A former Adelaide man has become the first person in Australia to be convicted of providing cosmetic tanning for a fee, admitting to a court that he ran a solarium from his garage.

Jake Martin-Herde, 28, has admitted to two counts of offering and providing cosmetic tanning for a fee to the public.

He used social media to promote his northern suburbs business at Salisbury Downs, called the Sharelarium, which offered the use of three tanning beds.

The practice was outlawed in SA last year and is illegal throughout Australia.

Martin-Herde's lawyer Gilbert Aitken told the Adelaide Magistrates Court that his client was given bad business advice that he could run tanning beds if he offered members of the public a share in the venture.

Prosecutor Kathleen Moloney said when the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) raided the house in March last year it found tanning beds, advertising material and business documents.

She said a female member of the public was present and told them she paid a $10 upfront fee, plus $20 per session and had become aware of the service via Facebook.

Ms Moloney said Martin-Herde had been aware of the ban yet had deliberately attempted to bypass this by offering a sham shareholding agreement.

She said a conviction was appropriate, but the offending was in the mid range of seriousness.

An 'honest and reasonable' mistake

Mr Aitken said his client made an "honest and reasonable mistake" and, once made aware of it, had pleaded guilty.

The Sharelarium was well equipped. ( Facebook: Jake Sharelarium )

He said Martin-Herde, who is also a joint sealer, is now living and working in Sydney and would not offend again.

Chief Magistrate Mary-Louise Hribal said a conviction was appropriate as solariums used a higher concentration of radiation, which increased the danger of skin cancer, and caused premature ageing and many other health issues.

She imposed a $2,100 fine for each of the two charges.

The maximum penalty for each charge is $10,000.

Martin-Herde will also have to pay prosecution costs and SA's Victims of Crime levy.

EPA chief executive Tony Circelli said the case highlighted the need to stamp out the use of tanning beds for a profit.

"The important thing to remember here is that a conviction was successfully obtained," he said.

"That is important in terms of ensuring that we provide a strong deterrent from any others that are looking to use solaria for the purpose of profit."

Cancer Council SA chief executive Lincoln Size said he was concerned that there were people willing to profit at the expense of other people's health through the commercial use of solaria despite the ban.

"There is no such thing as a safe way to use a solarium, and we commend the EPA on enforcing this important regulation," he said.