How to Become a Professional Licensed Tattoo Artist
Although anyone can do tattoo work, only professionally licensed tattoo artists are legally allowed to charge for their services. If you are interested in becoming a licensed tattoo artist, there are a number of steps that you must complete before you can start your career as a tattooist. Becoming a licensed professional in the industry takes time, money and commitment.
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Instructions
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1
Research the tattoo licensing requirements for your state. These requirements are usually listed on the state website. Most states require that applicants complete a certain amount of training, either at a tattoo school or during an apprenticeship. Some states also require applicants to take additional courses or pass an exam. It is important to ensure that you know what requirements you will have to meet before moving forward.
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2
Create a portfolio of your artwork. If you have ever created any actual tattoos, be sure to include these. Regardless of where you pursue your training, you will probably be required to demonstrate your artistic potential before being accepted.
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3
Research various training options. In general, there are two ways to receive training as a tattoo artist. You may either apply for admission to a tattoo school or seek an apprenticeship. Both options may cost you up to $10,000 in training fees. If you are interested in applying to a school, move on to Step 4. If you are interested in finding an apprenticeship, skip ahead to Step 7.
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4
Research multiple tattoo schools in your area. For each school, ask for information about class size, graduation rate, licensing rate, completion time, opportunities for hands-on experience, tuition and the qualifications of their faculty. A good school will require its students to complete multiple tattoos before graduating, and will have well-qualified faculty and a high graduation and licensing rate. After gathering as much information as possible, narrow your choices down to schools that best fit your needs.
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5
Apply to the schools that you are most interested in attending. No legitimate school will admit anyone under the age of 18. Most require applicants to possess at least a high school diploma.
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6
Complete the required coursework after being admitted to a tattoo school. If you are not interested in learning about how to obtain and complete an apprenticeship, skip ahead to Step 10.
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7
Research tattoo parlors in your area. Take into consideration the cleanliness, quality of work, clientele and tattoo artists at each facility. Ideally, you should complete your apprenticeship at a well-established tattoo parlor that performs the kind of work in which you are interested. At each potential tattoo parlor, identify a specific tattooist who you would like to be your mentor.
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8
Approach the tattoo parlors that you are most interested in apprenticing with and speak directly to the person you want to mentor you. Find out what sort of fees they would charge, how much time they would devote to your instruction, what kind of opportunities there would be for hands-on experience and how long the apprenticeship would last.
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9
Accept an apprenticeship at the tattoo parlor that best fits your needs. Complete the required work.
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10
Complete any additional state requirements before applying for your license. This may mean taking extra courses or passing a comprehensive exam.
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11
Apply for your tattoo license. In addition to the application form, you will be required to submit written verification of your training, proof that you completed additional state requirements and a licensing fee. Although the fee differs from state to state, most charge several hundred dollars for first-time license applicants.
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Wait for your application to be accepted or denied. If accepted, you will receive documentation of your license in the mail.
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References
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