Whether a tattoo artist needs a license depends on where they work, because in the US tattooing is regulated by states and local health departments rather than by a single national system. Some places license each artist, some register them, some license only the studio, and the requirements attached vary just as much. We went to the rules and license pages published by three of the largest jurisdictions, New York City, California and Texas, to show how differently this works, and what to look for as a client or a would-be artist.
Does a tattoo artist need a license? The short answer
Usually some form of permission is needed, but what it is depends on the state and sometimes the city or county. In New York City, every tattoo artist needs a city license. In California, artists register with their local enforcement agency and must work in a permitted facility. In Texas, the studio holds the license. Always check with the health department where you plan to work or get tattooed.
Why there is no single answer
No federal agency licenses tattoo artists. Instead, tattooing sits under state health laws, and some states, California among them, hand enforcement to counties or cities. The result is a patchwork: the same artist might need an individual license in one city and nothing more than a job at a licensed studio in another state.
That is why rules quoted on general websites go out of date or turn out to apply somewhere else. The only reliable source is the health department or licensing office for the exact place involved.
Three examples of how it works
New York City: an individual artist license
New York City licenses the person. According to the city’s business portal, you need a Tattoo License to work as a tattoo artist in New York City. To get one, applicants take a three-hour infection control course from the Health Department’s Health Academy and pass a written exam.
- Fees: $100 for the license plus $26 for the course, applied for together.
- Term: the license is good for two years.
California: practitioner registration and a permitted facility
California’s Safe Body Art Act works through registration. Under Health and Safety Code section 119306, a person may not perform body art unless registered with the local enforcement agency, and may only work at a permitted permanent or temporary body art facility. To register, the practitioner must provide:
- evidence of current hepatitis B vaccination, or of immunity, or compliance with federal OSHA declination requirements;
- evidence of completing bloodborne pathogen training;
- proof of being 18 or older;
- a self-certification of knowing and meeting state and local body art safety rules;
- business and work addresses, and a registration fee set by the local agency.
Texas: the studio holds the license
Texas licenses the business. Its rules for tattoo and body piercing studios, administered by the Department of State Health Services, set license fees for studios and temporary locations, and require that each artist working in the studio have the education, training and experience to practice aseptic technique and prevent disease transmission.
The same rules set standards clients can see for themselves: single-use needles and razors, single-use stencils, no tattooing of anyone who appears to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and no tattooing on skin with rashes, boils, infections or abrasions. Studios must also give written aftercare instructions, and the state publishes a license verification page for checking a studio.
What licensing usually covers
The details vary, but the three examples above share a theme. Licensing and registration are mostly about infection control rather than artistic skill.
- Bloodborne pathogen and infection control training, such as New York City’s course and exam or California’s required training.
- Protection against hepatitis B, which California builds into registration.
- Sterile and single-use equipment, which rules such as Texas’s spell out item by item.
- A minimum age for practitioners, which California sets at 18.
- A permitted or licensed place of work, so the premises can be inspected.
None of these tells you whether an artist is good. A license shows that someone met a hygiene standard, and a portfolio of healed work shows whether you want their tattoo on your skin.
For clients: how to check an artist or studio
- Find out who issues licenses where you live. Search your state or city health department for tattoo or body art regulations.
- Look for the license or permit on display, and ask to see it if it is not.
- Verify it with the issuing agency where a lookup exists, such as Texas’s verification page.
- Watch the setup. Needles and razors opened in front of you, gloves, and a clean, uncluttered work area are what the rules are designed to produce.
- Ask about aftercare. A licensed studio in states like Texas must give written instructions, and our tattoo aftercare guide covers what those instructions should include.
Choosing an artist goes beyond the paperwork, and our guide to choosing a tattoo covers portfolios, healed work and consultations.
For aspiring artists
Start with the rules where you intend to work, before you spend money on equipment or courses. The requirements decide what training you need, whether you need a license in your own name or a job at a licensed studio, and whether you can tattoo anywhere other than a permitted facility, which California, for one, does not allow.
- Get bloodborne pathogen training that the local agency accepts, since it is a common requirement.
- Check vaccination requirements, such as California’s hepatitis B rule.
- Do not tattoo at home or for friends outside a permitted setting where the law requires one, however informal it seems.
- Learn under an experienced artist. Licensing sets a hygiene floor, and the craft is learned in a studio.
The verdict on tattoo licensing
There is no national tattoo license in the US. New York City licenses artists after an infection control course and exam, California requires local registration with hepatitis B and bloodborne pathogen requirements, and Texas licenses studios. Whether you are getting tattooed or starting out as an artist, the rules that apply to you are the ones published by your own state or local health department.
FAQ
Do tattoo artists need a license in the US?
It depends on the state and sometimes the city or county. There is no federal license. New York City requires an individual tattoo artist license, California requires practitioners to register with their local enforcement agency, and Texas licenses tattoo studios.
Is it illegal to tattoo without a license?
In places that require a license, registration or a permitted facility, yes. California, for example, prohibits performing body art without registration or outside a permitted facility. Check the rules where you are, because they differ.
How do I get a tattoo license in New York City?
Apply for the Tattoo License and register for the Health Department’s three-hour infection control course, then pass the written exam. The license costs $100 and the course $26, and the license lasts two years.
What do you need to register as a tattoo artist in California?
Evidence of hepatitis B vaccination or immunity, completion of bloodborne pathogen training, proof you are 18 or older, a self-certification on body art safety rules, your business address and a fee, all submitted to your local enforcement agency.
How can I check if a tattoo studio is licensed?
Ask to see the license or permit, then confirm it with the agency that issued it. Some states publish online lookups, such as the Texas Department of State Health Services’ license verification page.
Does a license mean a tattoo artist is good?
No. Licensing is mainly about hygiene and infection control. Judge the artist on a portfolio of healed tattoos in the style you want.
Can I tattoo at home?
In places that require tattooing to take place in a permitted or licensed facility, tattooing at home breaks those rules, and it lacks the sterile setup the rules exist to guarantee. Check your state and local regulations before tattooing anyone.