How to Get a Certification for Body Piercing

Body piercings are not limited to only ears and are found throughout all areas of the body.

Working with tattoos and body piercings requires years of dedication and training to improve your skills and craft while also working with a variety of clients to help build your portfolio. Getting a body piercing certification is possible by gaining experiencing and working with others and various piercing parlors and tattoo shops. Depending on your state, additional certification fees may also be required before receiving your body piercing certificate.

Instructions

1. Research your state laws on body piercings and tattoo certification requirements, which can often be found on official state websites relating to careers and health certificates.

2. Register and complete and online course from a legitimate body piercing school in body piercing and tattooing to understand the basics and entire spectrum of body piercing, including the medical aspect of cleaning and caring for newly pierced sections of the body. Alternatively, register at a local college or university that offers body piercing courses available to receive credit and certification of completion.

3. Visit local tattoo and body piercing parlors to speak with master artists about apprenticeships, as well as internships available through the shop. Once you find an apprenticeship, you may be required to take a First Aid or CPR course to become more aware of the medical risks that body piercing and tattooing can impose if using a bad needle or equipment.

4. Practice and apprentice under a master body piercing or tattoo artist. Your training may take from a few months to more than a year before you receive adequate training for your state's rules and regulations to become a body piercing artist yourself.

Tips & Warnings

• Finding an apprenticeship under a tattoo or body piercing artist may be challenging, but it is also helpful to network and ask family and friends for referrals to well-known shops and parlors in your area.

References

• Online Tattoo Supplies: Where Can I Get Certified in Body Piercing?

Resources

• NCSL: Tattooing and Body Piercing