Body Art (Tattoo and Piercing)

Tattooing and body piercing carry risks of infection and bloodborne disease transmission, as well as allergic reactions, prolonged bleeding, swelling, scarring, and general discomfort. Existing medical conditions such as allergies, heart disease, diabetes, skin disorders, or conditions that affect the immune system may increase the risk of complications. You may wish to speak with a physician about potential health risks before getting a tattoo or body piercing. For more information, see the U.S. Food & Drug Administration: Think Before You Ink: Tattoo Safety (opens in a new tab).

If you get a tattoo or body piercing, make sure the person:

• Washes their hands before tattooing and uses clean gloves
• Cleans the skin to be tattooed or pierced
• Uses a disposable razor to shave the skin if needed
• Uses sterile needles, tubes, clamps, and single-use ink cups
• Provides aftercare instructions before and after the procedure
• For a tattoo: covers the tattooed skin with a sterile bandage

Expect to answer questions about the facility and its operation. Licensing inspections are mostly about the physical facility. No problems should arise as long as you adhered to the approved plans. The inspector will review some operational expectations, future inspections, and annual license renewal. Assuming the inspection goes well, a license application will be completed and mailed to the State accompanied by your first year's license fee. You will need a check or money order to pay this fee. More details about what to expect on a preopening/licensing inspection are available on our preoperational inspection checklist (PDF) (opens in a new tab).