Archive for Tattoo Laws
This site gets quite a few visitors looking for information on tattooing minors. If you want to see the laws on whether a minor can get a tattoo, a chart listing the legal tattoo ages for minors in the U.S. is provided in the article titled U.S. Tattoo Laws for Minors.
Several people have asked what to do if they actually find a tattoo shop or tattoo artist that will give them a tattoo, even though they’re underage according to their state laws. The answer is simple: no reputable tattoo shop will break the law in order to give a minor a tattoo. Doing this puts them at risk for losing their business license. Additionally, the tattoo artist that does this could face possible legal action taken by the parents of the minor.
If you find a tattoo artist that’s willing to tattoo a minor, ask yourself these questions:
- who will you turn to if you develop an infection as the result of getting an illegal tattoo?
- are you willing to risk serious health risks (i.e., blood-bourne diseases like Hepatitis B, HIV)?
- how do you know if the person properly sterilizes the multi-use instruments? The proper way is to use an autoclave.
- how can you ensure that the person doesn’t use inks that have been used on someone else?
- is the work area sanitized with disinfectant products?
- does the person take precautions to avoid cross-contamination of instruments and supplies?
Bottom line: if you’re under the legal age to get a tattoo simply wait until you’re of age. It’s not worth the health risk and the lasting damage that could be done to your body.
See also:
Think Before Getting Those Tattoos
For the most part, as long as you’re 18 years of age you can get a tattoo. In some instances minors can get tattoos if they’re accompanied by a legal guardian and/or have obtained written consent from a legal guardian. The chart below outlines the tattoo laws in each state.
|
State
|
Minimum
Age
|
Laws for Minors
|
| Alabama |
18
|
Requires written consent of a parent or guardian. |
| Alaska |
18
|
Illegal. |
| Arizona |
18
|
Requires the physical presence of a parent or guardian. |
| Arkansas |
18
|
Requires written and in-person consent of a parent or guardian. |
| California |
18
|
Illegal. |
| Colorado |
18
|
Requires “express consent from the minor’s parent or guardian.” The state law does not define the term “express consent.” |
| Connecticut |
18
|
Requires written consent a parent or guardian. |
| Delaware |
18
|
Requires written consent of a parent or guardian. |
| Florida |
18
|
Requires written notarized consent of a parent or guardian. |
| Georgia |
18
|
Illegal unless by “a licensed osteopath or technician acting under the direct supervision of a licensed physician or osteopath.” |
| Hawaii |
18
|
Requires written consent from a parent or guardian. |
| Idaho |
18
|
Allowed if the minor is at least 14 years of age. Additionally, written and in-person consent must be provided by a parent or guardian. |
| Illinois |
21
|
Illegal. |
| Indiana |
18
|
Requires written and in-person consent of a parent or guardian. |
| Iowa |
18
|
Illegal. |
| Kansas |
18
|
Illegal. |
| Kentucky |
18
|
Requires written notarized consent of a parent or guardian. |
| Louisiana |
18
|
Requires in-person consent of a parent or guardian. |
| Maine |
18
|
Illegal. |
| Maryland |
18
|
Illegal. |
| Massachusetts |
18
|
Illegal. |
| Michigan |
18
|
Requires written and in-person consent of a parent or guardian. |
| Minnesota |
18
|
Requires written consent of a parent or guardian. |
| Mississippi |
18
|
Illegal. |
| Missouri |
18
|
Requires written and in-person consent of a parent or guardian. |
| Montana |
18
|
Requires in-person consent of a parent or guardian. |
| Nebraska |
18
|
Requires written consent of a parent or guardian. |
| Nevada |
18
|
Illegal. |
| New Hampshire |
18
|
Illegal. |
| New Jersey |
18
|
Requires written consent of parent or guardian. |
| New Mexico |
18
|
Requires written and in-person consent of a parent or guardian. |
| New York |
18
|
Requires parental consent. The law does not specify whether it must be written or in-person. New regulations are pending. |
| North Carolina |
18
|
Illegal. |
| North Dakota |
18
|
Requires in-person consent of a parent or guardian. |
| Ohio |
18
|
Requires in-person signed consent of a parent or guardian. |
| Oklahoma |
18
|
Illegal. |
| Oregon |
18
|
Illegal. |
| Pennsylvania |
18
|
Requires written consent of parent or guardian. |
| Rhode Island |
18
|
Illegal. |
| South Carolina |
21
|
Allowed if the minor is at least 18 years of age. Additionally, either notarized written consent must provided by the parent or guardian OR the tattoo must be applied in the presence of the parent or guardian. |
| South Dakota |
18
|
Requires a written consent form from a parent or guardian. |
| Tennessee |
18
|
Allowed if the minor is at least 16 years of age and written and in-person consent is provided by the parent or guardian. |
| Texas |
18
|
Allowed only if it is to cover
an obscene or offensive tattoo. Even then, either notarized written consent must be provided by the parent/guardian OR the tattoo must be applied in the presence of the parent or guardian. |
| Utah |
18
|
Requires in-person consent of a parent or guardian. |
| Vermont |
18
|
Requires written consent or a parent or guardian. |
| Virginia |
18
|
Requires in-person consent of a parent or guardian. |
| Washington |
18
|
Illegal. |
| West Virginia |
18
|
Requires written consent from a parent or guardian. |
| Wisconsin |
18
|
Illegal. |
| Wyoming |
18
|
Requires in-person consent of a parent or guardian. |
Definition of Terms
In-person Consent: this requires the legal parent or guardian to provide verbal consent allowing their minor son or daughter to get a tattoo. Consent must be provided in person at the tattoo studio. The legal guardian/parent may be required to provide legal proof of guardianship.
Written Consent: this requires the legal parent or guardian to provide, in writing, the following information:
- The legal name of the minor and the legal name of the guardian or parent;
- The address of both the minor and the legal guardian or parent;
- The telephone number of both the minor and the legal guardian or parent;
- The location where the tattoo will be pierced;
- The signatures of both the minor and the legal guardian or parent.
Written Consent Forms: Some tattoo studios have pre-printed consent forms on hand for signature. Some states require tattoo studios to place specific information on the consent forms.
Written Notarized Consent: this requires the legal parent or guardian to have the information outlined above in the Written Consent section notarized by a licensed notary public.
This list was developed on May 26, 2008. Remember that laws change. When in doubt, call your state’s Department of Public Health. You should be able to find them online by searching for “xx Department of Public Health” where “xx” represents the state abbreviation (e.g., “CA Department of Public Health”).
Your state’s Department of Public Health should also be listed in the state government section of the telephone book.
It took me a few hours to research the laws for each state. I hope this information is helpful.
For more information see: Tattoo Laws for Minors: Know the Risks
