety Data Sheet (SDS) prohibits it. Most products require dilution or disposal through a licensed waste management company.

Workstation Lighting

The minimum illuminance at the workstation for precision nail services is 500 lux (lx). This requirement comes from the general occupational health and safety regulation. Check your lamp with a lux meter or a smartphone app to confirm it meets the standard.

An important note about UV/LED lamps for gel polish: a gel curing lamp does not count as workstation lighting. It is a working device. The nail technician should use eye protection or a lamp with a UV filter during curing to protect their eyesight when using the lamp many times each day.

Pre-Opening Checklist

• Washable walls to a minimum height of 1.6 m (tiles, PVC panels, or washable paint).
• Washable floor with no carpet.
• Work surfaces resistant to chemical products (no untreated wood).
• Washbasin with hot and cold water, liquid soap dispenser, single-use paper towels.
• Mechanical or gravity ventilation with clear ducts.
• Local extraction at gel, acrylic, and e-file workstations.
• Designated sterilization area for tools.
• CWO containers for biologically contaminated waste.
• Workstation lighting of at least 500 lux.
• Changing area or space for private and work clothing.
• Staff toilet access.

FAQ: Sanepid Technical Requirements for Nail Salons

Can I open a salon in my apartment?

Yes, but with restrictions. A home-based salon requires a dedicated space meeting the same sanitary requirements as a commercial premises: washable walls and floors in the work zone, separate ventilation, and access to hot water. You also need to change the designated use of the space or notify the building management. In practice, housing cooperatives and residents' associations frequently object to commercial activity, so check the building regulations before submitting an application to Sanepid.

Does Sanepid require a separate client toilet?

For small salons (up to a few workstations), a separate client toilet is not an absolute requirement, but Sanepid recommends providing one. If clients share the staff toilet, it must meet the same hygiene standards. When planning a larger or premium salon, it is worth incorporating a separate client toilet at the design stage.

What is the minimum floor area per nail chair?

The practical rule is 8 square metres per workstation. This means a salon with 24 square metres of usable area may have a maximum of three workstations (provided all other requirements are met). Note that communication corridors, reception areas, sterilization zones, and toilets do not count toward workstation area. Always consult the specific layout with your local Sanepid office before renovation.

What if I rent a station in a shared beauty studio?

If you rent a station in a multi-practitioner studio, responsibility for the technical requirements of the premises rests with the studio owner. You are responsible for your tools, products, and procedures. Before signing a station rental agreement, ask the owner for the report from the most recent Sanepid inspection and confirm that the premises holds a current sanitary permit. A penalty for operating without a permit may affect every practitioner working in the premises.